The Wrap – Round 9 – Tasmanian State League

By Joseph Vasquez

The ninth round of the 2023 TSL season was yet another brilliant display of Tasmanian football around the isle, with clashes between Launceston and Clarence, the Kingborough Tigers and Glenorchy, and Lauderdale and North Hobart headlining the weekend.

First, Launceston hosting the Roos at Windsor Park. The Blues held Clarence scoreless in the opening quarter and kicked 2.4 to lead by 16 points at quarter-time. The Roos did get on the board in the second quarter, but the Blues extended their lead to 21 at the half.

After the main interval, Launceston kicked away with a six-goal third term to lead by 59 points at three-quarter-time. At the final siren, it was a 16.10.106 to 4.3.27 victory for the Blues, an important one for their season.

Jake Hinds and Isaac Hyatt were prolific for Launceston kicking five goals apiece, and Liam Jones (two goals, five clearances, seven contested possessions, 10 inside-50s, 26 disposals), Brodie Palfreyman (one goal, five inside-50s, nine clearances, 14 contested possessions, 25 disposals), and Bailey Gillow (one goal, five clearances, 13 contested possessions, 24 disposals) dominated in navy blue.

For the Roos, Oliver Preshaw (10 contested possessions, 12 marks, 26 disposals), Baxter Norton (five tackles, seven marks, eight contested possessions, 25 disposals), and Keegan Ryan (six contested possessions, eight marks, eight tackles, 20 disposals) resisted the Blues.

Next, Kingborough and Glenorchy at the Twin Ovals. The Tigers made a red-hot start against Glenorchy in the first quarter, kicking 8.7 and keeping the Magpies scoreless. Kingborough extended their lead to 77 points at half-time, and into three figures in the third term. Ultimately, it was a mammoth 24.18.162 to 3.3.21 victory for the Tigers.

Jack Tomkinson and James Zeitzen were both enormous up forward for Kingborough, combining for 11 majors, and Kieran Lovell (one goal, six clearances, nine marks, 10 contested possessions, 27 disposals), Lachlan Clifford (two goals, five clearances, 10 marks, 13 contested possessions, 22 disposals), and Max Collidge (two goals, seven marks, nine inside-50s, 10 contested possessions, 20 disposals) were sublime in yellow and black.

For the Pies, Josh Arnold (eight marks, eight rebound-50s, 24 disposals), Blake Waight (five one-percenters, six marks, 23 disposals), and Callum Thompson (one goal, five inside-50s, six marks, six clearances, 11 contested possessions, 20 disposals) were resolute on a tough afternoon for Glenorchy.

Finally, Lauderdale and North Hobart at SkyBus Oval. The Demons started strongly, kicking 6.3 to Lauderdale’s 1.2 in the first quarter to lead by 31 points at quarter-time. However, the Bombers closed the gap to 15 points at half-time after holding North Hobart scoreless in the second quarter.

The Demons return-served in the second half, re-extending their lead to 26 points at the final change. Despite their chances at victory looking dim, Lauderdale delivered in the final quarter, kicking six goals to one to snatch a come-from-behind victory of seven points (final score Lauderdale 11.13.79 to North Hobart 11.6.72), a spirited performance in light of the recent passing of club legend Dion ‘Diesel’ Mead, whom the match was in tribute to.

Allen Christensen and Ed Stanley kicked three goals each for the Bombers, and Sam Siggins (two goals, nine marks, 12 inside-50s, 16 clearances, 32 contested possessions, 41 hit-outs, 41 disposals) and Rhys Sutton (seven inside-50s, 10 clearances, 16 contested possessions, 30 disposals) were both brilliant for Lauderdale.

For North Hobart, Jack McCulloch was lively in front of goals with four majors, and Tyler McGinniss (one goal, five one-percenters, six inside-50s, nine rebound-50s, 26 disposals) and Nick Jackson (one goal, five marks, five inside-50s, five tackles, seven clearances, 13 contested possessions, 19 disposals) were influential for the Dees.

This weekend, North Launceston return from the bye to take on crosstown rival Launceston under lights on Friday night at UTAS Stadium, the Tigers host North Hobart at the Twin Ovals on Saturday afternoon, and Clarence take on Lauderdale at Blundstone Arena on Sunday afternoon in an AFL curtain-raiser.