Hint of old TSL glory days as resurgent Roos smash Bombers

Underdogs Clarence smash ladder leaders Lauderdale in an impressive performance reminiscent of former glory days.

Chris Nield was outstanding for Clarence. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

CLARENCE wound back the clock to the early years of the TSL when it owned the Eastern Shore after clinically dismantling Lauderdale to set its rebuild in full flight.

On the canvas a month ago and with past players questioning the club’s direction, the Roos climbed back off the bottom of the table with a stunning 15.11 (101) to 12.7 (79) upset over the ladder leaders.

The final margin flattered the visitors, who were emphatically outplayed from early in the second quarter and only limited the scoreboard damage with some junk-time goals in the last term after the margin had ballooned to 39 points.

Chris Nield kicked five goals in the commanding performance, Jarrod Harper three and Keren Howlett and Ryan Bailey chimed in with two while Jake Cox’s return from a two-month injury lay-off ignited the hosts who saw several youngsters emerge from the shadows.

Teenagers Jacob Smith and Sam Green impressed at opposite ends of the ground, while Ethan Jackson played one of his best games in the red and white after moving south from Launceston.

Coach Jeromey Webberley has played in State League premierships and the AFL but labelled the breakthrough victory one of the sweetest of his career in what he hopes can be the turning point for his team.

“I said to the players after the game that is one of the better wins I’ve been part of … winning grand finals are obviously higher than that but those players will remember that victory for probably the rest of their careers,” Webberley said.

“They will think back to 2019, we were on the bottom of the ladder, backs against the wall and we knock off the best team in the comp.

“I’m so rapt for the younger guys that have put in the work, they have been kicked when they were down and today they get to celebrate.”

The Roos hunted in numbers and were clinical with their ball movement — a trait of previous Roos outfits over the years.

In contrast the Bombers were made to look stunted and slow, with the side letting its grip on the minor premiership slip significantly.

Compounding the loss was a hamstring injury to Josh McGuinness that will likely keep him sidelined for the remainder of the roster season, while captain Bryce Walsh was assisted from the ground late in the match with a leg injury.

“We were on the back foot with the way Clarence played … our players were pretty lazy and lethargic and thought it was just going to happen,” Lauderdale coach Darren Winter said. “What the competition has shown is if you are off your mark at any stage you are going to get found out.”