Bombers father-sons toast 30 years of success

Four members of North Launceston’s flag-winning 1995 team have sons who now play at the club. It means this weekend’s reunion will have a nostalgic feel for the Simpson family.

Sam Simpson and father, 1995 North Launceston flag winner Mark, after the Bombers won last year's TSL flag. Picture: Supplied

Sam Simpson wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip.

After missing selection for the previous years’ grand final with North Launceston, which they lost, the 2024 decider against Clarence was his last chance to join his father Mark, grandfather Glen and brother Ben as TSL flag winners for the Bombers.

They capped an unbeaten season against Lauderdale, and Mark and Ben are one of four father-son connections to the 1995 grand final win.

The side which beat Clarence 30 years ago will hold a reunion before the Bombers play Launceston at UTAS Stadium on Saturday.

Oscar Mansell (father Brett), Declen Chugg (father Mark) and Will Gibson (father Jason) are the other current players with dads who played in 1995.

Asked about the joy and relief of celebrating last year’s flag with his dad, Sam, 21, said: “It was huge.

“Obviously Dad won premierships, Ben got a few and my granddad. I was pretty happy, the last chance to win that TSL premiership before the league folded.

“I was pretty proud of myself, and happy to have something to share with the others in my family in that sense.”

Mark coached Sam through all his junior football at East Launceston. Sam is more an outside player than his old man, but his evolution as a player has been moulded by him.

“I’d say Ben’s more like Dad, I’ve been more of an outside player. But I try and be as much like him as I can, and there’s lot of stuff I can learn from him,” Sam said.

“He taught me everything really (as a junior). He was pretty big just on fundamentals and the basics.

“(After missing selection for 2024 grand final) he just told me to keep at it, to keep bettering myself and not drop my head.

North Launceston celebrates after winning the 1995 grand final. Picture: North Launceston FC

“There was a handful of boys in the same boat, Dad wanted me to keep at it and stick to what I can improve on, and it worked out in the end.

“If it wasn’t me (not picked) it had to be someone else. I was OK to take it on as a learning experience.

Mark is still involved with the club as the bench coach on game day, where he relays the messages of head coach Adrian Smith.

“I’m his regurgitator on the headset,” Mark laughed.

Mark said nine sons of 1995 premiership stars had played senior football at the Bombers, and another two at Launceston.

“The message we to send to our players is once you win a premiership you’ve got friends for life,” Mark said before a round of golf with his former teammates on Friday.

“Our group from 30 years ago still keep in contact, whether they’re interstate or still in Tassie we stick together and catch up regularly.

“The pleasing thing is having kids playing in premierships, and I’m sharing that with some of my friends this week. All my best mates are premiership teammates and you stay friends forever.”

The 1995 team was coached by 1987 Norm Smith medallist David Rhys-Jones, who also played 50 games in three seasons from 1993.

“The grand final was just a hard, physical game and we were very fortunate to have a Norm Smith medallist as our coach,” Mark said.

“David was infamous with how high profile he was, it’s probably like Dustin Martin coming down to coach today.

“You can’t imagine that happening now, someone that high profile coming down to Tassie to be a playing coach.

“He was so welcoming to everybody, and that was something we respected. Home games we’d be at the club and away games we’d all go to his house.”

Mark said the club continues to set the standard for training in the state’s north. Ben currently plays at Norwood, and he said his younger son may have to soon make his own call on his future.

“What I was very impressed with at North Launceston when I came back to help out, was how hard they train compared to the local footy,” he said.

“Probably the most impressive thing is the kids are willing to play a sacrificial role.

“You can still see the difference now and it’s not the other clubs’ fault, they don’t have the resources or infrastructure to train three times a week.

“I thought they might have kept the state league at least until the AFL team ran out on the park.

“My other son plays for Norwood where there’s 17 Tasmanians. There’s five or so really good players there from Tassie but the rest are there to play at a high level to push themselves.

“Obviously they’d all like to stay in Tassie but if you’re a parent you might have to push them to Hobart if they’re to make it, to be around the coaches and infrastructure.”