Reigning champs say Burnie only has itself to blame if the club falls over

NORTH Launceston president Thane Brady has slammed Burnie Football Club’s development program, saying the Dockers will have only themselves to blame if the club folds.

North Launceston president Thane Brady has criticised Burnie’s junior development as the club’s TSL future hangs in the balance due to lack of players, but the Dockers have dismissed the criticism, defending the work of previous coach Clint Proctor (pictured). Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

NORTH Launceston presi­dent Thane Brady has slammed Burnie Football Club’s development program, saying the Dockers will have themselves to blame if the club folds.

Burnie dropped a TSL bombshell on Wednesday by forcing AFL Tasmania to withhold the re-release of the 2018 state league fixture until the club had decided whether it could field a team this season.

MORE: BURNIE DROPS BOMBSHELL ON TSL

The Dockers said a lack of players was threatening to force closure of the 132-year-old club.

Brady, who helped steer North Launceston to three TSL premierships over the past four years, claimed Burnie’s lack of commitment to its junior program had damaged the club’s current player numbers.

“Our view is that Burnie needs to have two teams for it to participate in the state league,” he said. “We think it’s been well and truly proven now that the formula of having one team in the TSL and leaving your club’s junior teams to develop in other leagues has clearly not worked.

“The difference with North Launceston’s development strategy and Burnie’s, and a big reason for the Bombers’ recent success, is we’ve merged our juniors and seniors, and put every dollar into junior ­development.”

Burnie president Steve Dowling said the Dockers junior football club, which celebrated an under-18 NWFL premiership in 2016, was not an issue.

“I refute the suggestion that our junior development is to blame,” Dowling said.

“Clint Proctor [coach, 2015-17] was extremely pro­active in the work he did promoting our club to schools across the North-West.”

Despite Devonport pulling out of the TSL last month, and Burnie’s future in the state league still cloudy, Brady ­believes the TSL has to stay.

“With Devonport out, and even if Burnie withdraw, the state league can still function,” he said.

“It’s fundamentally important that we as Tasmanians do our utmost to try to provide a road map for our state’s players to achieve their best.

“We have an obligation to those athletes who are willing to push themselves.”

A meeting between AFL Tasmania and Burnie Football Club is set to take place on Friday night to further determine the Dockers’ future in the TSL.