Early end to the footy season for New Norfolk

THIS week is the final round of SFL roster matches. An exciting round of games is coming up today to conclude the 2018 roster. The results of three of the four matches will have a bearing on the final composition of the top five and next weekend's elimination and qualifying finals.

ROUND 18, August 11
Cygnet v New Norfolk (Colts at 10am, Reserves at noon, Seniors at 2pm)
Claremont v Brighton
Dodges Ferry v Huonville
Hobart v Lindisfarne
Bye: Sorell

Cygnet hosts New Norfolk in a must-win game for the Port side. Even then, they will require other results to go their way to clinch a finals berth as last weekend's loss to Lindisfarne saw them topple out of the top five. New Norfolk will miss the finals action for the first time in more than a decade and will be very disappointed in this outcome. The Eagles will be keen to finish the season with a victory and were well-served last weekend by Wigg, Farrow and Heron with six majors.

Claremont hosts Brighton at Abbotsfield Park at 1pm. This is the only game with the result having no bearing on ladder. Claremont, coming off the bye, will be striving for a solid performance heading into next weekend’s qualifying final. Brighton will be looking to finish the season on a positive note with further improvement from the younger players. Congratulations to 15-year-old Tyron Bailey who made his senior debut last week and recently played in the Tasmanian Under 15 team.

At the TCA, Hobart meets Lindisfarne. The equation for the Tigers is simple: to play in the finals they must defeat the ladder leader. The Tigers have had some impressive performances in recent times but must put four quarters of football together to have any chance in this match. Last week they were superb in downing the Lions at Huonville. Lindisfarne will head into the finals on top of the ladder with a week’s rest ahead of the second semi-final. Can the Tigers cause the biggest boilover of season 2018 to play in the finals?

The match of the round is between fourth-placed Dodges Ferry and third-placed Huonville Lions and the loser here could even miss out on a finals berth if Hobart was to defeat Lindisfarne. The Sharks have been the in-form team over the last six weeks and have been very consistent. The last time these teams met in round nine at Huonville the Sharks won by one point. The Lions' form has dipped of late after a very consistent first half of the season. This match is like an elimination final and will be hotly contested. If the last clash is any guide we may even end up with a drawn match.

WOMEN'S COMPETITION
ROUND 19 of the SFLW will be a gala day at Anzac Park, Lindisfarne, on Sunday.

10am: Lindisfarne v South East Suns
11.40am: New Norfolk v The Port
1.20pm: North Hobart v Hobart
3pm: University v Claremont
Bye: Lauderdale

This weekend’s final round match of the day has first playing second with top position on the ladder at stake - the Blues against the Suns in what could be a preview of contests to follow during the finals. The Blues last week had an astonishing 50 scoring shots in their match against New Norfolk. The Suns are coming off the bye and will be raring to go. This match will give huge confidence to the winner going into the following week's finals series.

New Norfolk against the Port will be a last-chance opportunity for these teams to conclude the season on a positive note with a victory. The Port will start the favourite. North Hobart meets the Tigers with the Demons looking to a polished performance to head into next week’s elimination final. The final roster match of the season has University v Claremont.

The elimination and qualifying finals next weekend will both be played at the one venue on the Sunday, venue to be confirmed. Congratulations to all the participants in the expanded 2018 SFLW competition.

DAVID HARDING