Launceston is every chance to complete the most convincing start to a TSL season in a decade, but coach Mitch Thorp says complacency will not be an issue.
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After Saturday's home clash with Lauderdale - the last side to beat the Blues before their 9-0 run - Launceston will have played every team in the competition.
The Blues have an average winning margin of 94 points after five games but the pressure for spots is driving standards inside the club.
After a crushing win over Clarence last round, the Blues have replaced Miller Hodge (VFL) with Bowen Pearce, while James Dowling and Hamish Leedham have both been dropped back to the development league.
Third-gamer Colby McKercher returns while Wynyard recruit Jonty McIvor will make his Launceston debut.
Thorp is set to continue coaching from the sidelines until after the bye, when gun midfield pair Jobi Harper and Fletcher Seymour are also expected back.
"We've got our own standards ... team selection is what keeps everyone on their toes," Thorp said.
"You need to be in good form to play senior footy here and we've got some guys at development league level that have been doing a great job and putting a lot of pressure on.
"Our expectation is our standards don't drop at all and if individuals do drop off they'll be replaced in the side.
"We're aware we haven't done a lot yet - we've put ourselves in a really strong position but there'll be no complacency."
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Lauderdale gave the Blues some trouble in 2020 - notching a 63-point win in round 10 - but have lost four on the trot to sit second-bottom.
Thorp, who rates North Launceston and Clarence as the best sides the Blues have played this year, tipped the Southern Bombers to find form after a bumpy pre-season that saw Daniel Willing take over the coaching role just weeks out from round one.
"At some point Lauderdale is going to bounce back - they've had a difficult pre-season, a lot of it's not their own fault, and they've just got too much talent not to be in the finals race," he said.
"There was one year there they started with [two wins and five losses] and still made the finals so I'd expect at some point they'll come good, we've just got to make sure it's not us that takes the pressure off."
FULL TEAMS
LAUNCESTON v LAUDERDALE
Windsor Park, 2pm Saturday
LAUNCESTON
- B: Z. Morris, J. House, J. Tuthill
- HB: J. Smith, A. Wright, J. Woolley
- C: C. Brown, J. Hinds, J. McIvor
- HF: M. Musicka, J. Groenewegen, B. Taylor
- F: J. Blackberry, D. Riley, B. Pitcher
- R: C. Thorp, C. McKercher, B. Palfreyman
- Int: J. Donnellan, G. Holt, T. Miller, B. Pearce
- Emg: J. Dowling, B. Gillow, H. Leedham, M. Thorp
In: B. Pearce, C. McKercher, J. McIvor
Out: M. Hodge, J. Dowling, H. Leedham
LAUDERDALE
- B: T. Ratcliffe, W. Poland, O. Shaw
- HB: N. Raglione, T. Sookee, E. Stanley
- C: R. Sutton, J. McGuinness, S. Tilley
- HF: F. Kenny, T. Martin, B. Rolfe
- F: A. Christensen, H. Richmond, J. Salmon
- R: S. Siggins, N. Franklin, A. Hevey
- Int: L. Gallagher, L. Hodoniczky, H. Smith, B. Walsh
- Emg: L. Arnold, W. Francis, L. Paton, J. Williams
In: F. Kenny, A. Christensen, L. Gallagher
Out: W. Francis, L. Arnold, O. Warmbrunn
Hamish Geale
Hamish Geale is a senior reporter at The Examiner. Got good news? Email: hgeale@examiner.com.au
Hamish Geale is a senior reporter at The Examiner. Got good news? Email: hgeale@examiner.com.au
