With one block of fixtures into his first-year players, North coach Brad Cox-Goodyer is excited to see how much his side has grown when the rivals meet again on Friday night.

"The main message has been consistency this week," Cox-Goodyer said.

"We had 10 teenagers on the weekend, so it's just about consistency and continually getting better.

"With their experienced group it's pretty easy to maintain consistency and not lose concentration, but with our guys it goes up and down so that's what we're asking for."

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Both sides have made several changes for the 7pm UTAS Stadium fixture.

Vice-captain Mark Walsh and VFL utility Tom Donnelly return for the Bombers, with brothers Ollie and Ryley Sanders away on Tassie Devils duty.

Miller Hodge (VFL) and rested pair Brodie Palfreyman and James Dowling are back for the Blues, with Jonty McIvor and Zach Morris playing Devils and Hamish Leedham omitted after being a late inclusion last week.

Blues coach Mitch Thorp refrained from calling on some of his side's available big names for the first-versus-second clash, but said his side would "throw the kitchen sink" at the Bombers.

"The two teams are really competitive - for a large part North Launceston have belted Launceston so we've been happy to swing that back our way after last season," Thorp said.

"Round one we started in a positive manner, but we know this is their home game ... it's a two-team town and the boys don't particularly like each other but that's great, that's how it should be.

"I watched the game last week between North Hobart and Clarence and that was evident as well and that's really healthy.

"We need healthy rivalries and we don't need to sanitise and water down rivalries, that's footy."

Since the round one match-up, North have conceded just 41.2 points a game while the Blues have reached three figures against all five of the Southern teams.

Runaway Hudson Medal leader Dylan Riley (33 goals in six games) has been particularly potent in the Launceston forward line, with North defender Corey Nankervis one of only two to hold the 28-year-old to fewer than four goals.

ELSEWHERE IN SPORT

"Corey will go to him, no doubt about that," Cox-Goodyer said.

"Riley's going pretty well, but we think Corey's the best lock-down defender in the state, so it's just about limiting the supply to Dylan as well.

"The games that he's kicked a couple of bags, the ball's been coming in pretty hot, so if we limit supply and make it not go in so easy and free-flowing... we'll back Corey 100 per cent."

The Blues also boast the current leader of the TSL player of the year award, with stand-in captain Jake Hinds polling three votes in all four of his games this season.

North lost two-thirds of its superstar midfield trio at the end of last season, but has been hugely successful in transitioning Jay Foon and Jack Avent from defence to the middle.

Thorp praised Foon and Cox-Goodyer for leading the Bombers' young outfit by example.

"On the weekend against Glenorchy they had less experience, but they were fit and healthy and understood how they wanted to play and got the job done significantly," Thorp said.

"Their two leaders on-field, coach Brad Cox-Goodyer and captain Jay Foon, have been in terrific form.

"Coxy had 41 disposals and Foony's leading their disposal count, so we're going to need to put some work into Foony this week, he's someone that flies under the radar a little bit.

"Brad's almost untaggable, so we'll definitely have one running with Foon and trying to quell his influence on the game."

NORTH LAUNCESTON v. LAUNCESTON

UTAS Stadium, 7pm Friday

NORTH LAUNCESTON

In: M. Walsh, T. Donnelly,

Out: R. Sanders, O. Sanders

LAUNCESTON

In: B. Palfreyman, J. Dowling, M. Hodge

Out: Z. Morris, J. McIvor, H. Leedham