Cross-town rivals Launceston City and Riverside finished just one place apart in this season's NPL Tasmania.
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But the difference between how their respective campaigns were viewed presents a much wider gap than that solitary place.
Returning to the big time after two decades away, Olympic were delighted to welcome statewide action to their newly-redeveloped Windsor Park home, pick up four wins and not finish bottom.
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But having been among last season's early pace-setters, City were clearly disappointed with a third-bottom finish, just two home wins and the lack of a big scalp.
Both sides were well coached by club stalwarts, produced their best form in drawing with South Hobart and have a bumper crop of teenagers destined to provide the backbone of their immediate futures.
The Northern rep team that was coached by City stalwart Justin Dyer with assistance from Olympic sidekick Rob King has already boosted both teams and looks destined to have even greater impact next season.
Dyer's versatile son Charlie has been among City's best players all season while King's son Jasper has also stepped up to senior soccer along with their former rep team colleagues Liam Gilmore, Will Humphrey, Matt Spanos, Will Compagne and NPL Tasmania rising star Jarrod Hill.
The sides had contrasting success with imports as Olympic reaped the reward of Argentinean, Spanish, English and American influences while City saw their English and American stars both walk out.
City
- RECORD: Won 7, drew 4, lost 13; goals 38, against 51; 25 points, 7th place
- HIGHLIGHTS: Away wins at Glenorchy and Kingborough and home draw with South Hobart
- LOWLIGHTS: Twice losing to Riverside
- BEST PLAYER: Noah Mies
- BEST PROSPECT: Charlie Dyer
Just two home wins all season may not be what the Prospect faithful expect, but if they needed cheering up they should have arrived earlier.
While the first team that generally played in the Saturday twilight timeslot were a shadow of former incarnations, the under-18s that turned out six hours earlier went through their season with the sort of record that suggests City's future is in safe hands.
Played 21, won 20, drawn one, lost none, 109 goals for and 12 against are figures of Manchester City proportions.
And Lino Sciulli's first team was by no means bad, just not as good as Launceston's most successful club have come to expect.
The state's 2017 young player of the season Noah Mies took just one minute to open his account - against reigning champions Devonport no less - and went on to rattle up 16 for the season.
But the cultured left-footer was clearly burdened by becoming the team's primary goal-scoring responsibility rather than the shared role he previously enjoyed with the equally-prolific Tyler Fischer.
Losing imports Shane Cartwright and Pat Sullivan in the same week left a big hole, particularly the former's in central midfield.
But the likes of keeper Lachlan Clark, defenders Lindsay Millington and Aaron Mattarozzi, midfielders Mackenzie Hancox and Fergus Aitken plus Jarrod Linger and Dyer who can (and both do) play anywhere, will provide valuable experience when Dyer's fellow under-18s follow his footsteps.
Olympic
- RECORD: Won 4, drew 2, lost 18; goals 26, against 72; 14 points, 8th place
- HIGHLIGHTS: Twice beating City and home draw with South Hobart
- LOWLIGHTS: 9-0 loss to Zebras and becoming Clarence's only win of the season
- BEST PLAYER: Jarrod Hill
- BEST PROSPECT: Liam Gilmore
By definition, Olympic games are supposed to be multi-national.
But Riverside have taken the concept to new levels.
With Ryan McCarragher born in Northern Ireland and Liam Gilmore arriving while his father Matt was cycling professionally in Belgium, at one stage this season Alex Gaetani's front six hailed from as many different countries.
With that multi-culturalism comes versatility and Olympic's performance on the back nine this season hints at more than another par score next year.
The word is that at least two of the big imports will be around for another season while the club's huge junior pyramid has become a production line of teenage talent.
Jarrod Hill is arguably the state's best goalkeeper at just 18 and while Gilmore is the side's best prospect, Will Humphrey is not far behind now safely retrenched in his native left-back role.
When the season began, fears of weekly thumpings threatened to come true as Zebras' 9-0 win tested the limits of the club's new scoreboard.
But as the imports settled in, and the teenagers matured, Olympic began to look comfortable at state league level.
After two years of finishing second, Olympic's women's team won their first Northern Championship title and could be on the verge of also stepping up to state league competition, suggesting the North's best clubhouse facilities will continue to get plenty of patronage.
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