Bombers leaders confident it’s young talent’s time in TSL decider

Their average age is just 21, but North Launceston’s leaders are adamant that shouldn’t be a barrier to emulating their similarly youthful 2014 flag side in Saturday’s grand final.

North Launceston leaders Alex Lee (co-captain), Brad Cox-Goodyer (coach) and Ben Simpson (co-captain) before Saturday's TSL grand final. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

Taking a couple of player magnets off the whiteboard has been a tough process for North Launceston coach Brad Cox-Goodyer this week.

But as he looked over the team that will run out in Saturday’s TSL grand final against Kingborough at North Hobart Oval, it’s a reminder of how young they are.

The 30-year-old said the three-year process to build the young Bombers into a grand final side reminds him a lot of their flag in 2014, two years after Zane Littlejohn (now Box Hill VFL coach) took the reins.

Devils regulars Oscar van Dam and Heath Ollington have been rushed straight into the grand final line-up, which makes the line-up even younger.

“I did the maths this morning (Thursday), our average age is only 21,” Cox-Goodyer said.

“To be playing in a grand final with an average age like that is pretty special, and speaks to what we’ve got (as a playing group).

“I’m not surprised (we’ve made a grand final), but the way they come on this year has been three years in the making. It’s probably come a bit quicker (than hoped) but I’m not surprised we’re here.

“I liken it to 2014 after Zane Littlejohn took over in 2012. We were probably playing senior footy but not dominating games, but we really built over those years.

“A lot of people thought we were ahead of our time in 2014 as well. When you look at that it’s very similar to where we are at the moment.

North Launceston co-captain Alex Lee will seal life membership at the club when he runs out for the 150th time on Saturday. Picture: Jon Tuxworth

“Some people may say we’re ahead of our time, but there’s no reason that can hold us back from winning (on Saturday).”

For co-captain Ben Simpson, helping lead his side to the decider is even more special after another concussion battle last year restricted him to just eight games.

He featured in Bombers flags from 2017-19, and since getting continuity with games this year has confirmed himself as one of the league’s premier midfielders after finishing second in Alastair Lynch Medal voting.

“It’s definitely a different feel. The last couple of years, I spent a fair bit of time in the coach’s box but I’ve been a part of all of this year,” Simpson said.

“I’ve only missed one game this year, which I’m pretty happy about and I definitely feel like this is our time to get one (premiership).

“It’s the first grand final I’ve played in where we haven’t been the first to qualify. That underdog feeling is pretty strong, and it’s a sense of going down with nothing to lose. “Kingborough earned hosting rights, they dominated us on the inside two weeks ago (in the qualifying final), but we’ll throw everything we have at them.”

Quietly-spoken Bombers big man Alex Lee is rapt to have the more extroverted Simpson back so he can focus on his critical ruck battle against Kingborough duo Jack Tomkinson and Marcus Gardner.

He achieved life membership at the Bombers with his 150th game this year, and followed it the week after with TSL life membership (200 games) after he played 49 times for Devonport.

“I’m more of a silent leader, Ben’s more the vocal type and speaks a lot more,” Lee said.

“He takes most of the pre game chats, the toss of the coin - I had my fair share last year with Ben missing a fair bit through concussion.

“It (Tomkinson-Gardner match-up) is a great challenge, they do it really well chopping and changing between up forward and ruck. It’s something Theo (Ives, back-up ruck) and I will be working on, how best to exploit that.

“There hasn’t been a team who’s had two really dominant ‘bigs’ in the TSL for a long time, it’s a great motivator to get on top of them.

“Both are very physical, they’re always going to be a marking target and focal point for their offence.”