Kerry keen to see Adam fly the flag

On Saturday he will sit back with pride and anticipation as he watches his nephew Adam Sanders lead the present Launceston team into action in the NTFL grand final against Devonport.

"Of course you never think that it is going to be that long between grand finals but that's just the way it goes," he said.

Sanders was part of a small recruiting committee at Launceston which lured Adam to Launceston from the Northern Bombers to take over as coach in 2003.

"Along with Malcolm Atkins, Robert Dutton and Paul O'Donoghue we earmarked Adam and he agreed to coach us."

After being beaten in three consecutive preliminary finals Adam has been able to go one better this season and get the team into the grand final.

"Adam's done an excellent job when you consider that the bulk of the team are all local players."

Although Adam and Kerry have forged a reputation at Launceston the majority of their playing days were with the Northern Bombers.

Along with Adam's father Robbie they are all 100-game players with North.

"I played 120 games at North and was in the losing grand finals in 1967 and 1973," Kerry said.

"I then went out and coached Quandeine before coming to Launceston to coach the juniors."

He then stepped up to coach the senior team which in 1985 was captained by Todd Lewis and contained outstanding players like Glenn Bellinger, Ian Donnachy, Darren Davies and best and fairest winner Robert Dutton.

Sanders said he had followed Adam's football fortunes closely since the early days at North when Adam and Sanders' son Kane were members of the under-19 team which took out the 1990 Statewide premiership.

Kerry has filled many roles at Launceston over the past 20 years but admits to taking a relative back seat this season.

"I've continued to be the registrar and general dogsbody," he said.

NTFL GRAND FINAL

SATURDAY - LATROBE

2.15pm - SENIORS:

Devonport v Launceston

11.35am - RESERVES:

Devonport v Ulverstone

9.20am - UNDER-19s:

Devonport v Wynyard