A half-time bake after a second-term drenching helped North Launceston complete a 63-point turnaround at North Hobart.
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Down by 27 points late in the second quarter, the Northern Bombers looked in danger of recording a third-straight loss as torrential rain set in.
But a startling change in momentum was matched by a surprisingly sunny second half as North Launceston piled on nine unanswered goals to break the Demons' spirit.
Teen sensation Brandon Leary sparked the comeback, converting a miraculous snap against the run of play to light North's fire just before half time.
He added the next two goals of the game and by three-quarter time, the Bombers had opened up a three-goal lead.
North ran out the game strong to win 15.7 (97) to 9.7 (61), but coach Brad Cox-Goodyer warned the performance wouldn't cut the mustard come finals time.
"We came out and we expected it to happen and we got a bit of a reality check, which is good in a way because we obviously responded really strongly," Cox-Goodyer said.
"But I don't want to wait to half time to be four goals down against anyone.
"The second quarter they ran all over us - they had more effort, they had more intensity everywhere around the ground and it just felt like they had five or six extra players out there.
"Half time I had to give the boy a bit of a bake and to their credit they responded really strongly.
"We've got three games to go before finals and we really need to start putting it together - that won't be acceptable come that time."
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The Bombers tinkered with the whiteboard at half time, sending Zach Burt to defence and Billy Edmunds to full-forward.
The move appeared to pay off in spades, with Burt adding composure to the Bombers defence and plucking in an intercept mark which resulted in Edmunds' first goal of the season at the other end.
Edmunds, Harvey Griffiths and Nathan Pearce all finished the game with two, but there was no doubting the star of the show.
Leary added two last-term goals to finish with a career-high five, bumping the 18-year-old above teammate Tom Bennett in the league charts.
"He's a freak - he's a special talent," Cox-Goodyer said.
"He kicked five goals and they were good goals too.
"He's played 12 senior games and he's coming second in the goalkicking now I think, so if that doesn't speak volumes of what he can do, I don't know what can."
Leadership quartet Ben Simpson, Jack Avent, Cox-Goodyer and Jay Foon were all good around the ball for the Bombers, with Tom Donnelly and Judah Edmunds impressing in the ruck.
North Hobart talls Nicholas Jackson and Jack McCulloch (two goals) had their good moments, but the Demons defence was largely well-held by Braden van Buuren and Corey Nankervis.
The Bombers will host Lauderdale next week before the round 19 bye.
"We've just got to come back with a mentality to win," Cox-Goodyer said.
"We're a bit banged-up at the moment, a few injuries here and there ,but we can't take Lauderdale lightly because they showed today they're in good form.
"We need to come out and start the game much better and that's what I'll be looking for."
Both sides made several changes to their selected sides, with North leaving out sore duo Ryan Whitney and Jack Rushton, as well as ruck Alex Lee, who will be given until after the bye to return from a sore shoulder.
Riley Sanders, Griffiths and debutant Ethan Hubbard all came in, while North Hobart added Devils quintet Jye Menzie, George McLeod, Tyler McGinniss, Will Splann and Dominic White to their 22.
McGinnniss left the ground clutching his head in the third term following an incident which is likely to be looked at by the match review panel.
ROUND 17 RESULTS
NORTH HOBART v NORTH LAUNCESTON
North Launceston 2.1, 3.2, 9.5, 15.7 (97)
North Hobart 3.2, 6.5, 6.5, 9.7 (61)
- GOALS, North Launceston: B. Leary 5, W. Edmunds 2, H. Griffiths 2, N. Pearce 2, J. Foon 1, J. Avent 1, B. Cox-Goodyer 1, B. Van Buuren 1
- North Hobart: J. McCulloch 2, G. Mcleod 1, W. Splann 1, C. Kilpatrick 1, K. Ryan 1, N. Jackson 1, M. Campbell 1, F. Poke 1
- BEST, North Launceston: J. Foon, B. Leary, J. Avent, T. Donnelly, B. Simpson, B. Cox-Goodyer
- North Hobart: C. Kilpatrick, S. Caswell, N. Jackson, B. Walker, B. Young, F. Poke
GLENORCHY v CLARENCE
Clarence 2.2, 3.3, 4.6, 9.11 (65)
Glenorchy 4.1, 5.4, 6.4, 6.4 (40)
- GOALS, Clarence: S. Green 3, T. Penwright 1, K. Howlett 1, O. Preshaw 1, J. Holmes 1, J. Barwick 1, D. Gardner 1
- Glenorchy: B. Webb 2, C. Goodsell 1, A. Roberts 1, N. Reibelt 1, M. Dilger 1
- BEST, Clarence: B. Norton, N. Holmes, J. Holmes, E. Jackson, Z. Buechner, S. Green
- Glenorchy: C. Howard, J. Arnold, D. Wyatt, A. Roberts, M. Dilger, L. Nicholson
LAUDERDALE v TIGERS
Lauderdale 1.3, 4.5, 7.9, 9.12 (66)
Tigers 0.5, 2.9, 4.12, 8.16 (64)
- GOALS, Lauderdale: A. Christensen 3, B. Rolfe 1, E. Stanley 1, N. Raglione 1, J. McGuinness 1, S. Siggins 1, T. Martin 1
- Tigers: L. Graham 3, L. Clifford 1, E. Cole 1, M. Collidge 1, T. Wright 1, L. Griggs 1
- BEST, Lauderdale: S. Siggins, W. Poland, O. Shaw, H. Smith, L. Paton, J. Williams
- Tigers: L. Gadomski, L. Graham, M. Gardner, E. Cole, A. Bessell, B. Donnelly