What can Launceston produce when the 2020 TSL season gets under way on July 11?
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In the first of a series of reviews, The Examiner looks at the Blues' prospects for this year's 12-round campaign.
LAST SEASON: Third (Played 21, won 13, lost 8).
INS: Michael Musicka (East Coast), Stewart Williams (overseas), Bowen Pearce (South Launceston), Jamieson House (Woodville West-Torrens), Julian James (St Pats), Jake Hinds (Southport), Joe Groenewegen (Nor-West Jets), Tim Auckland (Central Districts), Casey Walker-Russell (Bridgenorth)
OUTS: Ben Killalea (retired), Simon Vandervelde (SFL)
RECRUITS
Of Launceston's nine headline recruits, only Pearce and James are not returning players.
House and Hinds return after a season in mainland state leagues, as does Auckland, whose arrival alongside Groenewegen will give the Blues the deepest ruck stocks in the state.
Coach Mitch Thorp conceded it was going to be hard to fit Auckland, Groenewegen and 2018 captain Hamish Leedham in the same side.
"We've gone from having one ruckman in Hamish who carried the load by himself last year to potentially four options now with big Joe coming back, Tim with his SANFL experience and Jamieson House is big enough to play as a ruckman or a key forward or back," Thorp said.
"We've gone from being quite an undersized side to now having some talls to choose from which is pleasing."
The exit of vice-captain Vandervelde leaves the Blues short of height in defence, but deploying one of the gun ruck trio as a Ben McEvoy-style key back isn't on the cards at this stage.
"We were really pleased with our back six last year and we see some benefit in having a back six that can all move and kick the ball really well and play on talls, smalls and mediums," Thorp said.
"So we do have some options but our back six is probably our most settled line - those boys work really well together and with Chris Savage as their line coach they're a pretty stable unit."
Williams, James and Pearce all add defensive depth while Walker-Russell has made a bright start since arriving from the NTFA.
"Casey won a best and fairest as a junior at the Launny Footy Club and he's finished runner-up twice as well," Thorp said.
"The younger players at the club speak really highly of him as a person. He'll start off playing in our D-League and who knows what the season might hold for him, he's started really well in his return to TSL footy."
FORWARDS
Launceston's forward line was good in 2019 and will benefit from the inclusions of Groenewegen and Musicka.
Former captain Jay Blackberry will play more midfield time than last season but likely remain a forward, while Thorp and Dylan Riley can be counted on to produce more of the same.
Young pair Alec Wright and James Gillow look set to take the next step after combining for nearly 50 goals last season.
"Alec Wright's been a standout just by the way he's applied himself," Thorp said.
"I think he's got a taste for how it felt to play well last year and he made a really conscious effort to work hard over pre-season and took his 2km time trial from 7:30 down to 6:45.
"When you've got a 192cm hybrid key forward that can run at that level ... the boys were really proud and pleased to see the work that he put in over the summer.
"We've got some selection decisions to make on the balance of our side - whether we go a little bit taller this year with the guys that have come in - but we'll work through that over the next few weeks and try and find the right mix."
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
DEFENCE
Jake Smith led the Blues defence last season and will again be tasked with taking on taller opponents on a weekly basis.
A key defensive post remains up for grabs as the Blues work on replacing Vandervelde.
"We're not an overly big back six but they're a pretty galvanised unit," Thorp said.
"We've got a few options in key post positions - Jamieson House can play back, Julian James can play back, Alec Wright can play back so we're just working through what our best 22 looks like.
"But we're really confident in Miller Hodge, Ryan Tyrrell, Jack Tuthill and Jacob Boyd that the games and experience they gathered last season will hold them in really good stead and we're really keen to keep putting time in developing that group because they're Launceston lads and their football was really strong last year.
"They've all played enough TSL football now to be really strong contributors both defensively and offensively in our back six."
ENVIRONMENT
A "happy medium" between hard work and spending time together is the glue bringing the Blues' list closer together.
Since taking over as coach in late 2018, Thorp has put as much time into creating a thriving culture as he has a thriving team.
"We've used camps and things like that to get to know each other a little better and share the high points in our lives and also some of the tougher times and we've really found that to be beneficial," he said.
"It's created some trust within the group that I think really lends itself to being an authentic place where people want to be and can trust their teammates.
"From our oldest player in Timmy Bristow who's 33 to our youngest senior player, there's a really vibrant and youthful enthusiasm.
"And having Jobi [Harper] as a captain who leads by example ... his training standards are as high as I've seen at this level.
"He wins our time trials as a 190cm, 100kg midfielder - the younger boys have got some really good people to look up to in Jobi and Tim and I think that really sets the tone and sets the standard."
- The Examiner on Friday: North Launceston TSL season preview