It may only be round 16, but North Launceston is preparing for its last home game of season 2019.
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Saturday's Clarence clash marks the Bombers' last UTAS Stadium outing until next year, with Hawthorn and Brisbane to contest the ground's final football match before it undergoes resurfacing works.
The Bombers have been given the option of hosting finals at Windsor Park, North Hobart or Bellerive Oval, which will host the grand final regardless of which teams qualify.
Captain Brad Cox-Goodyer said his side's shot at a TSL three-peat hinged off its ability to win away from home.
"We'd love to be able to play out here but we can't," the 26-year-old said.
"That's just the reality of it, it's just another challenge that we've got coming at us so we just need to rise above it and take it as it comes.
"We've known it since the start of the year so it's something that we've been prepared for.
"Lauderdale are looking pretty good to finish top, so we've just got to be able to give ourselves the double chance - it doesn't matter where we finish.
"We've just got to be making sure that we're ready to go and we've got to be able to play at any venue."
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
The Bombers were on the wrong end of the season's biggest upset last weekend, losing to Kingborough for the first time in six years in Antarctic conditions at Twin Ovals.
A "pretty eye-opening review" followed at training on Monday before two comparatively cruisier sessions on Wednesday and Thursday.
Cox-Goodyer said his side had still been able to draw positives from the Tigers loss, and would give a better account next time it was faced with wet-weather football.
"Some of our better players were blokes that were on the fringe - they really stepped up and played pretty well in trying conditions," he said.
"It's a tough time of year July - it's cold, it's wet, it's windy - so we're hoping it's a one-off thing.
"It's another learning curve because two of our three losses this year have been when it's raining.
"Hopefully that's not a trend, but we've got to keep learning when the conditions are tough and not perfect for football."
Saturday's game begins at 2pm.
TSL LADDER
TEAM P W L % Pts
- 1 Lauderdale 13 12 1 157.1 48
- 2 North L'ton 13 10 3 182.8 40
- 3 Launceston 13 8 5 124.1 32
- 4 Magpies 13 8 5 101.2 32
- 5 Kingborough 13 5 8 80.8 20
- 6 Clarence 12 1 11 60.3 4
- 7 Demons 13 1 12 56.1 4