Launceston wins TSLW grand final over brave Glenorchy at UTas

Launceston is the new TSLW champion after beating Glenorchy in the grand final, with the Magpies skipper issuing a warning to the Blues. FULL WRAP-UP >>

• Magpies ace Sarah Skinner was a runaway winner of the TSLW’s best and fairest award
• Glenorchy captain says Pies can win the TSLW grand final if they get the chemistry right

GLENORCHY fell agonisingly short of a premiership in the TSLW grand final at UTas Stadium and Magpies skipper Gen Sullivan had a message for newly-crowned champion Launceston — we’ll be back.

Runner-up last year, the Blues got the job done on a wet deck, taking a captivating and hard physical contest 2.1 (13) to 0.6 (6).

Launceston’s North Melbourne AFLW machine Mia King was a powerhouse in the middle and out of defence and was a worthy winner of the best afield medal.

Launceston's Mia King gets another possession on her way to winning the best on ground award. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Sullivan led her team bravely in the ruck and dropping into the backline.

Rightly disappointed, Sullivan was proud of her team.

“We didn’t expect to get this far when we hit the track in pre-season,” she said.

“We gave our all today but Launceston was just a better team on the day.

“We’ll accept that, and they will be the hunted next year and we will aim for it again.

“I’m not going to leave it on that note.”

Launceston's Mia King drives a kick forward. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Launceston playing coach Angela Dickson (front) celebrates on the sidelines at the final siren. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

The Glenorchy girls did not score a goal but were unlucky, with Tiarna Ford hitting the post in the first term and they had a long-range shot touched on the line in the last.

“They got their lead in the second quarter and it stayed at that for the rest of the game,” Sullivan said.

Launceston opened strong in the first quarter before Glenorchy took control, peppering the ball inside 50, where Elise Barwick, Ford and Perri King all kicked points, giving the Pies that lead at the first change.

The Blues turned the tide in the second with Kelsie Hill dominating off halfback and big forwards Cecilia Cameron and AFLW draftee Brooke Brown kicking what would be the only two goals of the game.

Launceston celebrate winning the 2020 TSLW grand final. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Glenorchy regained the momentum in the third and kept Launceston goalless but could only add two points off the boots of newly-crowned TSLW Best & Fairest Sarah Skinner and Perri King.

It did not matter that the Blues lost star Daria Bannister at halftime to a knee injury and she spent the rest of the match on the sidelines on crutches.

Despite going scoreless in the last, Launceston set up a wall in defence in the final term and Glenorchy could not penetrate past Dearne Taylor, Georgia Hill, Abbie Hoiberg-Cox, Hill and Hayley White.