Mitch Thorp’s last ditch appeal fails as Launceston coach banned
Launceston coach Mitch Thorp has learned his fate after a call on his grand final ban was finally handed down. See what the outcome was and what it means for the reigning premiers.
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LAUNCESTON will be without coach Mitch Thorp for the first four games of 2023 with a final call on his TSL grand final ban finally handed down on Tuesday night.
The Blues three-time premiership coach will miss the opening four games of the season with the tribunal’s decision upheld following the Blues appeal which dates back to October 4.
Thorp was charged for serious misconduct in the Blues 72-point grand final win over the Tigers following an incident at the halftime break with Kingborough forward Tyler Carter.
The former Hawthorn player waited at the gate of the Kingborough team leaving the playing surface and then subsequently approached Carter and engaged in a verbal exchange as the players walked off the ground at half time.
In the days following the decider, the MRO assessed the details and referred Thorp to the tribunal for serious misconduct with the tribunal meeting on two occasions following an adjournment on September 27.
The panel was not satisfied that serious misconduct had occurred but did find him guilty of the downgraded charge of misconduct, which resulted in a one match ban with a one hundred per cent grand final loading increasing the penalty to two games.
Thorp was also handed a suspended two-match ban back in August for an off-field incident with outgoing North Hobart president Craig Martin which was trigged by the guilty verdict and result in the total being lifted to four games.
It’s been a busy off-season for the reigning premiers with a number of senior players leaving the club following their period of domination of the state league.
TSL games record holder Jay Blackberry retired before signing with South Launceston alongside Brendan Taylor while Bracknall scooped up four Blues with Michael Musicka, Cooper Warren, Josh Woolley and Miller Hodge all joining the NTFA powerhouse.
The biggest loss of all though is reigning best and fairest winner Fletcher Seymour with the young midfield bull signing with Old Scotch following a blistering grand final display where he was awarded the Darrol Baldock medal as best afield.
In total, the Blues have lost a confirmed 12 players this off-season but have announced the resigning of a number of key pillars including skipper Jobi Harper, Jake Hinds, Brodie Palfreyman, Joe Groenewegan and Dylan Riley.
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