Tasmania announces sides for Norwood clash

Tasmania will unveil 15 debutants in its men’s clash with Norwood. Coach Jeromey Webberley reveals why he’s backing so many of the state’s young guns.

Brad Cox-Goodyer has been named men’s captain. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmania’s clash with SANFL club Norwood at the Twin Ovals on Sunday will showcase up to 35 of the state’s best players giving the architects of the Devils VFL team an insight into its talent base ahead of joining the Victorian competition in 2026.

State men’s coach Jeromey Webberley deliberately named a youthful team to play the Red Legs, a team that will bring speed to the game as well as upholding the state’s reputation as a hard physical opponent.

North Launceston’s highly-decorated premiership captain Brad Cox-Goodyer will skipper Tasmania and have trusted generals Sam Siggins and Andrew Phillips helping to guide the young outfit.

Webberley is confident his team will play hard and strong football.

“This team is about identifying who can play VFL over the course of the next 12 to 24 months,” Webberley said.

“We have 15 debutants who will wear the senior state jumper for the first time on Sunday.

“So we are a little bit younger but we have got some familiar names in there as well.”

Norwood named a team containing 11 Tasmanians.

“It’s a fantastic opposition from a tier two competition, which is the first time a state team has played this quality of opposition,” Webberley said.

“There’s a lot of excitement in the air and we are looking forward to watching them play on the weekend.”

Webberley said it was “interesting” to coach a Tasmanian team against an opposition boasting so many Tasmanians.

“I think there are 10 to 11 coming down this weekend and that shows the quality that we’ve got within our state,” he said.

“We’ve had a massive exodus of our talent over the past five, six, seven years.

“It’s great to see some of those guys coming down to play this weekend to play.

“That will add a bit of spice to the game, it’s going to be great.”

Norwood’s Tasmanian contingent will also be assessed in terms of possible future Devils players in the VFL.

“We know that Tom McCallum, and the two Ling boys [Connor and Liam] have left or state over the past few years so we have a really good feel about who they are and how they go about their footy,” Webberley said.

“No doubt they will be [VFL Devils] targets because we want Tasmanians playing in Tasmanian jumpers in 2026.

“It will be good to see them in action albeit in a different jumper.”

TASMANIA MEN

B: #7 Fletcher Bennett (North Launceston), #27 Theo Ives (North Launceston), #12 Will Clifford (Kingborough)

HB: #9 Harry Bayles (North Launceston), #21 Max Mapley (Clarence), #2 Harry Elmer (Devonport)

C: #6 Fraser Turner (Clarence), #10 Darcy Gardner (Brighton), #13 Oscar Paprotny (Clarence)

HF: #1 Brad Cox-Goodyer (North Launceston), #25 Sam Siggins (Lauderdale), #19 Nathaniel Sulzberger (North Melbourne VFL)

F: #4 Tom Reeves (North Hobart), #11 Brandon Leary (North Launceston), #20 Jack Dolliver (Lauderdale)

FOL: #26 Andrew Phillips (Lauderdale), #3 Michael Stingel (North Launceston), #18 Mitch Brouwer (Kingborough)

INT: #16 Zach Morris (Launceston), #5 Braidy Simpson (Glenorchy), #17 Ethan Jackson (Penguin), #14 Max Roney (North Launceston), #23 Declen Chugg (North Launceston), #15 Riley Ashlin (Kingborough)

TASMANIA WOMEN

B: #21 Georgia Hill (Launceston), #22 Halle Whitehead (Clarence), #26 Liana Freestone (South Launceston)

HB: #11 Hailee Baldwin (Kingborough), #23 Grace White (North Hobart), #3 Kelsie Hill (Launceston)

C: #8 Jemma Webster (Clarence), #19 Emilie Saward (Penguin), #16 Jacinta Limbrick (Clarence)

HF: #2 Madi Lamb (North Hobart), #17 Libby Haines (Penguin), #18 Brieanna Barwick (Glenorchy)

F: #4 Ava Read (Clarence), #24 Molly Mitchell (Kingborough), #15 Lucy Thompson (Ulverstone)

FOL: #29 Sophie Johnson (Wynyard), #14 Perri King (Kingborough), #5 Sarah Skinner (Devonport)

INT: #27 Mackenzie Banks (North Hobart), #25 Jaslyn Freestone (South Launceston), #6 Olivia Smith (Wynyard), #30 Shania Saward (Penguin), #7 Chelsea Thomas (North Hobart)

EARLIER

Tasmania will select its team on Wednesday and take the first step toward building the VFL Devils for 2026 when the state’s elite senior squad teams up to play Norwood at the Twin Ovals on Sunday in the first of six interstate clashes this year.

State Academy coach Jeromey Webberley is confident his men will represent the “Map” with the physicality and courage expected of those who wear the revered guernsey.

Norwood is an SANFL powerhouse, which won the premiership in 2022 and was beaten by Glenelg in a five-point thriller in last year grand final.

Webberley said the game would be “about the experience”.

“I have no doubt we will turn up and compete,” he said.

“The reality is we are in a critical phase this year and it is about identification and trying to find players who can play in our VFL and VFLW programs over the course of the next 12 months.

Coates Talent League Boys. Tasmania Devils vs Eastern Ranges at University of Tasmania Stadium on Saturday 15th April 2023. Tasmania Devils coach, Jeromey Webberley Picture: Linda Higginson / Solstice Digital

“Norwood is a very strong club, outside of the AFL, we are playing against one of the best teams in the country.

“So it’s going to be a very difficult challenge but I know our players will turn up and compete and see where that leaves us at the end of the day.”

The Tasmania’s VFL and VFLW teams are both due to join the Victorian competition next season, making the state academy’s interstate games critical groundwork, starting with Norwood.

“It’s a great preparation and shows us where we are at as a state both as a collective and from an individual stand-point,” Webberley said.

“It’s an opportunity for an individual to put their hand up and regardless of wins and losses, we have got to make sure we have pride in our jumper and the way we represent it.

“But it’s about providing players with their best opportunity to put their best foot forward and get some real clear education around what’s required to play in these competitions.

“These games will show us where we are at and what we need to improve on.”

The men’s and women’s academy squads had intra-club games at the Twin Ovals on Sunday.

“We did a day camp three weeks ago, we played our intra-club on Sunday, and they are heading back to their regions this week,” Webberley said.

“They will all train Thursday and then we will launch into a game on Sunday.

“We’d love to have our best 35 players training together week in week out three nights a week in their own regions, but the reality is that is not achievable with the program we’ve got at the moment.”