The Examiner's Ben Hann and Ryan Bentley discuss NTFA division two club UTAS Lions' drought-breaking win, Launceston City's mounting NPL Tasmania title charge, and Cricket North's Launceston Lions' new coaching setup. Video by Craig George
00:00Welcome, my and all, to another episode of The Press Box. My name is Ben Hand.
00:11Joined alongside me once again is Ryan Bentley. We do not have a Josh Partridge today.
00:15He is under the weird impression that he's allowed to not work.
00:19So, he has taken some time off, to be clear.
00:23But we will carry on without him for episode 98 of The Press Box, Ryan.
00:28But, before we get into what's going to be a really, really, I suppose, entertaining show,
00:33we've obviously got to go to everyone's favourite segment, Numerology.
00:45So, I actually had a bit of a hunch for this number, Ryan.
00:49So, I thought, well, 98, we're getting into a bit of that nervous 90s territory before we reach the tonne.
00:55Players, especially cricketers, tend to get out more often than not when they're faced with a bit of nerves.
01:01Wouldn't know about it.
01:02Wouldn't know about it.
01:04So, I went to Ricky Ponting, and I thought, initially, maybe he scored 98 at a particular time.
01:12And, turns out, I was right. He didn't actually get out at 98, I should be clear.
01:16But, Ricky Ponting played in the first ever T20 International.
01:20Of course, that's Mowbray's Ricky Ponting, if you didn't need any introduction.
01:23Played in that first ever T20 against New Zealand in Auckland at Eden Park.
01:28And scored 98 night out in that historic game.
01:32And, of course, a Northern Tasmanian great scoring 98 night out in the first ever T20.
01:39Again, it's now played worldwide. Ryan, I feel like it's a pretty fitting number.
01:43It's better than most of your numerology, so I'll give you that.
01:47Thank you for that kind of praise.
01:49With that being said, it's not just us that's enjoying a wonderful start to our show in a wonderful week.
01:56I assume the men at University of Tasmania Lions are in full celebration mode.
02:02It was a long time coming. Ryan, take us through what happened on Saturday.
02:05Yes, absolutely. Their first win in 764 days, if you can believe it.
02:10Out there at Westbury against Meander Valley.
02:12Three point win, come from behind. You couldn't dream about it.
02:15Tate Kearns kicked five goals and he kicked the match winner as well.
02:19I was told on Saturday evening that it was 50 metres from near the boundary.
02:24But I'm sure by Saturday night it was 70 metres out on the bike track out there at Westbury.
02:29So, an amazing day for the club, I'm sure.
02:31Sounded like it just, it's lifted the club up.
02:34Been a tough couple of years for him.
02:36Been a tough, you know, three or four years probably for him.
02:39Hopefully it starts to turn things around.
02:41Seems like everyone's committed to sticking around next year.
02:44Yeah, just a very nice story, I think.
02:47Obviously, as well, Liam Guardia, she knows, he's known, came back at the perfect time, obviously.
02:54And it's actually the same venue, the same match-up where Meander Valley broke their own streak.
02:58So, it's nice of them to give one back to the opposition who broke their own streak.
03:02And University's last win was against Meander Valley and it was also by three points.
03:06Wowee.
03:07It was all very fitting.
03:08Geez, a very big numerology thing to today's show.
03:12And, of course, that wasn't the only big win for a Northern Tasmanian club in soccer.
03:18Actually, down south.
03:19We love to see the Northern Tasmanian teams in state league competitions go down south and beat their southern rivals.
03:26And that was the case with Launceston City in the NPL Tasmania.
03:30Believed to have won their first ever game at Darcy Street against imperious league leaders, Southover.
03:36Undefeated league leaders that haven't lost all season in the La Cassella Cup or in the league.
03:43Launceston City won 3-1.
03:45Probably could have been 4-1 if not for a missed penalty.
03:47They absolutely dominated the game, Ryan.
03:50It's wonderful to see, isn't it?
03:51Yeah, absolutely.
03:52The big three up forward, Swarby, Taylor, Simeone.
03:56All kicked goals.
03:57Simeone, that was his last game, I think, in his brief little cameo back.
