The Wrap – Round 11 – Tasmanian State League

By Joseph Vasquez

Round 11 of the 2023 TSL Season was a great weekend of football around Tasmania, with matches played between Clarence and North Launceston, Lauderdale and Kingborough, and North Hobart and Glenorchy.

To kick off the round, it was Clarence and North Launceston facing off at Bellerive Oval in an earlier timeslot. The Northern Bombers made a solid start on the road, kicking 3.3 to 1.1 to lead by 14 points at quarter-time. Clarence closed the gap to a point at the half after kicking 3.3 themselves and only conceding 1.2, however North Launceston took their lead out to 21 points at three-quarter-time. North Launceston did not register a score in the fourth quarter but held on to win 6.13.49 to 5.6.36.

Among the Northern Bombers, Theo Ives kicked two majors, and Alex Lee (six inside-50s, 11 clearances, 15 contested possessions, 56 hit-outs, 22 disposals) and Jack Avent (one goal, nine clearances, 15 contested possessions, 21 disposals) were dominant against Clarence.

For the Roos, Jack Dolliver led up scoring for the second week in a row with two goals of his own, and his Devils teammate Jack Callinan (seven rebound-50s, nine contested possessions, 26 disposals) was among Clarence’s best for the match, along with Baxter Norton (seven contested possessions, eight clearances, nine tackles, 22 disposals) and Tyson Hanslow (six tackles, 12 contested possessions, 20 disposals).

Next, Lauderdale and the Kingborough Tigers did battle at SkyBus Oval. Both sides kicked 2.1 in the opening term, but Lauderdale took a two-goal lead at the half after keeping Kingborough goalless in the second term. In the third quarter, the Bombers kicked away to a 28-point lead at the final interval. Lauderdale came out on top in the last, winning 9.7.61 to 5.9.39 in a crucial victory for their finals hopes.

For the Bombers, Sam Siggins (six marks, nine inside-50s, 10 tackles, 15 clearances, 24 contested possessions, 36 disposals), Fletcher Hooker (one goal, five marks, six clearances, seven inside-50s, 10 tackles, 11 contested possessions, 25 disposals), and Rhys Sutton (six inside-50s, 11 contested possessions, 25 disposals) were instrumental in red and black.

And for the Tigers, Kieran Lovell (five inside-50s, 12 clearances, 17 contested possessions, 30 disposals), Lachie Clifford (one goal, six clearances, 14 contested possessions, 29 disposals), and Lochie Griggs (one goal, six inside-50s, six rebound-50s, seven contested possessions, eight marks, 26 disposals) were strong on a tough afternoon.

Finally, North Hobart and Glenorchy skirmished at North Hobart Oval. The Demons made a strong start against Glenorchy, kicking 4.5 to one goal in the opening quarter to take a 23-point lead at the first break. The Magpies trimmed the lead to 14 at half-time after holding North Hobart scoreless in the second term and kicking 1.3, but the Dees were resurgent in the third quarter, piling on goals to lead by 44 points at three-quarter-time. North Hobart cruised to victory in the final quarter, winning 10.10.70 to 5.9.39.

North Hobart’s Josch Bingham, Nick Jackson, and Harrison McLeod registered two goals apiece, and Tyler McGinniss (one goal, 10 contested possessions, 30 disposals), Angus Norton (eight clearances, nine contested possessions, 10 clearances, 26 disposals), and Zach Barrow (one goal, six inside-50s, seven contested possessions, seven rebound-50s, 26 disposals) were superb in the red and blue.

For the Pies, Luke Nicholson (one goal, five inside-50s, six marks, eight tackles, 13 contested possessions, 28 disposals), Connor Ling (six inside-50s, six clearances, 16 contested possessions, 20 disposals), and Blake Waight (six one-percenters, six tackles, 11 contested possessions, 20 disposals) held their ground against North Hobart.

This weekend, North Launceston host North Hobart at UTAS Stadium, Launceston return from the bye and venture south to KGV Oval to take on Glenorchy, and Clarence courts Kingborough at Blundstone Arena.