Quarantine only option for boom signing Mackenzie Willis to feature in 2020 State League season

After Premier Peter Gutwein announced mandatory quarantine measures for all travellers, Tigers coach Trent Baumeler says gun recruit Mackenzie Willis only has one option if he wants to play on Tassie soil.

Mackenzie Willis is “desperate” to return home to Tasmania, Tigers coach Trent Baumeler said. Picture: Richard Gosling

• Contingency plan in place for Willis
• Former junior cub coming home

QUARANTINING for two weeks appears the only way for Mackenzie Willis to feature for the Tigers this TSL season — but it is now a legitimate option, according to coach Trent Baumeler.

Last week Baumeler said serving a mandatory fortnight in isolation was an unlikely scenario for the former Gold Coast Sun.

However Tasmanian premier Peter Gutwein’s decision last Friday to lock down the borders as the COVID-19 pandemic flares interstate threw a curveball in to Willis’ plans to return home with an exemption.

Baumeler spoke to his boom signing earlier in the week and remains confident the 24-year-old will suit up in the second half of the condensed 2020 campaign.

“Speaking to ‘Macca’ on Tuesday, he is probably well aware that quarantine is the only option for him now,” Baumeler said.

Trent Baumeler (left) heads to the changerooms at halftime of last week’s TSL clash between Tigers and Glenorchy. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“He is actually going through that process now. He is desperate to be here and wants to be here.

“He is going through that process of what that looks like for him. I do think we are going to see him, which is good.

“Whether it is the second half of the season, he has come to that realisation that he is willing to do that now.”

Willis was drafted to the Suns from the Tigers in 2015, playing five AFL matched before being delisted at the end of 2018.

His presence would give the club a much-needed boost after a 0-3 start heading into this weekend’s clash against Clarence at Richmond.

Magpie Daniel Joseph is tackled by Tiger Bailey Gordon in the Round 4 TSL match between Glenorchy and Tigers at Kingston Twin Ovals. Picture: Zak Simmonds

The Tigers were left licking their wounds after suffering a heartbreaking one point loss to Glenorchy last Saturday, a defeat Baumeler said hurts just as much as the 78-point mauling from Launceston in round three.

“They are equally both as deflating when you don’t win, especially last week … we wanted to respond from the performance against Launceston and we went someway towards that.

“But a one point loss, it doesn’t get much more heartbreaking than that.

“We have played three games, we obviously want to get a win on the board sooner rather than later.”

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