- RECORD: Played 21, won 13, lost eight, finished third.
- HIGHLIGHTS: A 44-point win over Lauderdale in round 16.
- LOWLIGHTS: Losing three times to North Launceston.
- BEST PLAYER: Jobi Harper.
- BEST PROSPECT: Alec Wright.
- BEST ADDITION: Fletcher Seymour.
Launceston's departure list following season 2018 must have been like James Joyce's Ulysses for Blues fans - far too long and very difficult to read.
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Sam Lonergan, Chayce Jones, Rulla Kelly-Mansell, Dylan Riley, Sam Rundle, Jake Hinds, Chris Savage, Joe Boyce, Jamieson House, Tom Mundy, Ethan Jackson, Tim Auckland, Jack Rushton and Giacomo Millucci all exited following the semi-final loss to Lauderdale, seemingly ending the Blues' premiership window.
Or so many thought.
When round one came around, Mitch Thorp's new-look side featured 11 players with three games' or fewer senior experience and the Blues appeared to do well to only concede five-goal losses to Glenorchy and Lauderdale in the opening two rounds.
Wins over bottom three sides North Hobart, Clarence and Kingborough enabled the Blues to finish the first round of fixtures at 3-3 but there was better to come.
Co-captain Jay Blackberry successfully returned from a year's layoff in a round eight clash with Lauderdale where the Blues held a 19-point third-term lead before eventually falling by three goals.
The loss was a missed opportunity, but one that poured high-concentrate belief fertiliser on the club's crop of young talent.
The first of three consecutive wins over an injury-riddled Glenorchy came the following week as Fletcher Seymour recorded his third best-on-ground performance in as many rounds.
After a bruising 69-point loss to North Launceston - their 17th derby defeat in a row - there was a silver lining as Dylan Riley jumped back on ship just days before the player movement deadline.
RELATED: North Launceston season review
The prolific forward made an instant impact and it was just three weeks later that the Blues capped off their best month of the season with a 44-point win over Lauderdale that established their case as a bona-fide contender.
Despite missing out on the double chance by one game the Blues were irresistible in their first two finals, blitzing Kingborough as Tim Bristow starred in his 150th club game before a six-goal Riley spectacular accounted for Glenorchy.
A dream grand final appearance was there for the taking as the Blues took a 21-point third-term lead over Lauderdale in the preliminary final, but the Southern Bombers pulled off an incredible escape to end hopes of an all-Northern decider.
Even so, there were plenty of positives to draw from season 2019.
The Blues' midfield was reborn with co-captain and Alastair Lynch Medal runner-up Jobi Harper moving from defence to partner returning legend Bristow and first-year revelation Seymour.
Such was the Blues' strength through the middle that Brodie Palfreyman was free to roam a wing while Jake Smith won TSL team of the year selection as a key defender.
There was more variety up forward as Thorp unearthed long-term partners in James Gillow and Alec Wright, who performed with consistency above their years.
Memorable cameos came from Bailey Gillow's round 21 debut, Jake Hinds' one-off outing and Jared Dakin's late dash for finals, but it will be getting game time into young guns that will have pleased Thorp most heading into next season.
Jacob Boyd, Jack Tuthill and Grant Holt all looked at home transitioning from D-league premiership players to senior staples and will only get better come 2020.
BLUES' 2019 SEASON
Hamish Geale
Hamish Geale is a senior reporter at The Examiner. Got good news? Email: hgeale@examiner.com.au
Hamish Geale is a senior reporter at The Examiner. Got good news? Email: hgeale@examiner.com.au
