North Launceston president opens up on NTFA acceptance

After officially being voted into its new competition for 2025, North Launceston president Thane Brady believes the challenges are only just starting for his club. Here’s what he said.

Thane Brady, president of North Launceston Football Club. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

TSL clubs North Launceston and Launceston were officially accepted into the NTFA at a meeting of clubs on Thursday night but that is the start of a new set of problems according to Northern Bombers boss Thane Brady.

The end of the state’s premier football competition in September means the two northern Tasmanian State League clubs needed to be rehomed in a new-look NTFA.

In the south, the five TSL clubs are set to form a six-team SFL Premier League along with Brighton.

Before North Launceston and Launceston were even accepted into the northern regional body, the NTFA had both clubs on a 60-day suspension for “disrespectful” comments toward the competition.

The suspension was lifted by the vote, and North Launceston and Launceston will be presented with NTFA Premier League licence agreements to sign over the coming weeks.

North Launceston coach and then captain Brad Cox-Goodyer celebrate winning the 2019 TSL grand final. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Brady said questions remained, but joining the NTFA was better than going into recess, which North Launceston members recently voted against.

“There was no other option – we’ve been a broken record on all things about this change and we haven’t been convinced that anything is going to improve,” Brady said.

“Our club’s future is on the line here.

“We are trying to do our best for our players and coaches but the inevitability was that we either go into recess or go back to community footy.

“We are hopeful, now that we have been fully admitted and the suspension has been lifted, that we will be able to start communications with the other clubs about how it’s going to look.

“There are a lot of challenges in the transition for us in a short time period.”

Under their NTFA licence agreements, North Launceston and Launceston must field senior men’s and women’s teams, a secondary men’s team in the NTFA’s newly-formed Development League, and under-18s.

Brady said there was little room in the UTas Stadium usage schedule for a senior women’s team, and to compound the clubs problems, its clubrooms are listed for demolition next year under the ground’s $130m redevelopment program.

“At this stage we have no alternative home,” Brady said.

Going into a regional competition, North Launceston and Launceston will both lose their $80,000 TSL grant, and Brady says the Bombers will also lose sponsors.

“We already know we are going to lose significant sponsorship, and it’s a myth that we, or any other TSL club, live off the small TSL grant, which is less than 10 per cent of our turnover,” Brady said.