SOUTH Launceston will start as red-hot favourites when they take on Bridgenorth in the NTFA division 1 second semi-final at Longford on Saturday.
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The reigning premiers have swept all before them finishing the roster season undefeated and can move through to their second successive grand final with a win over the Parrots.
Fresh from a week off last week and a chance to check out their final's opposition, the Bulldogs should be at full strength and raring to go.
"At quarter-time last week I was pretty much expecting to be playing Deloraine, but to Bridgenorth's credit they got the game back onto their terms and slowly edged their way back all day and were in front when it mattered," South coach Aaron Viney said.
"They had a few injuries, but played really well in the last three quarters."
Having beaten the Parrots twice during the home and away season would give his side confidence Viney said and playing on the bigger Longford ground would suit their running game.
"As we saw last week Bridgenorth will never be out of the game and if you get a good start you can't go to sleep, because they are going to keep coming and they have some top-end players that really stood up for them on the weekend and they are the ones we are really going to have to concentrate on this weekend."
South should regain key forward Darren Crawford, Sam Page and Jake Laskey for the second semi-final and have a full list available for the first time this season.
"Deloraine got them in the first quarter last week with their pace and run and we will try to do something similar. We played them three weeks ago and we know what worked for us then and will try to do the same again this week," Viney said.
BRIDGENORTH coach Mick Bowden acknowledged his side would be the underdogs and faced a big challenge, but said they would take confidence from last week's win over Deloraine.
"We can't afford to give them a start like we did to Deloraine, because they are too well-drilled and coached so we really need to be on from the first bounce if we are any chance of knocking them off," Bowden said.
Nathan O'Donoghue rolled an ankle last week and is unlikely to play, but apart from that the Parrots should have everyone else available.
DELORAINE and Bracknell have to travel to Scottsdale to play their first semi-final on Sunday in a rather unusual fixturing move which has left a few people perplexed.
Roos coach Rory Mansell said they shot themselves in the foot last week against Bridgenorth with inaccurate kicking and not taking their opportunities.
"We've beaten Bracknell twice, albeit in pretty close games, so we won't be going up there to take them lightly and their experienced guys were fantastic when the game was there to be won last week, and Gary Shipton was massive," Mansell said.
"Our boys will have to be sharp and switched on and ready to go."
The Roos have everyone available creating some selection headaches this week with Mansell saying he wanted to take in players prepared to give 100 per cent effort for the whole game.
BRACKNELL'S confidence will have been boosted by their win over Rocherlea in a tough elimination final last week.
"Rocherlea came out and applied the pressure to us, but to our credit the boys stood up in pressure times during the game and we stuck to our game plan and got the win," coach Gary Shipton said.
The Redlegs will be without Doug Pinner who suffered a season-ending knee injury last week and Josh Adams could miss with junior coaching commitments.
"Deloraine are a good running spread side so we need to make sure we cut their outlets around the stoppages," Shipton said.