TSL: North Launceston makes tough calls for Clarence final

In a moonboot as recently as last week after sustaining an ankle injury early last month, the draft prospect is one of four premiership players on the emergency list for Saturday's home clash with Clarence.

Zach Burt will be made to sweat over his chance at a fifth TSL flag despite playing his best game of the season last round, with Will Edmunds and James Curran also dropping out of last weekend's side.

Tom Bennett has returned from his ankle injury while fellow forward trio Bart McCulloch, Jake Laskey and teen sensation Baynen Lowe are all back from a week off.

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Coach Taylor Whitford said the Bombers would pick their final 22 based on the team structure most likely to deliver a win.

"Depending on how we want to go against Clarence will determine who we select and whether we go taller or smaller - we went a little bit smaller on the weekend and it worked well," Whitford said.

"There's going to be guys that miss out - that's just the way it is and it's a good position for our footy club that we've got guys playing senior footy that are probably not going to play this week.

"Hopefully they play good development footy and there's another week for them to press their case."

A star of the 2019 grand final win, Callow impressed as a swingman with several eye-catching performances down back before missing the Bombers' past four games.

Whitford indicated that the 18-year-old would be hard to keep out of the team if fit.

"He's had a really good year depending on how you look at it - he's obviously been injured for the back half but his first half of the year was as good as anyone in the competition," Whitford said.

"He was playing back and forward as well as anyone so he's an exciting prospect to bring into our group in the next couple of weeks."

Whitford also hinted that defender Jack Avent, who has enjoyed success as a midfield tagger and a small forward this season, could play a crucial role come Saturday.

Arguably the TSL's biggest improver since 2019, Clarence finished the season with a 5-7 record and a percentage of 100-plus to qualify one game clear of Kingborough in fourth.

The Roos have strengthened with the addition of key back Keegan Wylie as they look to add a sting to the tail of an already impressive campaign.

"Last season we were second last but equal last on points, so we've come a long way in a short period of time," coach Jeromey Webberley said.

"So we're in finals and it's great to be there, but we just don't want to make it a one-off game.

"We understand that North Launceston are the best in the business and have been for an extended period of time and we respect them as a footy club and an organisation, but we want to make sure we go out there and represent our club and ourselves as individuals extremely well."

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The Kangaroos have pushed the reigning premiers on both occasions this season, falling by nine points in round 10 and coming within one point late in the final term of a 15-point, round four loss.

"We've had some good battles with them this year but the reality is that they've won those battles," Webberley said.

"I think they've won a little bit like that this year - they probably haven't been as dominant, but then you turn around at the end of the year and they've lost one game.

"So they're still an extremely good team, they're clearly the best team in the comp right now and it's going to take an extremely good performance from either us this week or another team in the grand final to knock them off."

NORTH LAUNCESTON v. CLARENCE

UTAS Stadium, Saturday 2pm

NORTH LAUNCESTON

In: T. Bennett, B. Lowe, J. Laskey, B. McCulloch

Out: R. Sanders, Z. Burt, J. Curran, W. Edmunds

CLARENCE

In: K. Wylie

Out: C. Whitelaw