Launceston City coach Lino Sciulli was impressed with how his inexperienced side dealt with the best team in the state on Saturday.
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Devonport did what Devonport do by churning out the sort of one-goal win that formed the foundation of last season's title, but there was much to like about the hosts at Prospect Park.
"I was extremely pleased," Sciulli said.
"Guys are playing a system they're not used to. I like my midfield being accountable and tackling hard and I was happy with most of that.
"The reality is if we don't put that sort of fight in every week, we'll get a lot worse results."
A side with an average age under 22 showed maturity beyond their years.
"I was very happy with the young fellas in defence," Sciulli said of Mason Gardner and Jacob Horton.
"I coached Will Rodman here when the NPL first started and know the ability he has and I loved the way Yasin (Mohammadi) played, he did extremely well, but I was happy with everyone."
Last season's player of the year Matty Oh appears likely to incur a club fine for needing to be stretchered off with cramp in the 88th minute which at least gave Shane Egan a couple of minutes back at his old stomping ground.
On Saturday City will host a Kingborough side fresh from a 3-1 win over a Riverside team in which former Lion James Hall made his debut alongside Taylor Neilson and Max Reissig across the middle.
"James was good," said Olympic coach Alex Gaetani. "He found it pretty tough because it was not a game that suits the way we play and he did not get huge opportunities to get on the ball and dictate.
"(Goalkeeper) Dan Nash was excellent with (striker) Fletcher Fulton another standout for us."
Gaetani deployed Sam Davis in defence alongside regulars Jasper King, Will Humphrey and goalscorer Tom Prince and saw enough to believe his team can bounce back with another tough trip south to Olympia.
"We really need to win that game," he said. "They are a young side so, if we fix a few things and apply ourselves well, we can bounce back from that disappointment.
"I'm confident that, at our best, we can win that game."
Perennial title contenders South Hobart and Devonport meet at Valley Road.
Round 2, Saturday
- 2.15pm Devonport v South Hobart, Valley Road
- 2.15pm Olympia v Riverside, Warrior Park
- 4.30pm Launceston City v Kingborough, Prospect Park
- 4.30pm Glenorchy v Clarence, KGV