BUPA TSL Round 7 Preview
Round seven of the Bupa Tasmanian State League is on the horizon, and it looks set to be a wet one!
The weather may be wet and wild, but the round of football offers plenty to be excited about with a Grand Final rematch, an Elimination Final and a clash between the in-form Roos and ever-dangerous Tigers.
Saturday 12th May
Tigers v. Clarence (Twin Ovals) – 1:00pm
Last Time They Met: Tigers 7.8 (50) def. by Clarence 16.15 (111) – Round 11, 2017 at Twin Ovals
Form Guide (most recent first): Tigers – L L L B L | Clarence – W L L W B W
These two sides enter Saturday’s clash from completely different angles. The Roos after their best performance of the season against Glenorchy, and the Tigers after their worst for the year against Launceston.
Clarence look to have what it takes to match it with the best sides of the competition after pushing North Launceston and defeating Glenorchy in recent weeks.
A defensive group marshalled by James Holmes and Jason Bailey makes scoring difficult for any opposition, and given the Tigers’ failure to convert big scores, life could be difficult for the likes of Edward Burrows-Cheng and Blake Grant.
The Tigers possess a dangerous midfield group, however, with Ryan Matthews, Will Campbell, Lachy Clifford and Sam Rice likely to push Jackson O’Brien, Troy Cunliffe and Jeromey Webberley all afternoon.
The Tigers have also received a boost with the return of Marcus Davies, who will provide plenty of grunt and leadership in difficult conditions.
Building scoreboard pressure and kicking a winning score remains the biggest knock on Trent Baumeler’s side, but if the Tigers can gain momentum and lock the ball inside forward 50, they will have every chance of getting on top of the Roos.
Clarence’s top tier of players, however, are likely to be too strong for the Tigers, resulting in the Roos going into the clash as worthy favourites. Wet weather is likely to make this a tough slog, but expect the Roos to be too strong, despite having plenty of young and inexperienced players.
Players to watch:
Nic Hutchinson (Tigers): A former Tassie Mariner, Hutchinson has seamlessly slotted into life as a Tiger after playing with the Demons in previous years. Expect Hutchinson to provide contest after contest in defence, while also generating plenty of rebound.
Ashton Dickenson (Clarence): As part of an underrated Clarence forward set-up, Dickenson is a handy avenue to goal for the Roos with his ability to take a strong mark and compete at ground level.
Score updates via the official TSL App for Android and Apple.
Updates on the TSL Facebook page, TSL Twitter account
Photos and vision on the official TSL Instagram account
Launceston v. Glenorchy (Windsor Park) – 2:00pm
Last Time They Met: Launceston 14.15 (99) def. Glenorchy 10.10 (70) – Elimination Final, 2017 at Blundstone Arena
Form Guide (most recent first): Launceston – W W B W W | Glenorchy – L W W W W
Two of the competition’s very best sides are set to lock horns for the first time since 2017’s Elimination Final at Windsor Park on Saturday.
Glenorchy will be out with a point to prove after going down to the Blues in that elimination final boilover, and after going down to Clarence in round six, while Launceston will be eager to cement its place at the top of the ladder.
One of Glenorchy’s biggest strengths this season has been its defence, with Josh Arnold and Daniel Joseph playing key roles in the side’s strong start to the year; meanwhile Launceston’s firepower forward of centre has been its strength, with Mitch Thorp and Jack Rushton particularly impressing.
Expect this duel of competing strengths to be a key factor in determining the result, while the midfield battle of Brayden Webb, Ben Kamaric and the returning Rhys Mott up against Brodie Palfreyman, Jake Hinds and Jay Blackberry will also be essential viewing.
With wet weather footy the memo for the weekend, expect this midfield battle to be a hard-fought slog.
Launceston will be without star ruckman Hamish Leedham, so expect the Magpies to target this as an area where they may be able to get on top.
The Blues might have a little too much firepower right across the ground for Glenorchy, but expect this match to be a hard-fought, contest.
Players to watch:
Dylan Riley (Launceston): A player of genuine class, Dylan Riley has made an immediate impact in the blue and white and looks to only be getting better. A classy user off half back and through the middle, expect Riley to provide plenty of drive.
Cameron Duffy (Glenorchy): With Launceston’s Hamish Leedham out suspended, Duffy has an excellent opportunity to again rip a game apart like he so often has in the black and white. A genuine star of the competition, Duffy will be looking to provide his midfield group with first use.
LIVE Stream of the match via Facebook and YouTube with commentary from City Park Radio
Live broadcast on City Park Radio 103.7 and 96.5 FM from 1.55 pm Saturday, also available via online stream at http://cityparkradio.com/online-stream/
Score updates via the official TSL App for Android and Apple.
Updates on the TSL Facebook page, TSL Twitter account
Photos and vision on the official TSL Instagram account
North Launceston v. Lauderdale (UTAS Stadium) – 2:00pm
Last Time They Met: North Launceston 21.22 (148) def. Lauderdale 9.7 (61) – Grand Final, 2017 at UTAS Stadium
Form Guide (most recent first): North Launceston – B W W L W | Lauderdale – W B W L L
Although current ladder positions don’t show it, this grand final rematch is set to be an intriguing affair.
Lauderdale will still be hurting after last season’s defeat in the decider, but enter 2018 with a new-look side.
Lauderdale have shown signs of improvement in recent weeks, with Phil Bellchambers, Nat Franklin, Tim Mosquito and Alex Hevey all building solid campaigns.
The Northern Bombers, coming off the bye, will be keen to get back up and running against its southern counterparts, and with class across every line, will likely be too strong.
Taylor Whitford and Josh Ponting have been excellent through the middle for the reigning premier, while a forward line containing Tom Bennett, Bart McCulloch, Zach Burt and Tom Couch (when available) among others makes for a daunting task.
Wet conditions will open the door somewhat for the southern Bombers, with difficult conditions set to hamper the skills of the reigning premier. Due to this, expect the hard, seasoned bodies of both teams to come to the fore and for Lauderdale to come out firing.
It will be a tight contest, particularly early, but you can most likely expect North Launceston to pull away and prove why they are the reigning premier.
Players to watch:
Zach Burt (North Launceston): Taylor Whitford has the luxury of being able to play Burt across either half forward or half back with the knowledge that he would complete either task to great success. Burt has played both roles throughout the season so far, so keep your eyes peeled for how Whitford employs his services this weekend.
Phil Bellchambers (Lauderdale): In what is set to be a wet day for football, Phil Bellchambers will play a key role in the middle of the ground. Expect the Bomber bull to do much of the grunt work at the coalface, with his aggression at the contest and leadership looming as crucial assets in a match against such a high-quality side in difficult conditions.
Score updates via the official TSL App for Android and Apple.
Updates on the TSL Facebook page, TSL Twitter account
Photos and vision on the official TSL Instagram account
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