No solace for City in history against Pies

THE toughest task in the TSL awaits Hobart City today in trying to stop the Glenorchy juggernaut on its own turf.

The Magpies are flying high at the top of the State League ladder with a perfect 8-0 record, while the Demons are on the fringe of the top five in the logjam alongside the likes of Western Storm, Clarence and Launceston.

One thing in City’s favour is the fact it’s the only side to really give Glenorchy a run for its money in 2015, pushing the unbeaten outfit to 15 points in Round 2 at Queenborough.

But coach Michael McGregor is battling a personnel crisis and is unsure who will be at his disposal come the opening bounce this afternoon.

“They are obviously travelling very well. Their game plan is working for them and they have answered all the challenges” McGregor said of the task awaiting his troops.

“We have probably been the only ones who have got close to them, in Round 2.

“It is a big challenge but it is also an opportunity for us.

“Queenborough to KGV is a completely different scenario but in saying that we have lost quite a few players from that game and we have had to restructure the way we play.

“We are now playing what I would consider a more conducive style of footy for a ground like KGV.

“At the moment it is a real man management thing for us. We just have to back our guys to do their job.”

The Demons will have dual best and fairest winner Gareth Delaney back from suspension, with Dwayne Bosen and Hugh Williams also expected to return. But there is a cloud over up to four first choice starters as injuries build up.

At Lauderdale, the fourthplaced Bombers and fifthplaced Devonport, separated by just four points, go head to head in what Devonport coach Mitch Thorp has labelled an eight-point contest.

The Magpies welcome back four big inclusions in Thorp (ankle), Aaron McNab (hamstring), Phil Crowden (suspension) and Brad Symmons (knee), leaving them at near full strength for the first time all year.

“It is one of those old school sayings, it’s an eight-point game,” Thorp said.

“If we win we draw level on points and if we lose we fall eight points behind them — very important game in the scheme of the season.”

Thorp’s opposite number will want to bounce back after consecutive losses leading into last week’s bye, including a last-quarter fade out against Clarence.

“We went into our shells a bit and started chasing them around, which we haven’t done for the last two or three years,” Darren Winter said.

“I think the wind played a few mind games with us in trying to shut them down and not playing our brand of footy.

“We probably learnt a couple of good lessons from the last two weeks.”

The two northern games today have Launceston travelling to West Park to meet Burnie, while North Launceston and Western Storm will clash at Aurora Stadium.