Skippers to gauge progress of youth
New Norfolk one of best
SORELL and New Norfolk will be using Saturday’s game as a chance to see where they stand this season as each skipper is keen to see how their young group performs.
Captain Mark Johnston is looking forward to learning how Sorell measures up against New Norfolk, which he views as one of the best teams in the SFL.
“We think they’re one of the top two teams, if not one of the best teams in the league,” Johnston said.
On why New Norfolk is so hard to play against, Johnston pointed to the team’s depth, saying you have to focus on the whole side and not one player in particular.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re from the back-pocket, forward-pocket or playing in the reserves,’’ he said. “Their depth runs real deep, it doesn’t matters who they are, they’re still really hard to beat.”
But Sorell is coming into the game after a 184-point win over Claremont, which Johnston said was “a nice little confidence boost”.
New Norfolk captain Jacob Wigg is still on the sidelines after having a procedure to clean up his hip, but he is hoping to be running in a couple of weeks.
He conceded it was tough to not be playing, especially when the season has just started and he wants to be leading his club.
“It is hard, the first couple (of) games, you’re itching to be out there with a young group,” Wigg said. After losing to the unbeaten Hobart Tigers by 50 points last week, Wigg is hoping his side goes back to basics and returns to its brand of footy, acknowledging that you can be inconsistent at times with a young team.
“To Hobart’s full credit, they played really well and set up behind the footy, stopped our brand of footy really,” he said.
New Norfolk will have only one change, while Sorell is expecting several due to a wedding over the weekend.
“It’s one of those things in a footy season where life doesn’t stop,’’ Johnston said. “So, we’ve got a few personnel changes but hopefully we can keep a good brand of footy coming on and stay structured.”
In other games, premier Huonville should be far too strong for Claremont at Abbotsfield Park, Cygnet and Lindisfarne clash at Cygnet and Dodges Ferry hosts Brighton.