![Hillwood coach Jake Pearce is tackled by South Launceston's Grant Holt this season. Picture by Rod Thompson Hillwood coach Jake Pearce is tackled by South Launceston's Grant Holt this season. Picture by Rod Thompson](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/brian.allen/216179b2-514d-41fb-987d-868411ffd53a.jpg/r0_0_3730_2793_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's the best culture I've seen at Hillwood footy club."
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Sharks president Max Pearce has played in and coached premierships during his 37 years at Hillwood but hasn't seen anything quite like the atmosphere at the club this season.
He painted a picture of a NTFA outfit with tight-knit men's and women's teams who are well-supported by an off-field army.
It's resulting in on-field success for the small community 25 minutes from Launceston.
Hillwood has a population of about 600 and has no town centre, shop or school.
The senior men's, who are undefeated from six matches, face reigning premiers Longford on Saturday at Tigerland in what shapes up as the season's biggest game to date.
The reserves are also ticking along nicely, sitting fifth with a 3-3 record.
Meanwhile, the women's team, who have three wins and two losses, are third on the NTFAW division one ladder.
They will also be at Longford on Saturday to take on the Tigers.
The senior men's have turned around their fortunes after finishing seventh last season and ninth the year before.
They had a mass exodus of players to other TSL and NTFA clubs following their most recent senior premiership in 2019.
COVID didn't help and they didn't compete in the opt-in 2020 NTFA Shield.
Max's son Jake Pearce, who coaches the team, shared his thoughts on how Hillwood had risen from the bottom of the table to become a 2023 premiership favourite.
"COVID hit and we didn't field a team and just with our community, it's a bit older I suppose than the other communities and it would have put a lot of pressure on those guys," he said.
"So we took the risk and pulled away from the competition they put forward in the COVID years.
"I think that really affected us. So when we came back to training, we had probably eight or nine players and that was a real struggle."
Pearce explained they went back to the drawing board.
"Instead of trying to find key players, we looked at some kids who are up and coming that could be around the club for a while," he said.
"We were lucky enough to get (under-18s coach) Vance (Donald) to the club and he bought some kids aged 18 and 19 that were just missing out at State League level and we put a lot of time and effort into those kids."
The club pulled out of the under-18 competition a couple of years ago and instead played their youngsters in the reserves and seniors.
The Sharks currently have a crop of players between 19-23 years old.
"We should be able to have these kids hopefully if we do the right thing for the next five to 10 years," the coach said.
Pearce said getting Kane Sanders on board as an assistant coach this year was another big bonus.
![Hillwood coach Dwayne Beeton addresses his players at a break last season. Hillwood coach Dwayne Beeton addresses his players at a break last season.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/brian.allen/40431cb0-6836-4b85-9460-bf3b46058b74.jpg/r0_236_4608_2837_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Sanders coached Old Launcestonians in the division one for most of last season and previously guided Launceston to the 2020 TSL development league premiership.
"Having Kane come on board has really helped me develop as a player and coach," Pearce said.
"I still think I've got a couple years of football left in me. But I'm normally worried about everything else that's going on.
"He's taken a lot of pressure off in that regard."
Pearce said Sanders had "been nearly up there with a (Jack) Tuthill or Jacob (Boyd) recruit-wise".
Midfielders/defenders Tuthill and Boyd were the Sharks' big on-field signings during pre-season and they have lived up to their hype, regularly featuring in the team's best players.
They have complemented an exciting young brigade including forward Archie Wilkinson and 2019 premiership players like Isaac Thompson.
Jake said the coaches and players were also riding a wave of off-field support and a positive club culture.
Hillwood's women's, who entered the NTFAW competition in 2021, and finished sixth in their first season with six wins, four losses and a draw, have been having an impact.
Max provided insight what had changed for the better.
"Even up until about three to four years ago, it was sort of a men's club but now the women are there all the time," he said.
"On Thursday nights, it's for the community as well, but we do between 60 and 70 meals."
Club secretary Jayne Donnelly had been pushing for the women's team since 2019.
Donnelly, who lives at Hillwood, said the idea came about when her daughter, Amber, was looking for a senior team to play for.
"She was playing under-17s for North Launceston and she had nowhere to go and wasn't up to playing TSL so we thought 'where is she going to go now' and we thought 'ok, let's start our own team'," she said.
Through word of mouth and Facebook they rustled the numbers together and Max helped land a coach.
Dwayne Beeton, who had coached the Tamar Cats' men's in the early 2000s and later Evandale women's side, was going to Max's gym.
Beeton said he sat down for a meeting with Donnelly about the women's team and "away we went".
"Jayne, she's like everyone's mum. She's absolutely fantastic ... if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have a ladies' side," he said.
![Nadia Hyde and Jayne Donnelly. Picture by HFC Nadia Hyde and Jayne Donnelly. Picture by HFC](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/brian.allen/a4082191-1082-43c5-af29-c0b63087d6bb.JPG/r0_0_2753_3462_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Sharks didn't win a game in the top-tier premier division in 2022 and were regulated after finishing last.
Beeton said they'd found their rhythm with a 3-3 start in division one this season.
"It's probably where we should have been because we're such a new club, we've only been going for two years and women's footy has been going for a fair while in Launnie," he said.
"We didn't have the capacity or the depth."
He explained the Sharks lost half their side just before the 2022 season which made it hard from the outset.
Beeton highlighted that despite last year's tough campaign, the Sharks still picked up players this year because of their strong club culture.
"You've got a lot of oldies there all the time and they couldn't make the girls feel more welcome," he said.
"You've probably got a dozen oldies there every Thursday night, they're working in the canteen, they do players' teas.
"It's a fantastic club and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes no one sees but it's just fantastic how the community is behind such a small footy club."
Donnelly added to that saying the men's and women's teams cheered each other on from the sidelines.
"There's such a buzz around the place. The boys and girls all mix together and they hang out together, all the functions we have are really good these days," she said.
![Hillwood's Jessica Murphy in action against East Coast earlier this season. Picture by Paul Scambler Hillwood's Jessica Murphy in action against East Coast earlier this season. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/brian.allen/79c393c6-9232-402b-a218-302bb6b64ec7.jpg/r0_218_4261_2614_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It brings a different vibe. They're very welcome in our club and feel part of the family."
Donnelly said there were lots of volunteers that made it all happen.
"We've got the canteen manager, Trudy Hoffman, who has been doing that for a long time with her partner, David, and she just gets lots of support there and lots of parents volunteer to help in the canteen," she said.
Max said it was a great asset to have things running well on and off the field and he gave the canteen a great wrap.
"I'd say it's the best canteen in the NTFA," he said.
Donnelly started by saying she couldn't quite put her finger on what was making 2023 so special.
But with the various elements considered, she nailed her answer.
"(The players) just really feel welcome and part of the community and the football club and they just want to be there," she said.
"If they want to be there, they want to play really well. Everyone's really excited to have them and we're very proud of all of them."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner