Dobosz blessing but not Demons’ saviour

NORTH Hobart refuses to lean on the returning Julian Dobosz as its messiah, as it strives to recapture its aggressive best from earlier in the TSL season.

The Demons head to SkyBus Oval today for a clash with Lauderdale, armed with boom mid-season signing Dobosz, from Melbourne.

The key forward will play his first State League match since 2015 — when he led then Hobart City’s goal-kicking and was named in the TSL team of the year — after being granted an exemption to reunite with his junior club, following the coronavirus crisis in Victoria.

While excited at having the classy sharp shooter at his disposal, Demons coach Richard Robinson is keeping expectations low for Dobosz’s first official match for 2020.

“Having someone like Jules forward of the ball, obviously he is a goal-kicker, but he is not only a goal-kicker,” Robinson said. “He loves the Demons

and he would be playing here if it wasn’t for his work commitments in Melbourne.

“There is no expectations, I just want him to go out there and compete and have some fun. Any coach loves a big full forward who can kick goals and create opportunities for other players around them.”

The Demons defeated the Bombers in Round 3, then, after a bye, pushed then-undefeated ladder leader Launceston to three points.

But they have dropped off in the past fortnight with disappointing defeats to Glenorchy and Clarence, and Robinson wants a response.

“We have addressed a few things we need to get better at.,” he said. “I want us to be aggressive and I don’t just mean aggressive at the opposition or the ball, I want us to be aggressive with our ball movement. I want the boys to take the game on, move the ball quickly … that’s (why) we were playing good footy in the first part of the year.”