Launceston produced their third consecutive Northern derby victory, defeating North Launceston 15.13 (103) to 6.9 (45) at UTAS Stadium.
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Blues coach Mitch Thorp described it as "a proper game of State League footy" as his three of his forwards - Jackson Thurlow (four), Jake Hinds and Brendan Taylor - kicked 10 between them.
"It was physical, it was skillful, it was combative at quarter-time obviously, which you expect between the two clubs," he said.
"I was just proud of our boys across the board, Jobi Harper was our best by a fair way, he missed the start of the game and came on and had an impact, had 37 disposals and a goal.
"Alec Wright wasn't far behind him and Fletcher Seymour finished with 39 disposals - one's a captain, one's a vice-captain and the other is one of our coaches.
"When the leaders set that example, it's harder for the younger ones not to follow."
With Launceston breaking away in the second half after holding a seven-point lead at half-time, Thorp credited his side's combative fitness.
"North had a good first quarter but post quarter-time we were plus 12 at clearance and they had quite a bit of dominance in the ruck but for our boys to be plus 12, it gives our forwards a look," he said.
"I thought our forwards were super, Brendan Taylor kicked three, Jackson Thurlow kicked four, Jake Hinds kicked three, so we've got a pretty dangerous forward line when we get it in there enough."
Licking his wounds after copping a few big knocks, Brad Cox-Goodyer's comments almost echoed Thorp's but he was still pleased with his group.
North Launceston came into the clash off just a five-day break after the AFL curtain-raiser last Sunday and were defeated by 107 points the last time these two met.
"We were competitive for the first half and even parts of that third quarter but coming off the short break against an experienced side that have no lapses, they obviously overpowered us in the end," Cox-Goodyer said.
"The effort from last time is much improved, the message is just to be able to sustain it against a very experienced side and we did that for a little bit but we've got to do it for longer."
Looking at his best players, Cox-Goodyer praised two of his 19 debutants from the 2021 campaign.
"Blade Sulzberger, as a young mid against an experienced side, I thought he battled hard and was really good around the contest and Lockie Mitchell is getting better with every game he plays," Cox-Goodyer said.
"It was a bit of a funny game, it was really contested and that probably suits them with their big bodies so hopefully we can get them on a good day and use our speed and youth."
Both sides struggled to make the most of their opportunities early, taking more than 11 minutes for the first major of the night.
Cox-Goodyer's praised player Sulzberger found the middle, capitalising on their inside-50 lead as it took the Blues another 13 minutes to add their first of night through Taylor, backing up from his five last week.
As the tension started rising towards the end of the first, it took a tied score at the siren for it to boil over, with an Isaac Newett and Jack Tuthill bump sending the two sides into a frenzy that's usually expected between the two on grand final day.
Starting the second term at 1.4 (10) apiece, the sides doubled their tally of majors in the opening minutes, trading through Tom Bennett and Michael Musicka.
Nathan Pearce got on the end of a tumbled ball to give North the lead again but a Hinds cracker from the pocket, snapping the ball out the back off one step, brought the Blues back.
From there, both defences worked extremely hard to minimise the damage, each saving a major on the last line of defence before Launceston took the half-time lead with a late Zach Morris snap.
The Blues came back from the main break 4.8 (32) to 3.7 (25) leaders and after quick goals to Wright and Hinds, the latter after some excellent Thurlow work, it looked like the Blues may run away with it.
The opportunistic Pearce grabbed his second up the other end to shorten the margin but Thurlow roped it back with a beautiful one-step boot from the 50.
As Launceston looked certain to add another major, they missed and the Bombers took it up the other end and goaled as Newett ran on the end of a Bennett ball.
However, the Blues weren't to be denied, with the in-form Brodie Palfreyman nailing the drop punt from the boundary to crack the 20-point barrier for the first time of the night and extending it through Taylor.
A free kick enabled Bennett to get back in the game after the three-quarter-time siren, making the score 9.11 (65) to 6.8 (44) in Launceston's favour.
Thurlow drew the first blood for Launceston in the last term and set up the next goal, delivering a bullet to Harper who got their second major in a minute.
Hinds and Taylor's third of the night sealed it for the Blues before the scoring petered out, with North kept goal-less in the last term.
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