While several traditional rivals have been pitted against each other, the competition’s top five positions cannot change heading into next week’s finals series. 

Minor premier NORTH LAUNCESTON will travel across the Tamar River to Windsor Park on Saturday for this season’s third showdown with fifth-placed Launceston.

Northern Bombers coach Tom Couch said he was delighted to have rebounding defender Arion Richter-Salter back from suspension.

Richter-Salter has not played since July 29 with a bye and a forced two-week lay off for making contact with an umpire keeping him sidelined. “He’s had a really promising year, he’s really improved a lot with great ball use and he can play tall or small so it’s good to get him back for a game before finals,” Couch said.

Fletcher Bennett is the only omission from a North side that destroyed Burnie by 142 points at UTAS Stadium last week.

The Blues, who have lost twice already to North in 2017, will be without coach Sam Lonergan, Sam Rundle and Cameron Downie with Casey Brown, James Gillow and Ethan Conway getting a chance to impress.

It is confirmed that Sam Lonergan’s men will play Glenorchy at Bellerive Oval in week one of the finals, while North will face the winner of Clarence and Lauderdale’s qualifying final in week two. The other match on Saturday will see GLENORCHY and Clarence go head-to-head at KGV with the reigning premiers recalling Zac Webster, Tim Butterworth and Josh Arnold.

Ruckman Cameron Duffy has been ruled out with a finger injury and Magpies coach Aaron Cornelius said skipper Brayden Webb would “miss this week but play the first final”.

Roos coach Jeromey Webberley loses big guns Jack Gleeson (suspended), Trent Standen (soreness), Jackson O’Brien (shoulder), Jason Bailey (ankle) and James Holmes.

“I think everyone should be wary of Glenorchy. They haven’t had their full list for the whole year, they’re probably not going to have it this week… but if you look at their best 22 and top 15 I think it’s just about the best in the comp,” Webberley said.

“They’re going to be a serious contender.”

There will also be two matches on Friday evening with all bottom four sides to clash. HOBART City will take on Tigers at North Hobart Oval, while ninth-placed BURNIE will host Devonport at West Park, from 7pm. 

The Pies have made two changes and the Dockers will be aided by the return of several key players in coach Clinton Proctor, Mariner Tom Mundy, ruckman Tyrone Morrison and Bailey Boag. LAUDERDALE has the bye.