IT’s a battle of first-versus-ninth late in the season – hardly a blockbuster.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
However, North Launceston is building towards a possible third premiership in four seasons and a tenderfoot Burnie has taken it to the State League’s heavyweights of late. The Northern Bombers were just 20-point winners at West Park five rounds ago after belting the Dockers by a 21-goal margin in May at UTAS Stadium - the stage for Saturday’s round 20 match-up.
“We were behind pretty much all day (at West Park) and it wasn’t until pretty much five minutes into the last quarter that we got ahead and were able to kick on,” North coach Tom Couch said.
“We had a few players out, the boys had just come off a 10-day break from the club so we expected the boys to be a bit rusty but that it would be beneficial for us later on.
“Burnie play in the right manner by taking the game on and they like to go through the middle if it’s on… they do play a really attacking brand, which is exciting and the fastest way to develop the kids.
“Burnie’s had a really good month, probably its best month of the season and they have got a lot of state juniors that are back now playing for them.”
Couch is slowly piecing together his war machine for September action with a few key components either repaired or on the verge of returning to service.
Skipper Taylor Whitford will line-up for his first match in two months to join Karlton Wadley back into a side that has won its past seven matches and sits pretty atop of the table after a 69-point win over Clarence and the bye.
“Alex Lee’s the best ruckman in the competition, Cox-Goodyer’s had a tremendous year, Mark Walsh is a state rep, Josh Ponting’s arguably been in our best two or three players since halfway in the season,” Couch said.
“They’re just competitive beasts and we back them in to get it going forward but also defensively too.
“Our defensive pressure and running is something we’ve really improved in the second half of the season.”
Tasmanian junior cricketer Jack McCulloch, 16, will make his Burnie debut with Brad Rubock and Brody Brown also coming back into the side that lost to Lauderdale two weeks ago.
Andrew Bates, Blair Challis and suspended ruckman Tyrone Morrison have been left out. Coach Clint Proctor said North is without question a difficult task.
“They seem to be a very versatile team so we have to be prepared for a lot of things, like they played Zach Burt behind the football a bit that afternoon at West Park and I also noticed he played there against Clarence as well,” Proctor said.
“We just need to be ready for what they’re going to throw at us and they are a fairly tall team with (Bart) McCulloch, (Lewis) Hollmer, (Tom) Bennett and if (Tarryn) Thomas goes forward he’s pretty good in the air.
“However, we’ve also got to take care of what we do and that’s bringing the intensity and pressure that’s required.”