If the word of the football world is anything to go by, Launceston is going to be a serious challenger this State League season.
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From seventh with five wins and eight losses in 2016 to being slightly overawed at Bellerive Oval in a preliminary final last season – expectations on the Blues in 2018 are high.
And coach Sam Lonergan, 30, is telling his charges to embrace it.
We’ll embrace where our list is at and I believe it’s the best list across the board, and there's nothing wrong with our players knowing and understanding that.
- Launceston coach Sam Lonergan
“We’ll embrace where our list is at and I believe it’s the best list across the board, and there's nothing wrong with our players knowing and understanding that,” the former Richmond and Essendon midfielder said.
“However, there is a big difference between understanding it and working hard enough for it to pay off.
“For us now it’s about being consistent. Last year we had some really good games and some that weren’t so good. Now we have to bridge that gap so those two worlds are a lot closer together.
“We can definitely build on 2017 as it was our first year into a new program with a new coach.
“The expectation now is that the guys understand the game plan and program and it just becomes natural.
“Last year was all about education and this year it has been a lot more about keeping that education going and focusing on the strength and conditioning side of things.
“We’re all going to be out after the top team North Launceston as they are a proven solid footy club and we’re in that category where we are chasing like all the Southern clubs.”
Lonergan’s men fell 24-points short of eventual runners-up Lauderdale in the penultimate stage last September, with the Southern Bombers’ harder bodies roughing up some of the baby Blues.
However, they have recruited well and benefited from Devonport’s demise with South Launceston TSL premiership coach and ex-Magpies boss Mitch Thorp joining the ranks along with gun Dylan Riley and small forward Giacomo Millucci.
While Thorp’s 2013 teammate Jobi Harper, Mariner Thomas Mundy 2016 Rocherlea best and fairest Jack Rushton and Werribee’s Anthony Liberatore have compensated for the losses of veterans Nathan O’Donoghue, Jordan Harris, youngsters Zach Griffiths, Connor Smith and ACL-stricken Corey Sheppard.
Couple the ins and outs with a professional program and the talented crop of players staying put at Windsor Park, Launceston is certainly a close second to reigning premiers North Launceston on the list of flag favourites.
After a season with Northern Tasmanian Football Association division 2 club East Coast Rushton, 22, wants to test himself at the highest level and Lonergan likens him to seasoned Blue Joe Boyce.
Harper, 24, has crossed over from Burnie after spending a season on the sidelines following an ankle reconstruction and is expected, along with Riley, 25, to provide support for on-ballers Jay Blackberry, Brodie Palfreyman and Co.
Both Thorp and Mariner Millucci will complement forwards Sonny Whiting, Rulla Kelly-Mansell and James Gillow to name a few.
“Jack’s come from a really solid football background, he’s a fantastic young man and his pressure and intensity at the footy is great,” Lonergan said.
“Jobi brings us a physical presence around the ball.
“He’s a six foot, three inches, 90-odd kilo running machine and he will help the midfielders out as they will have some big bulls around them to protect them at different times.
“Dylan is a classy state representitive and Giacomo is a crafty, quick small forward… and has proven himself to a high standard in a side that was struggling.
“The way we structure up with a deep forward Mitch will replace Nathan, and he is training extremely well.
“For the first time in five years he is under 100 kilos so he is moving well and looking pretty good.”
Best mates Lonergan and Thorp have previously worked together at SANFL club Glenelg and have used each other’s football knowledge during the off-season to advance Launceston’s cause.
Lonergan said a majority of those discussions had taken place in private and that the former-Hawk’s role around the club was one of leadership as a player that drives high standards.
Thorp on the other hand said he is enjoying the “required change” of not being a full-time playing-coach for the first time in six years.
“It takes its toll mentally and physically so the change of environments and taking a step back is great,” the 29-year-old father said.
“Being a playing-coach for that period of time you sort of sacrifice a bit of your own game so hopefully I can just play to the best of my ability.
“I’ve got so many close mates and premiership teammates here and pre-season has been good fun.
“The body is feeling good and we’ve done a fair bit of work over summer… we’ve got a really clear plan about how we want to develop our fitness.
“It’s the best program I’ve seen at State League level that I've been involved in with the depth of numbers, coaches and excited young players that want to play at the highest level they can.”
Lonergan said Thorp’s presence around young talent such as Gillow, Palfreyman, Chayce Jones, Casey Brown, Jack Donellan, Jake Hinds and Ryan Tyrell is invaluable.
He said they now know what it takes to win and how to act when the going gets tough.
“They’re all going to be a year older and more level headed – they now understand what the hardest games look like,” Lonergan said.
“Tryell will miss six to eight weeks with an elbow injury that he sustained in a practice match, and we’ve got another 22-year-old that’s coming – Anthony Liberatore, who has spent the past three years on Werribee's list.
“He hasn’t had a crack at a senior VFL game but he has certainly been training at a full-time capacity.
“I’m not heavily focused on round 1 as it’s a long way away from the end of the season.
“For us it will be about fine-tuning ourselves in the first five rounds, then getting ourselves right.”
Experienced campaigner Chris Savage will co-captain the seniors with 22-year-old ruckman Hamish Leedham – who rose to prominence in a breakout season in 2017.
Lonergan said the pair were the ideal candidates to lead their teammates into battle.
“Chris Savage is a natural leader and a person that the playing group look up to as he leads by example,” he said.
“He is a passionate clubman and has all the right things as a skipper, which gives us a fantastic opportunity to allow Hamish to learn.
“Hamish is certainly raw as a leader… but he’s already got three-quarters of the group that want to spend time with Hamish, which is a pretty rare trait to find in people.
“Now it’s about fine tuning Hamish’s leadership and captain qualities over the next 12 months.”
Lonergan said the competition reducing to seven teams with no North-West representation has had an impact on his club.
He said the Blues have 90-plus players on their list from under-16s through to senior level – the most seen at Windsor Park for “a long time”.
He said it was a testament to the State League that people wanted to be part of a high-performance program, which gives them the greatest opportunity to reach the AFL – something no regional or community league could offer.
“It’s the first time we are going to filter backwards, not upwards,” Lonergan said.
“Last year we would have been filtering under-16s up to play under-18s and under-18s up to play development league – we’re now going to be filtering down.
“Those in under-16s will have to prove they’re good enough to come up and so on.
“Our football club is in the best position it’s ever been in on and off the field.
“We’ve got 22 players training in state programs.”
The Blues will first take on cross-town foes North Launceston at UTAS Stadium on Good Friday.
The two outfits will vie for The Phil Edwards Cup – named in honour of the late The Examiner sports journalist. And Lonergan said he and his players “can’t wait.”
TSL | ROUND 1
- WHAT: North Launceston v Launceston
- WHEN: Friday, March 30, from 6.30pm.
- WHERE: UTAS Stadium.