From stark bankruptcy and forced to abandon the 2018 season, Launceston's return has been one of redemption. New Tigers coach Issac Anderson could not imagine the club that ditched the Bees moniker have turned things around so fast in 12 months. Launceston will now face Eastern Suburbs on Saturday in the Tasmanian Rugby Union division two grand final. "So it was all over, I guess you'd say," Anderson said. "We were about to close our doors. So for 12 months later to be in a grand final, it's certainly a fantastic feeling. "The spirit around the club the last month has been as good as I've ever seen it." Launceston would have been lucky to count the number of wins on one hand the previous few seasons when they had enough players. That struggle continued this year until the Tigers got their tails up in a late flurry. "Early in the year, we had a team that didn't know how to win," Anderson said. "We had been losing some close games and were at the bottom of the ladder halfway through the year. Then we had a really good win in Burnie in the mud and cold when they were in second." A five-game winning run took the side from outside the final four to finish second. And it was Burnie that instigated the revival, losing 26-5 in the preliminary final.
That struggle continued this year until the Tigers got their tails up in a late flurry.
"Early in the year, we had a team that didn't know how to win," Anderson said.
"We had been losing some close games and were at the bottom of the ladder halfway through the year. Then we had a really good win in Burnie in the mud and cold when they were in second."
A five-game winning run took the side from outside the final four to finish second.
And it was Burnie that instigated the revival, losing 26-5 in the preliminary final.
