NPL Tasmania returns for 2021 in late February with the return of the Men’s Summer Cup. Fixtures have now been released on Football Tasmania’s roster portal and are subject to change.
Traditionally the Summer Cup has been played by Southern NPL teams but Launceston City and Riverside Olympic will enter the fray this time round. City’s inclusion is their first since 2017 while Riverside will have their first crack. NPL TAS Champions Devonport Strikers will not be in the comp. Perhaps their mind games ahead of the season.
Clarence Zebras will open R1 on the 20th Feb for a midday kickoff in the ‘Safari Derby’ at “KGV to Kingborough Lions. Zebras have been very quiet in the transfer market as of print but will have a new face at the helm in former Olympia and Glenorchy Knights coach Franco Previdi.
Previdi has winning experience with three Southern Championships between 2016-2018 for Knights so perhaps he can bring some of that success to the NPL. Only time will tell.
Zebras FB
Kingborough on the other hand have been making a lot of noise in the window with the acquisitions of midfielder Kobe Kemp (South Hobart) and attacker Ben Hamlett (Olympia) along with a lot of last year’s players returning. In his third year as coach Jez Kenth would be wanting to see the class of 2021 finally deliver a trophy or two.
South Hobart will entertain Riverside Olympic at D’Arcy St later that afternoon in what could be an early indicator as to where both clubs are at the moment. Both have been quiet in the market/player retains but don’t count out the two to have a surprise or two lined up.
Summer Cup champions Olympia Warriors conclude the round against last year’s bottom placed Launceston City under lights at Warrior Park. Olympia couldn’t replicate their WSL’s success and had to settle for a disappointing 5th place finish and runners up in the Milan Lakoseljac Cup.
Olympia haven’t had the best window with Captain Lucas Hill, Adam Gorrie and Nicholas Mearns all going to cup winners Glenorchy Knights. The trio is a big loss for the Eastern Shore and Warriors haven’t appeared to replace them yet.
Launceston have farewelled striker Noah Mies who has jumped interstate to NPL Northern NSW’s Newcastle Olympic which leaves the Northern side without the tall timber after 87 goals over six seasons.
It’s all set for what should be an exciting pre-season start for 2021.
Round 1 to be played on 20th Feb
Clarence Zebras v Kingborough Lions 12:00pm at KGV
South Hobart v Riverside 2:30pm at D’Arcy St
Olympia Warriors v Laun City 4:30pm at Warrior Park
Knights bye
Round 2 to be played on 27th Feb
Riverside v Glenorchy Knights 2:00pm at Windsor Park
Clarence Zebras v Laun City 2:30pm at KGV
Kingborough v Olympia 5:00pm at Lightwood Park
South Hobart bye
Round 3 to be played on 6th Mar
Laun City v Kingborough 2:00pm at Buckby Land Rover Park
Olympia v Clarence Zebras 2:00pm at Warrior Park
South Hobart v Glenorchy 4:30pm at D’Arcy St
