The TSL looks set to hold extra importance for the state's AFL draft hopefuls in a season hampered by the coronavirus.
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AFL Tasmania released an update this week outlining plans for community football's return, with training groups increased from two to 10 as of May 25 and from 10 to 20 as of June 15.
With the NAB League on ice for the foreseeable future, many are holding out hope for a TSL season which, should it go ahead, could help the state's best under-18 players to impress AFL recruiters.
The state's Devils representatives were this week asked to continue training with their local clubs, leaving the TSL's seven entities salivating at the prospect of having a full list at their disposal for a whole season.
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Launceston coach Mitch Thorp said the TSL would provide a worthy stage for the likes of Jackson Callow, Jared Dakin and Isaac Chugg to show their wares.
"It gives them a great opportunity to put their best foot forward in relation to attracting AFL interest at club land," Thorp said.
"The state has kids with legitimate AFL interest who clubs want to see play and a meaningful season of 12 games home and away plus finals provides the perfect landscape for this to occur.
"We only need to look at recent players such as Tarryn Thomas and Chayce Jones who further enhanced their reputations by playing at TSL senior level."
SPEED MERCHANT
Chugg's speed has been a talking point throughout an eye-catching junior career at Longford.
A national championship representative in athletics, the 18-year-old spent 2019 representing the Devils as an under-ager and debuted for Launceston's senior team in a round two loss to Lauderdale.
Chugg said he was determined to add to his two TSL games in 2020 but would take the season as it comes.
"I think it's actually really good - I enjoy training with my club at Launny," he said.
"I think they're a real good bunch of guys and possibly the best squad in the state, so it's a really good opportunity to go back and learn a bit from those guys.
"If the TSL's able to get up then obviously that's fantastic, but if it's not, then it's not the end of the world still."
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Chugg has been training with fellow Devil and 2019 Blues debutant Jayden Hinds over the past six weeks.
"He's more of a skilled player and I'm more of a running player, so we're sort of bouncing off each other and giving each other a few little tips," Chugg said.
"It's hard to do any game situations with only two people, but the coaches are doing really well to give us an opportunity.
"All the boys are really still cracked in and everyone's been really pleased with the commitment from the boys so it's really pleasing to have everyone having a dip around us."
GUN FORWARD
Incredibly, Callow has already used the TSL to press his case to recruiters.
In just his fourth game of senior football, Callow kicked three majors to be one of the most influential players on the ground in North Launceston's grand final victory last season.
The Devils' leading goalkicker will turn 18 next month and is keenly anticipating rubbing shoulders with fully-developed bodies on a weekly basis in the TSL.
"I'm very keen," Callow said.
"I was lucky enough to get to play a few games at the end of the year in seniors, North Launny got in the granny which was really good.
"Now we get to play a full season probably in the TSL ... I'm looking forward to the challenge of playing with North Launny for the first time in a proper season.
"It's always been interrupted, so we'll trying to prove that we can handle the bigger bodies.
"Chuggy and I are still 17, 18 and Dakesy is in his 19th year, so us playing up against the adults we have to prove that we have talent and deserve to be there."
Callow said the dedication of coaches had been of huge importance to this year's crop of under-18s.
"We've put in a good effort over this COVID break and I think the AFL Tas coaches have probably been the best quality out of the whole of Australia because we've just had the best programs," last year's The Examiner Junior Sports Awards winner said.
"We're also fortunate that it's only footy we're missing out on.
"There's a lot of other things people are missing out on and we're lucky enough to still be training and have coaches still be willing to help us even though they've been stood down so we've just going to keep going at it."
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
OVER-AGER
Co-captain of the Devils last season, Dakin was considered perhaps the unluckiest not to be drafted of his Tasmanian peers.
Injured for all but one game of the NAB League season, the 19-year-old finally got a chance in the last game of the campaign and shone with 25 touches and 10 inside 50s.
"I'm not sure how close I came in the end," the former Kings Meadows High student said of his injury-marred draft year.
"I thought I was reasonably lucky to have my name thrown out there anyway only playing three or four games last year.
"I was hoping to just really get back to playing footy this year I suppose - last year and now this year not being able to play is a bit frustrating, but I'm just really looking forward to getting back into footy this year."
The most experienced TSL player of the three, Dakin played all three of Launceston's finals matches last season, kicking a goal in the preliminary final loss to Lauderdale.
The midfielder will relish the chance to get back on the park should football return to Windsor Park this season.
"I love being around the Launny footy club at the moment, it's just in a really good spot," Dakin said.
"The age demographic's really similar to my age, we're a really young up-and-coming team.
"I've been there for a few years now so I shouldn't have any trouble going back and getting a bit of chemistry with the boys.
"I've had a lot of time to work on my game this last year and a half so I'm just really looking forward to getting back playing footy to be honest.
"Whatever happens happens but I just really enjoy playing football so I just want to get back into doing that and enjoying myself."
The Devils are yet to announce a boys' squad for season 2020.