A sensationally one-sided contest has seen North Launceston come within one point of registering its biggest-ever TSL win over Lauderdale.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In what was tipped to be the game of the round, North Launceston kicked the first 15 goals before Ed Stanley finally got the hosts on the board with back-to-back majors in the third term.
Lauderdale kicked all four of their goals in the third quarter as a North Launceston side missing coach Brad Cox-Goodyer bolted to a 19.13 (127) to 4.10 (34) victory.
Seventeen-year-old Brandon Leary matched star forward Tom Bennett with an unheard-of four goals on debut, while fourth-gamer Harry Bayles slotted three after opening his senior account last weekend.
Cox-Goodyer, who missed the game due to a wedding, commended his young team on its best win of the season as assistant coach Adrian Smith enjoyed a memorable game in charge.
"I'm absolutely stoked," said Cox-Goodyer, who was replaced in the side by Alistair Bourne, North's 10th debutant this season.
"It's a tough place to play, but when you go down there with the right mindset - like we did by the looks of it - you're going to get the result.
"It's good to bounce back after a tough loss last week and just prove to the boys that it can be done, they can achieve it, it's just about their mental state.
"Once again it's being able to ride that wave - we're going to be up, we're going to be down, but it's a really positive result."
The 93-point result smashed North Launceston's previous biggest TSL win at Lauderdale - 61 points in 2017 - and rivalled a 94-point victory at UTAS Stadium in 2018.
That game also saw Bennett kick four goals with another teenager - Jaidyn Harris - impressing with multiple goals on debut.
North skipper Jay Foon said he had been thrilled with how well ex-Tamar Valley and George Town junior Leary performed against one of the State League's most physical sides.
MORE FOOTY: Back in Tassie, Hawks confident wins will come
"He was massive today," Foon said.
"It was surprising how well he worked in the one-on-one contests, especially against the bigger bodies of Lauderdale, so we've definitely found one in him.
"He's got super speed and he can use the ball as well so he was really exciting."
Entering the game at 1-2 after conceding a 23-point lead against Clarence last round, the Northern Bombers burst out the blocks with Bennett kicking three in the first term.
Leary, Bayles and Zach Burt all had multiple goals at half-time, and even with a Lauderdale fightback in the third quarter, the visitors ran out the game strong.
Foon, ruckman Alex Lee and forward-turned-defender Will Edmunds led from the front while Burt played one of his best games since returning from the NTFA.
"I'm super proud of the boys ... we had a massive focus during the week on our contested ball because we know Lauderdale like to play that way down there," Foon said.
"And our offence, we knew we could get them on the outside if we played our brand and that's what we did today.
"Our leaders were massive during the week and today taking over from not having Brad there.
"They really put their front foot forward and led really well but it was a total team effort, everyone played their role and played really well."
The win catapulted the Northern Bombers into second spot on the ladder and levelled up their record at 2-2 heading into the bye.
Sunday's games see Kingborough host Glenorchy at 2.30pm and North Hobart host Launceston at 3pm.
SCOREBOARD
North Launceston 5.2, 13.4, 16.5, 19.13 (127)
Lauderdale 0.1, 0.3, 4.8, 4.10 (34)
- GOALS, North Launceston: B. Leary 4, T. Bennett 4, H. Bayles 3, Z. Burt 3, D. Chugg 1, N. Pearce 1, B. Simpson 1, J. Rushton 1, J. Avent 1
- Lauderdale: E. Stanley 2, J. McGuinness 1, H. Richmond 1
- BEST, North Launceston: J. Foon, W. Edmunds, A. Lee, N. Pearce, B. Leary, Z. Burt
- Lauderdale: N. Franklin, O. Shaw, A. Hevey, J. Salmon, L. Arnold