Backs to the wall then business as usual for North Launceston on way to seventh straight TSL grand final
It’s that time of year when a TSL club tries to stop North Launceston from winning the premiership — this year Launceston has the honour in the grand final after the two northern teams beat Clarence and Lauderdale in their semi-finals.
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NORTH Launceston advanced to a record seventh consecutive TSL grand final as its “windfall” recruit Dan Withers bagged five goals on the Northern Bombers’ way to a commanding 78-point demolition of Clarence in their semi-final at UTAS Stadium.
Best afield in the NTFA grand final last year, Withers cemented his place in the state’s top competition with a masterclass in the cutthroat final. Withers kicked a goal in North Launceston’s second-term resurgence, another in the third, and three in the last as part of the Bombers’ amazing run of 14 unanswered goals.
Teammate Tom Bennett kicked three first-half goals and coach Taylor Whitford two as the only other multiple goalkickers on the day.
Whitford could not help but be impressed.
“It was a good effort from ‘Whiz’, he probably could have kicked a couple more as well, he was a little bit wasteful,” Whitford said. “When you kick five … it was his day today. He was good in and around the contest and potentially it won’t be his game next week but he definitely played his role today.”
North now faces Launceston for the premiership at UTAS Stadium on Saturday. It will be the first time the two clubs have met on the last day of the season in the State League. North Launceston’s win wasn’t all smooth sailing. Raging underdog Clarence threw a huge scare into the Bombers camp with an electric first quarter, and scored three of the first four goals.
Clarence’s grit in the opening term took the reigning premier by surprise as its on-ballers ruled the stoppages and its backmen were almost impossible to pass.
“We were a little bit backs-to-the-wall, which is a position we haven’t seen ourselves in a lot this year,” Whitford said.
When Josh Green goaled four minutes into the second term, Roos fans dared to dream.
However, the tide turned when North Launceston captain Brad Cox-Goodyer turned up the heat in the middle and Whitford drilled an opportunist’s goal seven minutes into the second that started a run of four for the home team.
The Roos managed a miserable point after the long break as the premiership favourite enjoyed a big day out.
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