TSL Coaches and Captains look into their 2022 Crystal Ball

Tasmanian State League coaches and captains/player representatives who attended Tuesday’s Media Launch at North Hobart Oval were tasked with getting out their crystal ball and making predictions for the season ahead.

Individuals in attendance were:

Clarence: Peter Ryan (Coach) and Jarrod Harper (Captain)

Glenorchy: Aaron Cornelius (Coach) and Josh Arnold (Captain)

Kingborough: Trent Baumeler (Coach) and Lachlan Clifford (Captain)

Lauderdale: Dan Willing (Coach) and Sam Siggins (player)

Launceston: Mitch Thorp (Coach) and Josh Woolley (player)

North Hobart: Clinton French (Coach) and Hugh Williams (Co-Captain)

North Launceston: Brad Cox-Goodyer (Playing Coach) and Alex Lee (Captain)

The coaches and captains / player representatives were asked four key questions on the season ahead, with the proviso that their individual answers would be treated anonymously to ensure personal views:

Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
Which other club will be a ‘dark horse’ in season 2022?
Who, not from your club, do you think will win the 2022 Alastair Lynch Medal (competition best and fairest)?
Who, not from your club, do you think will win the 2022 Peter Hudson Medal (competition leading goalkicker)?

As shown below, Launceston are again tipped as being the team to beat, with nine of a possible 12 votes to be Grand Finalist in 2022. Kingborough are expected by many to jump up the ladder, with four votes. North Hobart were also voted by one attendee, indicating that a sleeping giant might be stirring.

North Hobart were the clear favourite as a competition ‘dark horse’, with nine voters thinking the Demons might be a team to rocket up the ladder this season. Eastern Shore rivals Lauderdale and Clarence were also considered in this category, polling three and two votes respectively.

Returning Tiger Kieran Lovell is expected to rule the roost in 2022, notching four votes to lead all-comers for the Alastair Lynch Medal, with Brad Cox-Goodyer, Jobi Harper and Sam Siggins all finishing with two.

Launceston duo Jay Blackberry and Dylan Riley are highly-rated as sharpshooters with three votes each, ahead of North Launceston duo Tom Bennett and Brad Cox-Goodyer, Tiger tall Tyler Carter and Clarence’s Colin Garland with two votes each.