THE NTFA will be keen to get the focus back on to playing football this week following last weekend's adverse publicity over the brawl between Old Scotch and Fingal.
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The ladder-leading Thistles travel to Prospect Park with coach Kim Curtis keen to play the Hawks.
"We pulled up pretty fresh after only playing a half a game of football last week," he said.
"We were beaten there last year by 10 points in the first round in a hard- fought game."
Curtis said his players were looking forward to a good game and hoped to continue playing their winning brand of footy.
Tom Pedley and George Walker should return to the side.
Prospect is coming off a loss to Tamar Cats last week and coach Danny Hall said the Cats were more desperate to win in extremely trying conditions.
"We're looking forward to playing Scotch and they are obviously the benchmark of the competition, so it will be good to see where we are at," he said.
Michael Sinclair and Mason Keane faced fitness tests, with Bevan Buchanan unavailable.
Hall said his side would need to play consistent football to take the game up to Old Scotch.
ST PATS takes on the Tamar Cats on a big day for the club with premiership reunions and looking to continue its winning form.
The Saints have lost only to Fingal and have won four in a row since.
"The Tamar Cats have got two of the best players in the competition and a good young group, so we will definitely have to watch them," St Pats coach Jake Lowe said.
"We just want to play the way we have for the past month and get on top from the opening bounce."
Leigh De Jong is unavailable but James Miller, Brad Rayner and Jason Moore should return.
TAMAR Cats are coming off a win over Prospect, with coach Wayne Kirby saying his team achieved all their key performance indicators.
"There wouldn't be a team around any more desperate and determined than this one," he said.
"I reckon St Pats is the biggest home ground advantage in the league, but the way we have performed in the past two weeks we will be very accountable."
The Cats are waiting on clearances for two more experienced players whom Kirby declined to name.
LILYDALE plays Evandale with the Demons looking for their second win of the season at home.
Coach Kade Dwyer said a couple of disappointing turnovers and some indiscipline in the last quarter against Meander Valley last week did not help their cause but he thought they had played good, attacking footy.
"We trained well on Tuesday, so if we can keep going the way we are at the moment I'm sure a few wins will come our way," he said.
"Nick Venn comes in for his first game of the year, which is a pretty big in for us and Stuart Fisher."
EVANDALE sits fourth on the ladder with a 4-2 record, and coach James Conroy wanted the country Eagles to consolidate their top-four spot with another win.
"We're not getting too carried away and there are no easy wins in the comp, especially down at Lilydale, but if we can get a win that would be fantastic," he said.
Ike Sulzberger should play his first game for the club, with Seb Wolf also returning and Phil Skinner a possibility.
UNI-MOWBRAY takes on Meander Valley needing a win after last week's loss to OLs.
The Suns will be confident after their win over Lilydale, and coach Josh Bennett said his side had put in a consistent, four-quarter effort.
"Both sides are on two wins each so it should be a pretty even game, and hopefully we can get over them," he said.
FINGAL Valley hosts Old Launcestonians, with coach Matthew Lowe expecting a good game against the Blues. "I reckon the wide open spaces of the Fingal ground will suit both sides so it should be a cracker game," Lowe said.