TSL: Josiah Burling to return to Launceston after season at Perth

The 21-year-old is a seniors and development league premiership player at the Blues and will return for the Tasmanian State League's final season in 2024.

"It's one more season with Mitch to thank him and repay some favours," Burling said.

"He was obviously there for me in 2021 with the passing of my mother and I feel like I owe him a lot, so it's the least I can do.

"He's a massive role model in my life, he was there from day dot and went above and beyond ... I really can't speak high enough of him."

Thorp, who handed his number nine guernsey to Burling mid-way through 2021, elaborated on his side of their relationship.

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"Josy's journey at Launnie was a tough one given the circumstances in his personal life," he said.

"He's had a little breather and now at 21, with his head screwed on, he's looking forward to getting back in and having a real impact.

"I'm really excited and optimistic you'll see an A-grade TSL footballer."

Burling debuted for the Blues' senior side in 2019, playing under-18s and development league in 2020 before returning to the top level for six games - including the grand final - in 2021.

He played 11 senior games in 2022 and even played for North Melbourne in the VFL, but found himself out of the side at the back-end of the season, named one of the Blues' best in the development league's preliminary and grand finals.

Burling said he had "an awesome season" at Perth, where he was born and bred, and couldn't speak highly enough of the Magpies.

Named in the NTFA division one team of the year off the half-back flank, the former forward is eager to sink his teeth into a new role at the Blues.

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"I found I could run and carry the ball and penetrate the forward-line with a big kick and found a new position in a way," he said.

"I can't tell you how keen I am [to do that at a State League level], it'll be good to generate some run and carry off half-back and put my skill-set to the test against some of the best in the state."

Burling is one of four recruits Launceston have announced in recent weeks, unveiling St Pats' Jake Kilby, Longford's Rocky Barron and South Launceston's Lucas Wootton - who played the bulk of his junior football at the Blues.

Thorp explained what Kilby, Barron and 16-year-old Wootton bring to the table.

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"Rocks fills another need for us as a dangerous forward that's got real leg-speed - that's something that we needed when we looked at the types of players we wanted to recruit," he said.

"We needed a 200-centimetre ruck and which we were obviously able to do with Jake Kilby and then after that, we needed some speed and a strong kick of the footy and Rocky fits the bill in both of those areas.

"Lucas is going to be a star, I don't think he's going to be in Tassie for too long, he's an A-grade talent that's made an All-Australian already.

"When we've got him, we're going to be lucky because he's a super-high talent."

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