Fresh from first victory of season, North Hobart eyeing off challenge against best southern team

Wins have been few and far between for North Hobart in the past two State League seasons but midfielder Troy Cunliffe is confident the tide is turning as the side prepares to take on the unbeaten Bombers.

Action from round 2 of the TSL between the Tigers v North Hobart from Kingston Twin Ovals. North Hobart's Troy Cunliffe bursts clear of Lachie Clifford. Picture: Zak Simmonds

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AFTER pushing TSL powerhouse North Launceston in round one then defeating the Tigers, North Hobart has the best performing southern team in its sights this weekend.

The Demons, wooden spooners for the past two years, proved they will be one of the big improvers in 2020 by upstaging the Tigers on their home turf last Saturday.

Now the side is squaring up for the challenge of hosting Lauderdale, in what midfielder Troy Cunliffe believes will give the emerging group a true indication of where they sit in the pecking order.

“It was a good game, I think both teams had a good crack at it, it was good to come away with the win,” Cunliffe said of the 10-point victory at the Twin Ovals.

“They [Lauderdale] have been the best team in the south for the last three or four years so it will be a good test for us and show us where we are at.

“It is bit hard to get a read on where everyone is sitting at the moment … this will be a great test for us.”

A former underage player with the Demons, Cunliffe is a dual William Leitch Medallist in the SFL, as well as a 2019 premiership player with Lindisfarne having joined Clarence for the 2018 State League season.

He is hoping to bring the winning culture from the Two Blues to North Hobart, echoing coach Richard Robinson’s comments following the opening round defeat that the club is no longer willing to accept honourable losses, regardless of the opposition.

“There is a good vibe and we are putting no ceiling on where we can go, there is some good teams in the state but we think if we play our good footy we can push them all.

“The days of North Hobart turning up and just being competitive are gone, we want to come and win.

“For teams that haven’t won a lot of footy, it is hard to just get those wins but we are on the right track and everyone is driving the right culture that we want to be a winning football side.

“In the last quarter we all stood up, everyone played their role to get the win in a game that could have gone either way.”

PLAYER OF THE YEAR VOTES ROUND TWO

LAUNCESTON v NORTH LAUNCESTON

3 – Jobi Harper (Laun)

2 – Tim Auckland (Laun)

1 – Jackson Callow (NL)

TIGERS v NORTH HOBART

3 – Nathan McCulloch (NH)

2 – Kieran Lovell (Tigers)

1 – Troy Cunliffe (NH)

LAUDERDALE v GLENORCHY

3 – Haydn Smith (Laud)

2 – Josh Arnold (G)

1 – Adrian Kalcovski (Laud)

LEADERBOARD

4 votes – Jobi Harper (Laun)

3 votes – Jamieson House (Laun), Josh McGuinness (Laud), Adrian Kalcovski (Laud), Braden Van Buuren (NL), Haydn Smith (Laud), Nathan McCulloch (NH)

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