Ben Simpson has seen as much footy success as any 20-year-old, but even he is surprised by North Launceston's rapid-fire regeneration in 2021.
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The loss of five best-22 locks in off-season had many tipping North to miss the grand final for the first time since 2013, but the Bombers appear no less ominous four weeks out from finals.
Simpson, who was a three-time premiership player by age 18, said he had enjoyed being part of the new-look set-up this season.
"It's been really exciting to be honest - it's really nice to be a part of the change," the North vice-captain said.
"We've probably been a lot more successful and developed a lot quicker than we thought to begin with.
"We had a couple of slow games against Launceston and Clarence in the first few weeks of the year, but since then guys like Michael Stingel and Brandon Leary, they've really popped up and developed into some of the more damaging players in the whole competition.
"Someone like Dec Chugg ... we played Launceston in round one and it probably shocked him a little bit coming straight into the system.
"Seven weeks later he was one of our better players when we played Launceston and beat them the second time around."
Handed a debut by Tom Couch in 2017, Simpson won a premiership in his sixth senior game and went on to become a North staple during the Taylor Whitford era.
The East Launceston junior said he had been fortunate to work under all three of his senior coaches to date.
"[Tom is] from a really elite level from the AFL system, so it was pretty amazing to step straight into the club coming straight out of junior footy," said Simpson, who is in his final year of an accounting degree.
"Taylor, he's probably as professional as they come as far as his own preparation and training habits.
"It's really easy to look at him - it's not easy to be able to train at his level and compete like that for so long - but just to observe how he goes about it and try and put that into my own routine.
"Brad [Cox-Goodyer] is just as professional as that, but he's probably changed the way he goes about it with the younger group we've had this year - it's been a lot about just building relationships, trying to get to know each other's game and trying to get the best out of every player."
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Simpson is part of a select group of father-son combinations to have won flags at North Launceston.
Father Mark played in the Bombers' 1995 and 1998 triumphs, and the Simpson family could well add many more in the years to come.
"I guess I was always going to come to North based on that and I supported the club growing up too - it's been nice to have that family connection," Simpson said.
"My brother [Sam] is there now too - he's just started playing the last two years in the under-18s.
"This is his first real year in the senior program, but the last few weeks he's come into the D-league team which has been nice for him.
"I'm sure if he puts a good couple of pre-seasons in hopefully he can keep stepping up."