04:01A very welcome cameo back.
04:03The win now has them five points back with a game of hand in South Hobart.
04:07So, we will need one more South Hobart loss.
04:09But they do have to play the Devonport Strikers, which they're fully capable of beating South Hobart, I think.
04:15So, praying for our boys up on the North West Coast.
04:18That's it. Just going to take one game at a time.
04:19We've got to be a quick shout out as well to Launceston United, who scored their second win in a row.
04:23The first time they've done that at NPL Tasmania level.
04:26And really enjoying their new recruits, Yusuf Thurais, in a really rich vein of form.
04:32Right.
04:33That does take us to the landmark segment of the show.
04:37And that is, of course, hands-up hands.
04:40So, Ryan, this is a pretty simple question.
04:45Lonnie City just beaten South Hobart.
04:47They've got Devonport on the weekend.
04:49Do they win the league from here?
04:51Yes. I believe. I have faith.
04:55They're going to beat Devonport this weekend, which they haven't managed to do so far in the first two games.
05:00They're going to beat Devonport.
05:01Devonport are going to beat South Hobart.
05:03They're going to go to the head.
05:04They're going to win by one point.
05:05Wow. I wanted to zag, but you've actually taken my answer.
05:08So, I do think with just how that attacking line and that piece is so damaging and it's just getting better with every single week.
05:19So, I also have faith that they will win, but we're going to need another little banana peel for South Hobart.
05:25Moving. Well, we had the UTAS Lions earlier.
05:28Now, we've got the Launceston Lions in cricket.
05:31We're really covering all sports today.
05:33They've released some news.
05:35A bit of an alternative way of approaching their season, Ryan.
05:38What news do you have for us?
05:39An interesting one.
05:40A little coaching by committee.
05:41So, they're not going to have a head coach this year in favour of finding two co-directors of coaching.
05:46Jade Selby, who's a legend of the Lonnie Cricket Club.
05:48Many, many runs, many premierships for him.
05:50And Alistair Taylor, who's the great Northern Raiders coach, obviously.
05:54So, they're going to take over.
05:57And it seems like they're going to run some sessions and then they're going to give direction for some of the players to run some sessions.
06:03There's going to be some former players coming in from the glory days of Lonnie, as Jade Selby put it.
06:09So, it'll be interesting to see.
06:11Obviously, Wooden Spooners last year.
06:13So, any change would be welcome, I guess.
06:16So, we'll wait and see how it goes for them.
06:18They did win the T20 flag last year.
06:20It wasn't all bad.
06:21Yes.
06:22The on-field results in the second half of the year probably weren't what they were looking for.
06:26I do wonder if our great friend of the examiner, Jade Selby, is a bit worried about how some of Westbury's stalwart players are approaching his record for the most amount of premierships in Cricket North.
06:39I know Jonathan Chapman is getting closer by the year.
06:43So, I wonder if he's just trying to step in and protect his legacy.
06:46Defend his honour.
06:47No, of course kidding, Jade.
06:49But if that's the case, I completely understand.
06:51That, of course, moves us on now to our final segment of the show.
06:55Now, taken over for this week temporarily anyway, it is Ryan's Local Hero of the Week.
07:02Well, I prefer to call it Josh Partridge's Local Hero of the Week, presented by Ryan Bentley.
07:07Oh, it's a sponsor.
07:08Just to keep Josh Partridge involved.
07:10Josh Partridge involved, but it goes this week to Rudy Schoenmaker.
07:14He kicked 21 goals for one of the under-18s against Deloraine.
07:18Unbelievable.
07:19No other way to describe it, obviously.
07:22So, take that award.
07:24I mean, 21 goals, pretty good.
07:26First ever Josh Partridge Local Hero of the Week, presented by Ryan Bentley.
07:30Just a little bit more special, I imagine.
07:32I think so.
07:33I think so.
07:34Well, his brother Ari plays for St Kilda, of course, in the AFL, but I think Rudy, at least
07:38at the moment, will probably be having the better time of things in football.
07:41Yes.
07:42So, congratulations, Rudy, on a marvellous achievement.
07:46That is all the time we have for this week's episode.
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