The Scarecrow
21 May 2004, 17:12
From The Examiner
Reported By Rachel Williams
Full Article Click Here (http://www.examiner.com.au/story.asp?id=232636)
The dramatic off-season changes to the Tasmanian and Port Melbourne sides made last season's VFL semi-final result irrelevant, Devils' coach Mathew Armstrong said yesterday.
Armstrong said his side would use their loss at the hands of the Borough as a spur but said the side had not focused on revenge during preparations for tomorrow's game at Bellerive.
"We are two different sides this year - their personnel has changed quite considerably and ours has changed quite considerably," Armstrong said.
"From a club issue it is important we play well against a side that is second on the ladder.
"We will certainly let that feeling (of being knocked out of the finals last season) be a spur but it has not been a focus.
"The players are not silly, they realise the importance of the game and I don't need to harp on about it."
The Devils have recalled tall defender James Jenkins for the clash and the club will today announce its interchange bench from the eight listed yesterday.
Port Melbourne, the defending VFL champion, sits second on the ladder while Tasmania are in fourth with only percentage separating the two sides.
With the Devils enjoying their best-ever start to a season, Armstrong said his side was looking forward to their latest challenge against the Kangaroos- aligned Borough, which boasts AFL players Shane Harvey, Jeremy and Shane Clayton as well as former St Kilda and Brisbane bad boy Steven Lawrence.
"This couldn't have come at a better stage for us because we have got off to a (good) start and we are up against a side which is playing good football so it is another challenge thrown at us," Armstrong said.
DEVILS LINE-UP
B: Walker Jenkins Wager
HB: Stephens Jovanovic Howard
C: Street M. Geappen Atkin
HF: Beams Plapp B. Geappen
F: Callinan Dutton Careless R: Bartlett Hall Robinson
Inter (from): Savage O'Sign Viney Drury Henley Matheson Grima Brown.
Reported By Rachel Williams
Full Article Click Here (http://www.examiner.com.au/story.asp?id=232636)
The dramatic off-season changes to the Tasmanian and Port Melbourne sides made last season's VFL semi-final result irrelevant, Devils' coach Mathew Armstrong said yesterday.
Armstrong said his side would use their loss at the hands of the Borough as a spur but said the side had not focused on revenge during preparations for tomorrow's game at Bellerive.
"We are two different sides this year - their personnel has changed quite considerably and ours has changed quite considerably," Armstrong said.
"From a club issue it is important we play well against a side that is second on the ladder.
"We will certainly let that feeling (of being knocked out of the finals last season) be a spur but it has not been a focus.
"The players are not silly, they realise the importance of the game and I don't need to harp on about it."
The Devils have recalled tall defender James Jenkins for the clash and the club will today announce its interchange bench from the eight listed yesterday.
Port Melbourne, the defending VFL champion, sits second on the ladder while Tasmania are in fourth with only percentage separating the two sides.
With the Devils enjoying their best-ever start to a season, Armstrong said his side was looking forward to their latest challenge against the Kangaroos- aligned Borough, which boasts AFL players Shane Harvey, Jeremy and Shane Clayton as well as former St Kilda and Brisbane bad boy Steven Lawrence.
"This couldn't have come at a better stage for us because we have got off to a (good) start and we are up against a side which is playing good football so it is another challenge thrown at us," Armstrong said.
DEVILS LINE-UP
B: Walker Jenkins Wager
HB: Stephens Jovanovic Howard
C: Street M. Geappen Atkin
HF: Beams Plapp B. Geappen
F: Callinan Dutton Careless R: Bartlett Hall Robinson
Inter (from): Savage O'Sign Viney Drury Henley Matheson Grima Brown.