TSL: Launceston's Jay Blackberry looks back on 200 games

Picked to debut for South Launceston in the opening round of the revamped State League in 2009, a barely 17-year-old Blackberry was one of just six goalkickers for a Bulldogs side that would finish bottom of the table.

Four years later Blackberry was holding South Launceston's 2013 premiership cup and on Saturday, following a two-year stint with Western Storm and nearly 70 outings with Launceston, he will play his 200^th TSL game.

Tassie Mariners call-ups and an ACL rupture in 2018 are all that have stopped the 28-year-old from playing every game since the league's inception and beating its most successful player - Jaye Bowden - to the milestone.

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"I came straight in as a 16-year-old doing pre-season and turned 17 early in February - I played from round one onwards and was lucky enough to have an injury-free career up until I hurt my knee," he said.

"But the early games were tough - we got beaten quite a bit back then but I was lucky enough to play against some very good players.

"Some of the early Clarence teams were unbelievable and Glenorchy and Burnie had some really great teams and players.

"There has been, and still are, some very good players running around and I've been lucky enough to play with and against them - it's been fun."

Nearing the end of his fifth year at Launceston, Blackberry remains one of the first names picked on the teamsheet.

The silky left-footer co-captained with Jobi Harper last season and has been labelled a shoe-in for 250 games by coach Mitch Thorp.

"I still have really close ties with South - that'll always be home, but definitely over the last couple of years Launceston's welcomed me and it does feel like a second home," Blackberry said.

"There's so many volunteers that are just happy to help, they don't ever ask for anything, they just love the footy club and they don't care if you're a first-year player in the under-18s or if you've played 11 seasons of senior football for three different clubs - they treat you all the same.

"It's just awesome to be around, the feel around the club at the moment is really good."

A mechanic of more than 10 years, Blackberry's final tribute before game 200 went to his family.

The Blackberry clan has had plenty to cheer in the past decade and should Thorp be proven right, they'll have plenty more to come.

"Family's helped out - especially in the times when you're not winning they always give you a bit of a pump-up," Blackberry said.

"And when you have some serious injuries they're the people that help you through when you're sitting on the couch for three months because you can't move.

"I've got to thanks them heaps and they'll keep supporting me through the tough times and the good times.

"As long as I can keep giving Nan some content for her scrapbook she'll be happy."

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Jay Blackberry says winning the 2013 State League flag with South Launceston and representing Tasmania are the top achievements of his stellar football career.

"Early on I was lucky enough to play in a very good Mariners team where we won the national championship - seven or eight of those guys got drafted and Mav [Weller] and Luke Russell got taken early," Blackberry said.

"Hugh Greenwood went and played basketball so we could have had a very high draft year, but playing in a state championship with four or five guys from South at the time in that [was a highlight].

"The premiership at South in 2013 was obviously another massive highlight - that's probably the highlight.

"Then we were lucky enough to win a Foxtel Cup game - 2014 with the Storm, all the premiers from around the country played each other, it was the top two from the major leagues.

"Because most of our group had transferred from South to Storm, that team went away and represented the state.

"We played in Adelaide against West Adelaide and got the win from nowhere - it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things, but it was an impressive thing for that group of guys.

"And then probably the state games and being able to win state games for Tassie is probably second in line - especially at senior level.

"To be able to do that with some of the best players in the state is a highlight to be able to run around with them.

"But the premiership and the wins for Tassie are right up there."