TSL: Dan Withers joins list of Blues, Bombers swingmen

The 25-year-old will be one of five players on the ground to have played for both North Launceston and Launceston, with two more listed as emergencies.

One of the NTFA's most successful players of the 2010-20 decade, Withers made his TSL debut for Launceston in 2012 and played in a Northern derby in the first round of 2013.

That day his Launceston side, which featured Jake Smith, won by 39 points against a Northern Bombers outfit featuring Jack Avent, Taylor Whitford, Zach Burt, Mark Walsh and now-Blue Brendan Taylor.

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The Blues won the remaining two derbies that year - both by less than a goal - but have lost the last 18 clashes between the two sides.

Other players to have played for both clubs include Launceston coach Mitch Thorp, who played for the Bombers in 2006, and star forward Dylan Riley (2012,2013).

North Launceston premiership forward Will Edmunds made his State League debut in a Northern derby in round six, 2015 when his Blues side went down by 119 points.

Jack Rushton, who has been named as an emergency for Saturday's clash, played a season with the Blues in 2018 before crossing over last year, while Blues emergency Isaac Chugg played some junior football with North.

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