Launceston coach Sam Lonergan, Rulla Kelly-Mansell and North Launceston trio Taylor Whitford, Tom Couch and Tarryn Thomas are just some of the Tasmanian State League stars returning to the field this weekend.
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The bye has given Lonergan time to recover from concussion and he will tackle the seventh-placed Tigers at Windsor Park on Saturday.
The Blues are fifth with a 7-6 record having lost their past three matches to premiership contenders Northern Bombers, Lauderdale and Clarence.
“Like every week we are just trying to get better and get some experience into our young group, a bit like the Tigers themselves,” assistant coach Chris Hills said.
“They’ll be up and raring to go. They’re a quick team and we’ve just got to be on our game.
“We’re travelling OK without setting the world on fire.”
Lonergan and Kelly-Mansell replace Joe Boyce and Matthew Hutchinson, while Tigers have made five changes.
Braden Livingston, Lochie Griggs, Cameron Woolley, Cooper Sawdy and Oliver Burrows-Cheng will all make the trip North.
Launceston kept Tigers to just 23 points and eight scoring shots at Twin Ovals in round 7, winning by 81 points.
Tigers coach Aaron Vince said he was disappointed in that effort.
“We are looking forward to putting in a better performance this week, we have been pretty inconsistent with out form,” he said.
“We got a bit of a lesson on hard running (in their 92-point loss to Lauderdale).. their work rate through the middle especially and their ability to get to contests was really good and probably showed a few of our boys how to do it.
“We just want to lay a foundation for some consistent efforts.”
The match starts at 2pm.
NORTH LAUNCESTON has reloaded for its 2016 grand final rematch against Glenorchy at UTAS Stadium.
Both Whitford and Couch have recovered from troublesome ankle injuries, while Thomas has finished representative duties and defender Jay Foon and Karlton Wadley are well rested and free to play.
Jacob Singline, Haydn Goss, Dylan Headland, Mitchell Donnelly and Dylan Clayton all make way with competition stalwart Jaye Bowden named for the Magpies.
First bounce is at 1pm.
HOBART CITY hosts Clarence at North Hobart with Jake Cox and Jason Bailey again scheduled to play for the Roos.
Despite being included in Jeromey Webberley’s starting 22 last week, both failed to play against Glenorchy.
Meanwhile, LAUDERDALE faces a fledgling Devonport at Lauderdale Oval with both sides going into the match with just one change.