TSL: Launceston back on winners' list as Devils inspire

Sixty-nine point winners when the two sides met in round three, the Blues were made to work until the final term to make certain of an 11.13 (79) to 8.5 (53) win.

Young gun Tom Wright kicked three to be a constant menace for the hosts, but runaway Hudson Medal favourite Dylan Riley (five goals) was even more dominant at the other end.

"Credit to them - they battled away all day and we needed to be good to win," Launceston coach Mitch Thorp said.

"I think they're tracking really well - I made the comment to Trent [Baumeler] that they remind me a lot of us in 2019 when we had a younger group that was really competitive each week.

"We had 103 tackles which for us is a real measuring stick of a strong performance - overall I'm pretty happy."

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Set shots from a mark and a bone-crunching tackle ensured Riley had two in an entertaining first quarter as both sides battled with a strong breeze.

Kingborough was able to reduce the margin to one straight kick in both the second and third terms, but red-time goals to Thorp and Riley put the lead beyond striking distance.

Seeking to blow their opponents out the water, Launceston started the last term with five points before debutant Liam Jones provided the spark.

A leaping contested mark and goal opened the floodgates for a run of three majors in five minutes as Riley registered his fourth and and fifth and a lively Jack Donnellan his first.

Eddie Cole and skipper Lachlan Clifford were solid for the Tigers but Blues duo Jake Hinds (15 contested disposals, nine tackles) and Jay Blackberry (16 contested disposals, 10 tackles) were ruthless at the contest.

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Alec Wright's star as a defender continues to rise, while young Devils Zach Morris, Bailey Gillow and Jones all had good moments.

"I thought the young kids did some really special things," Thorp said.

"Bailey Gillow's first half on the wing [was good] and Liam Jones' second half when he went forward and took that mark back with the flight, that was a real team-lifter.

"I think everyone saw the courage he had and then to go back and kick it, it lifted everyone and sometimes all you need is a moment like that and it broke Kingborough's soul after that point.

"Everyone got around him and he finished with 15 disposals in his first game."

Hamish Leedham shouldered the ruck duties with aplomb as the Blues sought to avoid inflaming the hand injury Joe Groenewegen sustained in round eight.

"Hamish had a really good day with his craft in the ruck - he had 40 hit-outs against a pretty solid opponent so we're really pleased with his efforts," Thorp said.

"He'll play again next week and he's played quite a bit this year which is good for him and the club - he's been a very loyal clubman and he probably had more ruck time than Joe.

"Joe obviously with a hand that's still a little bit tender ... we tried to manage how many minutes he played."

Launceston 4.5, 5.8, 7.8, 11.13 (79)

Tigers 2.1, 4.3, 6.3, 8.5 (53)