A battle-scarred Launceston has eased into the week off with a 44-point win over North Hobart.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Full of confidence after upsetting Glenorchy, the Blues trailed at the first break change but led by as many as 68 points before emerging 17.8 (110) to 11.6 (66) victors.
North Hobart kicked the last four goals of the match to take some shine off the margin and Blues coach Mitch Thorp's view of his side's performance.
"I thought we were a fair way off the mark today, we started quite slowly and we finished the same way," Thorp said.
"We had a patch there throughout the middle of the game where we got out to about 70 points in front, but certainly our skill level throughout the game was a long way off the mark.
"But things change quickly because our expectations have changed from just being a side that's developing young players to a side that expects to win each week and win a certain way."
Urged to lift at the first break, the Blues' response was instant as James Gillow goaled in the opening minute with the first of two tumbling snaps close to goal.
An incisive squaring ball from Jay Blackberry minutes later allowed Thorp (three goals) to kick his first and from thereon in the wasteful forward 50 entries that marred the Blues' opening term were gone.
Launceston's dominance began at half-back, where Jack Donnellan and Miller Hodge combined for 60 touches between them.
Jobi Harper and Hamish Leedham fused well in the middle and Blackberry, Grant Holt and Alec Wright all finished with multiple goals.
But the moment of the day came early in the third term when debutant Jayden Hinds spotted up his brother Jake in the latter's first game back at the club.
En route to collecting 11 touches for the quarter, the NEAFL export converted from 45m to spark an all-in celebration.
Thorp said the moment summed up a promising debut for the younger of the two brothers.
"We rated him probably our third-best player today, and not just because it was his first game but because he was one of the very few players that were clean at ground level and executed his skills by foot," Thorp said.
"Again the underlying positives are how many players we've got some senior football into and winning games at the same time."
After losing Brodie Palfreyman (hip) before the game, the Blues finished with only two on the bench as Ryan Tyrell rested a sore knee and Ethan Conway was sent to hospital following a knock to the face.
North Hobart's Bailey Walker will also miss time after being stretchered off the ground with a leg injury in the third term.