Glenorchy desperate to avoid consecutive losses to start shortened season but coach not panicking

The condensed State League season might have placed more urgency on banking early wins but Glenorchy won’t fall into the trap of looking beyond Lauderdale.

TSL. Glenorchy coach Paul Kennedy addresses his players during quarter time of last week’s match against Launceston. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

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GLENORCHY coach Paul Kennedy is determined to not let his side fall into the trap of looking too far ahead as it strives to avoid a 0-2 start to the TSL season.

The Pies went down to one of the top three favourites Launceston in the opening round and head to SkyBus Oval tomorrow to clash with another in Lauderdale, who easily accounted for Clarence.

With the fixture cut by a third to 12 home and away matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic there is slightly more urgency to hit the ground running but Kennedy does not want to get caught up in the hype of banking early wins.

While conceding the 2020 campaign will be conquered by the mentally toughest club, Kennedy is adamant there is enough time for the Pies to hit their straps, especially with some star firepower set to resume in the coming weeks.

Tasmanian State League. Jared Dakin (Launceston) is held by Glenorchy’s Ben Kamaric as he offloads to Tyson Miller at KGV. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“2020 in a lot of different ways is a big mental challenge for all of us and from a footy perspective that is one of the challenges, to not fall into that trap,” Kennedy said.

“It doesn’t matter whether you are playing a six game season or a 12 game season, 18 or 24, each week that game is the most important game of the season.

“That’s all you can control, and I think we have seen both West Coast and Richmond show their maturity and mental toughness in that things didn’t go that well for them coming out of the COVID break but they have stuck at it, they haven’t got lost looking ahead.

“For us it is not even a consideration.

“We are reasonably early in the process, you look at the players we have got out and the players we are teaching roles with.

“It is a work in progress, I said to the guys in the review [of the Blues match], it was like reviewing the first practice game, except it was for four points.

“We just need to make sure we fast track those two or three things we identified this week.”

Glenorchy welcomes back Cameron Goodsell, but skipper Brayden Webb remains several weeks away while Daniel Joseph continues to build match fitness in the development league.

Star Jaye Bowden has been named as an emergency, but Kennedy said earlier in the week it was unlikely he would return from a hamstring complaint.

Lauderdale regains co-captain Bryce Walsh after he was a late withdrawal last week with groin soreness, while Mitch Anderton will also play his first match of the season.

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