Northern Tasmania’s remaining two State League clubs have declared they are in the competition for one reason only – to win it.
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All seven clubs and Tasmanian Hall of Fame icon Peter Hudson congregated in Hobart on Thursday for the traditional season launch.
Reigning Alastair Lynch medallist and multiple North Launceston premiership player Brad Cox-Goodyer said his teammates have galvanised behind their close-friend and new coach Taylor Whitford.
“He’s already had our respect over the last couple of years as captain and he’s learned a lot off two really good coaches (Zane Littlejohn and Tom Couch) in the last couple of years,” he said.
“Once you’ve had that feeling (of winning a flag) it’s contagious so we’ve had no problems with the drive and want to keep succeeding.”
Launceston co-captain Chris Savage said the Blues are shaping up well for round 1 despite a couple of hiccups pre-season. “They have just been little niggling injuries like a slight hamstring (Sam Lonergan) or a slight twisted knee (Jack Donnellan),” he said.
“We know where we want to be at the end of the year, it’s just about ticking boxes.”
Savage’s joint leader and star ruckman Hamish Leedham said he is feeling fit and firing following his best off-season in five years at Windsor Park.
Neither Northern club was drawn into talk that they were substantially advantaged by the demise of Devonport and Burnie.
The season starts on Good Friday with North Launceston playing Launceston for The Phil Edwards Cup and North Hobart hosting Tigers before Lauderdale and Clarence face-off on March 31.
See The Sunday Examiner for a comprehensive preview to Launceston’s 2018 season.
Corey Martin
Having started at The Examiner as a cadet in 2009, I have held various positions telling the stories of Northern Tasmanians in sport and news. I was appointed deputy editor in 2019 and became editor in September 2021.
Having started at The Examiner as a cadet in 2009, I have held various positions telling the stories of Northern Tasmanians in sport and news. I was appointed deputy editor in 2019 and became editor in September 2021.
