TSL: Jake Hinds to captain Launceston as Jobi Harper sits out

Jake Hinds will captain the Blues in the first eight rounds of 2021 as usual skipper Jobi Harper completes a 16-week certificate that will see him become a firefighter.

Harper will be employed in the coaches' box and as a runner until the round 11 clash with North Hobart, but cannot risk getting injured as he transitions from a decade working as an electrician.

In the meantime, 21-year-old midfielder Hinds will get the chance to lead the club he first represented in seniors as a 15-year-old in 2015.

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"After having a discussion with our vice-captain Joe Groenewegen - he legitimately is the wise old owl of the group - he's really keen to support Jake Hinds as he leads the boys for the first eight games," Blues coach Mitch Thorp said.

"The reason we've gone down that path is Jake is very similar to Jobi - he's very bubbly, happy, always got a positive vibe and rarely walks in to training not in a good mood, so he's quite infectious around the group.

"He's probably the next leader in mind after our older guys so it's probably an opportunity to start building that leadership density that good clubs have."

Returning to the Blues from NEAFL club Southport, Hinds played all 14 games in 2020 and began to dominate in the latter part of the season.

He has chalked up 70 senior games at Windsor Park and is determined to establish himself as one of the competition's best midfielders in 2021.

"We've turned an eight-week block without Jobi into a period where Hindsy gets an opportunity to lead the players," Thorp said.

"We also need to be a little bit creative in how we play because we can't replace Jobi, he's the best player in the competition when he's up and going."

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Harper is fresh off a career-best year that saw him collect his second Darrel Baldock and TSL premiership medals along with the media award and a club best and fairest.

Thorp said the Blues were grateful that the 27-year-old would not be stationed in another part of the state upon completing his training.

"We're really big on our people and supporting each other and eight weeks to be honest is a pretty small sacrifice in the scheme of things," he said.

"Jobi's got a lot of runs on the board at the footy club and he'll continue to in the future."