Saturday's NTFA women's final is shaping up to be an interesting encounter between the undefeated Launceston and the momentum-charged Old Launcestonians.
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Ahead of the big day, The Examiner caught up with two key players.
LAUNCESTON
Despite winning last season's TSLW premiership, Launceston skipper Dearne Taylor didn't expect to be preparing for another grand final in 2021.
Completing their move into the NTFA women's competition in February, Taylor's Blues haven't been defeated ahead of Saturday's grand final against Old Launcestonians but the captain said it hasn't all gone their way.
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"We've struggled all year with players with injuries and other things but it's really exciting," she said.
"Some of the girls that haven't even touched a football prior to this season are super up and about as well.
"Prior to us starting, we lost 13 of our girls from last year, I think we had in total five girls that hadn't played before.
"Five girls came up from our under-17 program but the girls that haven't played before have really stepped up and improved throughout the season so it is really exciting for those girls."
With prominent names like AFLW trio Mia King, Daria Bannister and Brooke Brown relocating to Melbourne permanently, the Blues' depth was going to be tested but they've risen to the challenge.
Their State League talent, players like Georgia Hill, Taylor, Hayley Whyte and coach Mikayla Binns, have mentored young guns Madison Brazendale, Kiara Mills and Charlotte Bird.
Throughout their home-and-away season campaign, which interestingly saw their OLs clash cancelled, Launceston piled on 743 points while only conceding 81.
"It's been a bit different but I think it's been good for other clubs as well, I think they've really stepped up and its made the league a little bit stronger," Taylor said.
"I can't say the scores have reflected on the league, I think a lot of the teams are really strong.
"Obviously looking at the depth OLs have, they've just knocked out three of the best teams.
"Old Scotch, there's a lot of TSLW players in that team too. I think everyone [in the competition] lifted and they're only going to get better."
The NTFAW grand final gets underway at 12pm on Saturday at Windsor Park.
OLD LAUNCESTONIANS
To say that Old Launcestonians are in some form would be a drastic understatement.
Making the grand final after finishing fifth in the regular season, the past four games have been do-or-die for the Blues and they certainly have delivered.
"We didn't think we'd be there [after] sitting in eighth half way through the season, we weren't expecting to be in finals really so it's pretty exciting," Macenzi Lloyd said.
In the eight games since round seven, the Blues have only tasted defeat once, falling to Bridgenorth while going through Meander Valley, Longford, George Town and Hillwood before making finals and exacting revenge on the Parrots.
They then reversed last year's NTFA Shield grand final result by defeating Scottsdale before knocking off Old Scotch last week in what Lloyd described as "one of our best games".
"We came out really hard, kicked a goal early, we had control for most of the game and then they kicked one in the third," she said.
"It really came down to the wire in the last quarter and we ended up fighting it out.
"I think Old Scotch definitely had us pencilled in so they were pretty surprised with how it turned out."
The strong run home has gained plenty of momentum along the way and having caused three consecutive upsets, a fourth mightn't be out of the question.
"It's really set a belief in our team of what we are capable of, how strong we can be and the style of play that we work through is definitely something we can bring to the table against Launceston.
"It'll be a bit of an element of surprise [due to our regular-season Launceston game behind cancelled].
"I think we will match-up quite well but we don't know how they play and they don't how we play, so it will be good."
No stranger to finals football after playing off for the silverware last year, Lloyd has relished the opportunity of the full 12-team competition after only having three opponents in the modified 2020 season.
"There is a different feeling not having COVID around and having the full 12 teams in, having the full squad and really getting into training this year.
"A couple of new players have us really building towards something."
And as the club's senior men also prepare for their grand final, Old Launcestonians' Invermay Park home base has been a fantastic place to be over the past few weeks.
"It's very exciting and makes the weekend coming up really, really exciting," Lloyd said.
"Training and everything on Thursday nights with players dinner and having everyone at the club still has made a really good atmosphere coming in to finals."