Lauderdale defeat Glenorchy as North Hobart stun Launceston

Lauderdale finally got back on the winners list on Saturday to send off a favourite son in style while North Hobart kept its finals hopes alive.

Callum Thompson (Glenorchy) is tackled by Zyhe Ackroyd (Lauderdale). Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Lauderdale has ended its six-match losing streak with a five-goal victory over Glenorchy on Saturday while North Hobart shocked reigning premiers Launceston for the second-time this season to keep their own September dreams alive.

Haydn Smith (Lauderdale) and Liam Roach (Glenorchy) do battle in the ruck. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

In a contest at SkyBus Oval that had no impact on the make-up of the final four, it was the home side that cruised to a 12.18 (90) to 9.6 (60) win after breaking out of the blocks early in veteran Ed Stanley’s final game and Glenorchy coach Josh Arnold’s record breaking 238th senior TSL game.

Stanley, who announced his retirement on Thursday night, was prolific inside 50 throughout the first-half but finished with an inaccurate 3.7 while the in-form Sam Siggins kicked four goals in another strong display.

Siggins began the game inside 50 before shifting into the middle in the third quarter just as the winless Pies began to mount a fightback.

Down by 34 points at quarter-time and 26 at the half, a Matthew Joseph intercept led to the Magpies cutting the margin back to 20 before Siggins’ third major and two consecutive goals to Allen Christensen took any life out of a Glenorchy fightback.

A seven-goal deficit at the final change was always going to be incredibly tough to overcome with an early head injury to Lauderdale youngster Alex Contineza the only real talking point in the last-quarter.

Sam Siggins kicked four goals in the win. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

He appeared to clash heads with Glenorchy defender Blake Waight but was able to leave the ground on his feet while Waight recovered to kick an unlikely goal late in time-on.

The win saw the Bombers take their season tally to five but they will still miss September action for the second time in three years.

At North Hobart Oval, it was the Demons who stood firm in the final term to defeat Launceston by 17-points despite star forward Dylan Riley booting six majors.

In a fiery and ferocious contest, the home side was able to withstand everything the reigning three-time premiers through at them, which included sand and dirt from the centre circle to the face of Angus Norton from Brodie Palfreyman.

The two went head-to-head all day with Norton playing a clear run-with role but Palfreyman’s frustrations boiled over early in the third-quarter with the game vision clearly showing the Blues skipper throwing it towards Norton.

He stayed down and eventually came off but returned to be named best afield for the victors who now sit just one win behind the fourth-place Blues with two games remaining.