Van Dam thriving for North Launceston after pre-season brush with AFL fame

In recent years, the likes of Rhyan Mansell, Jay Lockhart, Jay Foon, Oliver Sanders, Tom Donnelly and Ben Simpson have made the transition to mainland State League football.

During the pre-season, Oscar Van Dam looked likely to become the next, having been offered a contract with Melbourne's VFL affiliate Casey.

But the 18-year-old decided he was better off in Tasmania, returning to the Northern Bombers after almost three months away.

"It was just a lot of lifestyle things like housing and job-wise, I wouldn't have been able to live comfortably over there doing the things I was," he said.

"It was still a really good experience, the professionalism over there was a big step up.

"I got the chance to train with the AFL a couple of times, which was a really good experience that developed me as well."

If he had stayed at Casey, Van Dam would have been coached by former North Launceston leader Taylor Whitford, who initially contacted him with the opportunity.

However, the Northern Bombers welcomed the 2021 debutant back with open arms as coach Adrian Smith sung his praises following their round-one win on Good Friday.

"He wants to continue to add a few strings to his bow," Smith said.

"He obviously played as a defender most of his Devils career and with us but I saw a good opportunity to play him as an inside-mid.

"He's got really good feet, he wins the ball, he tackles really well and he's got really good spread, so we thought we could develop and craft him there.

"He's really keen to progress his footy, whether it's VFL for Tassie or whatever that might look like ... he's getting himself up so that he's a bit more ready to move over if the Tassie team doesn't eventuate next year."

The compliments went both ways, with the former Queechy High School and Launceston College student enjoying life under Smith.

"Smithy is a great bloke, he's really easy to connect with and I have lots of chats with him about plenty of different things," Van Dam said.

"His game plan is really exciting this year and it will give a good insight into what our players can do."

Part of that plan is playing Van Dam, affectionately known as Rob after the former WWE wrestler, as an exciting and electric midfielder.

Describing it as being given "freedom to run around and use my attributes", he was named the Bombers' second best player in round one.

"We've come out really strong and we just came out trying to say that we wanted to make a statement because no-one really backed us in at the start of the season, coming from those State League polls," he said.

"We've always had the belief with the young group that we are, that we will be up there this year and be competitors."