North Launceston and North Hobart produce almighty upsets in round 8 TSL action

It was a day of TSL action that hasn’t been seen in years with two classics going right down to the wire as one side stamped its premiership credentials and the other produced its best win in recent seasons.

Tigers star Kieran Lovell (front) gets a kick away from North Launceston’s Ben Simpson (right) and Blade Sulzberger (left). Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

It was a day of upsets in the Tasmanian State League with North Launceston and Kingborough producing a nailbiter for the second straight year at UTAS Stadium and North Hobart securing its biggest win in years over reigning premiers Launceston at North Hobart Oval on Saturday.

In two of the best games of the season, it was the northern Bombers who held on at home to hand the Tigers their first loss with a 12.4 (76) to 10.12 (72) win while the Demons produced an upset for the ages over the Blues to win by the narrowest of margins 11.13 (79) to 11.12 (78).

Dylan Riley (Launceston) and Jack Sandric (North Hobart) were in constant battle all-day. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The battle between the top two sides in the competition didn’t disappoint with North Launceston leading for the majority of the day despite missing star ruckman Alex Lee.

While the Tigers, who were also missing a key player of their own in Elijah Reardon, trailed for most of the day – apart from a brief period where they locked scores midway through the third-quarter – they didn’t go down without an almighty fight.

Poor kicking inside 50 hurt the visitors in the first-quarter who dominated both the centre clearances and hit-outs with Max Collidge kicking 1.3 for the quarter.

Bombers vice-captain Nathan Pearce (three goals) and playing coach Brad Cox-Goodyer (five) both kicked their first majors of the day in the first with the home side taking a three-point lead into the break.

Tigers forward James Zeitzen kicked one goal in the loss. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A three-goal to one second-quarter saw that lead extended to 14 points at halftime with a solitary Tyler Carter (three) goal the only thing to show for the Tigers dominance in hit-outs (16-8) for the quarter and clearances (22-15) for the half.

The two sides then went goal for goal to open the third-quarter – which included a terrific chase down tackle inside 50 from Tigers tall James Zeitzen (one) – before two consecutive goals to Jack Tomkinson (three) and Carter saw scores locked at 44-apiece.

This was all the Bombers needed to break the game open with captain Ben Simpson (one), mid-season AFL draft hopeful Brandon Leary (one) and Cox-Goodyer all hitting the scoresheet before a late major to Tomkinson cut back the margin to 11 points at the final change.

Cox-Goodyer needed just 30 seconds to kick his fifth of the day and extend the lead to 17 points early in the final term and while the Tigers may have won the quarter with three goals to two, it was the northern Bombers who sent a strong message to the rest of the competition with a four-point win doubling as their fifth on the trot.

North Launceston playing-coach Brad Cox Goodyer was at his best with five goals on Saturday. Nikki Davis-Jones

At North Hobart, it was Demons vice-captain Jack McCulloch (three goals) who led his side to victory in the absence of injured skipper Callen Daly with Adam Bester’s men ticking off the major goal of defeating a team above them on the ladder for the first time this season.

In a strong sign of their growth under Bester, the Demons were able to overcome a four-point halftime deficit to take an 11-point lead into the last quarter and withstand constant fightbacks from the Blues in the final term.

Dominic White (North Hobart) and Bailey Gillow (Launceston). Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Two early goals gave the Blues the lead before the first of McCulloch’s two fourth-quarter goals saw the Demons snatch it back and withstand a late flurry from the visitors to secure their third win of the season.

In round 8’s final game, Lauderdale returned to the winners list with a 10.18 (78) to 3.7 (25) win over Glenorchy with playing coach Allen Christensen and reigning Alastair Lynch Medallist Sam Siggins both booting three goals in the 53-point victory.