South Hobart win third straight State Title.

Issa Dumbuya from Northern Rangers tackles his South Hobart
opposition in Saturday's State Final in Hobart.

After what has been a truly outstanding year, Rangers were looking to cap it all off with their first ever state title after qualifying for their second State Final in 3 years.

In fact, if Rangers could win, it would be the first State title to be won by a Launceston Club in 45 years, Launceston United the last in 1967.

Rangers had an unchanged line up from the Devonport City game, though Chris Hunt was under the weather, but keen to take his place.

South Hobart had all the finals experience, competing in each state title since the final series was introduced in 2009, and this was always going to count in their favour.

Rangers sat back and perhaps gave South Hobart too much credit in the first half, sitting low pressure and not pushing on and pressing the South Hobart back four.

Still both teams created good chances, 6 to South Hobart in the first half and 3 to Rangers, with South Hobart getting the best of them that called Pooley into action for a strong save.

Chris Hunt attempts to evade the South defense.

Hickey was in great from in midfield, and south Hobart put heavy pressure on Hingston in midfield to stem his distribution.

The sides went into the half time at 0-0 and McBeath urged the boys to go out and hit South Hobart with everything in the opening 10 minutes, but it was South Hobart that came out and scored inside the first minute of the second half to put it to 1-0.

South looked strong from here and could have had 2 or 3 goals, Pooley called into action for another two great saves and one that cleared the cross bar.

Then it seemed South had doubled the lead, but the assistant flagged for offside.  Dean Lantorus disputed the call and was shown a red card to give Rangers some hope from here.

A Strong crowd braved the conditions at KGV, Walter estimates
450, FFT 850, I say somewhere in between.

But the 10 men did little to affect South Hobart and they continued to heap pressure of the Rangers, then disaster, Luke Tuma coughing up possession at the half way line, and as many have learnt before, if you slip up against South Hobart, they will punish you, Brennan making no mistake to double the lead.

Rangers threw men forward looking for a goal to get back into the game, and in the last 10 minutes started to get on top of South, but the time was getting away.

Agele Luate had a two good chances with less the 5 minutes left on the watch, and Chris Hunt one of his own, but Rangers just couldn’t ruffle the net, but with normal time running out and 4 minutes to be added for stoppages, Hingston put Luate through and Luate slipped the ball over Ferguson in the South Hobart goal to give the Rangers a small sniff.

South Hobart are a smart team though, and hit the corners and held the ball there to run the clock down, and though Rangers built 2 or 3 more attacks, they couldn’t break South down in the final moments, and time ran out, South Hobart deserved winners, but one has to ponder, as they looked very beatable on this occasion.

Well done to all Northern sides in the State Finals Series this year, we certainly showed that the North is not the basket case the south keep harping on about.