Launceston City travel to face reigning champions Olympia while Northern Rangers host the competition’s form team Devonport City at the NTCA Ground.

Northern Rangers coach Dane Hudson heaped praise on the Coastal outfit with five wins and several big scalps to their name this season.

“Tough assignment for us against a side that I believe is a real premiership chance,” he said. “Devonport are very good all over the park, so we have to be up and about from the kick-off.

“They are fit, organised and hard to break down. This game will be a great measuring stick for us at the end of the first round.”

With just two points to show from their six games, Rangers are under no illusions that they must improve and expect to field the same 11 from their previous game against City.

Lino Sciulli’s black and white army travel to Warrior Park fresh from a week off although Dom Rossi may need more time to return.

“Very strong team who are hard enough to beat anywhere let alone their own ground,” Sciulli said of Glen Mcneill’s men who have suffered three losses in their opening six fixtures

“We need to be very strong defensively and sort out our middle of the park as I thought we were poor in that area last match.

“It’s going to be a huge game as the last game at this venue was one to forget for us, we need to work very hard in all areas and that is just to be competitive.

“The area we need to focus on the most is that we need to work harder in the middle of the park defensively.”

Two Southern derbies complete the round with winless Kingborough hosting Clarence at Lightwood Park on Saturday, 24 hours before Hobart Zebras look to extend their 100 per cent record when they take on South Hobart at KGV.

South Hobart and Devonport are both snapping at the Zebras’ hooves, separated by an eye-catching margin of 25 in the goal difference column.