![Jake Kilby and Alex Lee contest the ruck in round one. Picture by Phillip Biggs Jake Kilby and Alex Lee contest the ruck in round one. Picture by Phillip Biggs](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/768a2531-e2af-4b8a-99ac-27576247a8d7.jpg/r0_22_4800_2844_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
One of Launceston's pre-season recruits has left the Blues after just five games.
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Ruck Jake Kilby, who was unveiled in October, has moved to the North-West Coast for work, bringing his time at Launceston to an end.
"I enjoyed it at Launceston and have learnt plenty," Kilby said.
"It has definitely given me a new appreciation for the State League level and the players involved."
The club confirmed the 25-year-old's departure to The Examiner, with the ruck last playing on Saturday, May 11, against Glenorchy.
Kilby battled several injury issues during his time at the Blues, sitting out the last quarter against Clarence with a lower-leg complaint and missing the following week after a spider bite put him in hospital.
In his five games at TSL level, the former St Pats player averaged 11 disposals, five clearances and almost 30 hit-outs - with the latter putting him in Premier Data's elite category.
![Tiernan McCormack and Alex Lee doing battle on Friday night. Picture by Craig George Tiernan McCormack and Alex Lee doing battle on Friday night. Picture by Craig George](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/7b7f5a16-0760-4b2f-90d8-cd46a92dd6c6.jpg/r0_303_5930_3650_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Blues used several ruck options on Friday night against North Launceston, led by young gun Tiernan McCormack, who impressed coach Mitch Thorp with his performance.
"He was super, he was undersized but what he lacked in size, he made up for in effort," Thorp said post-game.
"I thought he made Alex [Lee's] night particularly difficult and gave us a real chance around stoppages - he laid nine tackles as well which was brilliant."
Kilby is unsure whether he will play football on the North-West Coast - saying he'll "just see what happens" while settling in to a new role.