The fine margins of footy will keep second-placed North Launceston from resting key personnel a fortnight out from its round 19 bye.
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Colin Garland's memorable match-winner last Saturday turned what could have been a three-game buffer to third into a one-game gap, leaving little room for slip-ups heading into the final four games.
The Bombers have made just one change for Saturday's trip to North Hobart - recalling Zach Burt for young gun Bailey Mitchell - but have a number of sore bodies in their squad.
North coach Brad Cox-Goodyer said ruck Alex Lee would play pending a fitness test on Thursday night.
"This is the time of year when the bumps and bruises don't quite heal as much," Cox-Goodyer said.
"A few guys are a bit knocked and sore, so a win on the weekend would have helped our cause but we lost and now we're only a game and percentage in front of Clarence for second spot.
"We need to get back on the winners' list so [player management] might have to sit on the backburner for a couple of weeks."
Languishing at the bottom with just one win from 13 games, North Hobart could be bolstered by the return of up to five Tassie Devils players, with NAB League fixtures postponed for the second week running.
TSL clubs have been permitted to name Devils players on extended benches for the past two rounds, but were unable to include them in their final squads last week due to government restrictions on recent returnees from Victoria.
Devils players were also available for TSL selection in round nine, when an inaccurate Bombers side left it until the last quarter to secure a 20-point win at North Hobart Oval.
"They took it right up to us last time we were there ... obviously when they've got their Devils they're a bit more of a complete side," Cox-Goodyer said.
"I think the same thing will happen this week which is good - we need to be playing good sides because we need to start building some form.
"Our defence wasn't good enough on the weekend - we allowed them to kick the ball too much and have too many uncontested possessions so we need to be a bit more ruthless on defence."
North Hobart has replaced gun midfielder Jack Sandric with 15-year-old Nathaniel Sulzberger, but will likely call on Tyler McGinniss, George McLeod, Jye Menzie, Will Splann and Dominic White should Devils be made available.
The Northern Bombers have named Ryley Sanders and Theo Ives on their extended bench for the second week running.
FULL TEAMS
NORTH HOBART v NORTH LAUNCESTON
- North Hobart Oval, 2pm Saturday
NORTH HOBART
- B: M. Campbell, C. Kilpatrick, B. Young
- HB: J. Bingham, T. Liefhebber, H. Williams
- C: J. Hilder, J. Pullen, S. Banks-Smith
- HF: A. Norton, J. Willmott, C. Smith
- F: F. Poke, K. Ryan, B. Walker
- R: N. Jackson, H. Williams, S. Caswell
- Int: J. McCulloch, J. Medwin-Smith, T. Millhouse, N. Sulzberger
- Emg: T. McGinniss*, G. Mcleod*, J. Menzie*, W. Splann*, D. White*
In: N. Sulzberger,
Out: J. Sandric
NORTH LAUNCESTON
- B: J. Avent, C. Nankervis, B. Van Buuren
- HB: F. Bennett, W. Edmunds, R. Whitney
- C: N. Pearce, B. Cox-Goodyer, M. Stingel
- HF: B. Leary, T. Bennett, B. Simpson
- F: T. Donnelly, J. Edmunds, J. Rushton
- R: A. Lee, M. Walsh, J. Foon
- Int: Z. Burt, B. Sulzberger, O. Van dam, T. Ives*, R. Sanders*
- Emg: H. Bayles, D. Chugg, H. Griffiths, E. Hubbard
In: Z. Burt,
Out: B. Mitchell
GLENORCHY v CLARENCE
- KGV, 1.30pm Saturday
GLENORCHY
- B: J. Arnold, B. Patterson, D. Brown
- HB: N. Blowfield , C. Howard, D. Joseph
- C: L. Nicholson, J. Geard, N. Reibelt
- HF: C. Daly, H. Gunther, A. Roberts
- F: M. Joseph, C. Meredith, C. Thompson
- R: J. Deegan, R. Oakley, B. Kamaric
- Int: I. Manson, J. Meredith, J. Saavedra, J. Whitford, B. Simpson*
- Emg: M. Dilger, C. Goodsell, B. Webb, D. Wyatt
In: Nil
Out: Nil
CLARENCE
- B: J. Bealey, Z. Buechner, L. Swinton
- HB: J. Holmes, S. Green, O. Paprotny
- C: J. Harper, E. Jackson, K. Saward
- HF: J. Green, C. Garland, O. Preshaw
- F: J. Barwick, J. Bailey, T. Penwright
- R: O. Angerstein, B. Norton, J. Webberley
- Int: B. Alomes, H. Burgess, K. Howlett, J. Preshaw, S. Banks*, D. Gardner*, J. Young*, N. Holmes*, B. Smith*, L. Borsboom*, T. McCallum*
- Emg: D. Howlett, C. Lovell, J. Tremayne, C. Whitelaw
In: J. Preshaw,
Out: J. Steele
LAUDERDALE v TIGERS
Lauderdale Oval, 2pm Saturday
LAUDERDALE
- B: O. Shaw, W. Poland, J. Williams
- HB: W. Francis, T. Sookee, J. McGuinness
- C: A. Hevey, B. Rolfe, L. Paton
- HF: F. Kenny, H. Richmond, N. Raglione
- F: A. Christensen, T. Martin, E. Stanley
- R: H. Smith, S. Siggins, R. Sutton
- Int: L. Gallagher, L. Hodoniczky, B. Kingston, T. Ratcliffe, S. Tilley*
- Emg: F. Rackett, N. Shaw, B. Steinbauer, O. Warmbrunn
In: H. Richmond
Out: O. Warmbrunn
TIGERS
- B: L. Gadomski, M. Reynolds, B. Rees
- HB: M. Davies, B. McCulloch, B. Donnelly
- C: Z. Adams, L. Clifford, L. Griggs
- HF: S. Duigan, R. Ashlin, T. Wright
- F: M. Collidge, L. Graham, E. Reardon
- R: M. Gardner, W. Campbell, E. Cole
- Int: A. Bessell, W. Clifford, G. O'Neill, P. Reihana
- Emg: J. Doran, P. Kelly, J. Keogh, J. Pride
In: G. O'Neill,
Out: C. Sawdy
*Devils
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
