Blues cruise over Roos to power into TSL grand final against cross-town rivals North Launceston
Launceston shot out of the blocks in the TSL preliminary final against Clarence, and while the Roos tried hard to rebound, the Blues proved too big and strong.
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LAUNCESTON powered into its second consecutive TSL grand final after reducing the Roos to roadkill in their preliminary final at Windsor Park on Sunday but a cloud could hang over three Blues stars.
Big full-forward Cody Thorp had his number taken in the second quarter for a high shot on a Clarence defender, gun play-maker Michael Musicka ended the day with a strained shoulder and TSL games record holder Jay Blackberry limped away with an ice bag on his right knee after the game.
Musicka left the field early in the second quarter after being crunched in a marking contest by Cody Thorp, and although he played out the game both he and Blackberry must prove their fitness for the grand final showdown with cross-town rival North Launceston at UTAS Stadium next Sunday.
Launceston coach Mitch Thorp, who did not play, said his Cody would be fine.
“He’s only hit him in the back of the shoulder,” Thorp said.
“Sometimes with Cody it looks worse than it actually it. We had a photo of the incident sent through pretty quickly after it happened, so nothing to see here.”
The chance to battle five-time premier North Launceston, lining up for a record eighth consecutive grand final, for the flag has Thorp excited.
“I love this competition. I saw how many people that were here today, it was fantastic, and there’s a lot of interest in the game and the North Launceston boys were here,” Thorp said.
“Both teams don’t like each other, and that’s super healthy, so we’re looking forward to another cracking grand final.”
The Blues looked comfortable on their home deck.
They kicked the first five goals, starting with Blackberry’s at the three-minute mark of the first and Miller Hodge minutes into the second.
Clarence then came to life. Jacques Barwick kicked two goals in even time and Darcy Gardner added a third to reduce the deficit from 31 points to 12 midway through the second.
The Blues steadied before the long break when Jack Tuthill kicked his first and Cody Thorp his second to make the lead 26.
With Fletcher Seymour and Jobi Harper continuing their midfield dominance and Hodge lifting his work rate, Launceston drilled another three in a row, while Clarence answered late through Colin Garland, who finally broke the shackles applied by hulking Blue Jamieson House.
Trailing by 36 at the final change, the day got worse for Clarence early in the fourth when playing-coach Jeromey Webberley injured his right shoulder.
The wounded Roo soldiered on but the Blues kept applying the blowtorch with 15 inside 50s to six, summing up the Roos’ tale of woe.
Webberley stepped down as Clarence coach after the game but plans to play on next season under his replacement.
ROOS OUT TO ‘PROVE EVERYONE WRONG’
CLARENCE is one win away from its first grand final in 11 years and the Roos must turn giant killer at Windsor Park on Sunday against reigning premier Launceston to make it to the TSL showdown against North Launceston next weekend.
The Roos are one of only two sides to have beaten the Blues this season and coach Jeromey Webberley said the pressure was on Launceston as defending champion and home team.
“I’m excited,” Webberley said. “Last week I was nervous because we were the home side and there was an expectation that we would get the job done.
“The Tigers have a fantastic record and I was nervous going into that final and we hadn’t won a final since 2013, so it was nerve-wracking.
“This week it’s more a nervous excitement because the expectation outside of our four walls is that we can’t win.
“We are really keen to prove everyone wrong.”
Clarence’s lack of finals experience won’t weigh against it.
“We’ll get our boys to play the same way,” Webberley said.
“There’s no point worrying about the result, worry about the process and what you can do in the next moment. If you make a mistake, move on from it.”
Clarence’s youth will not be a disadvantage.
“The good thing about the young players in our group is they are all winners,” Webberley said.
“They’ve won junior premierships their whole way through so they are all winners in their own right and they know how to win big games.
“Nothing changes at senior level. They will bring the best version of themselves and our leaders need to stand up and mentor them through the game and let the young guys play their best game.”
Launceston lost a thriller to Clarence at Blundstone in the penultimate round of the home-and-away series and coach Mitch Thorp said they would not be caught napping a second time.
“We’ve got some strategy changes, as no doubt they have as well, so it makes for an intriguing game,” he said.
“They’ve got some talented teenagers and some top-end experience as well and that’s invaluable in big games.
“Young [Tom] McCallum on the wing is as exciting a talent I’ve seen in State League for a long time. He kicked a goal against North Hobart a couple of weeks ago that was pretty special.
“Whilst we’ve got an eye on their senior players we are aware their younger guys are confident, well-drilled.
“It sets up a cracking State League preliminary final.
“Being on a Sunday, I really like as well. It allows broader community support, for people to come along and watch the game and that’s good for the State League.”
BUECHNER BUOYANT OF ROO REVIVAL
TSL team of the year fullback Zac Buechner has been on the receiving end of a Colin Garland masterclass — and credits the former AFL star for his transformation into one of the league’s best stoppers.
Buechner, who was elevated to co-captain at Clarence this season alongside Jarrod Harper, will again need to be at his miserly best on Sunday when the Roos look to send Launceston packing from the finals race in straight sets.
The 23-year-old now calls Garland a teammate at Blundstone Arena, but he will never forget the day in July 2019 when the then North Hobart forward booted eight goals to spear the Demons to their first win of the year.
It gave Buechner a taste of what is required to be competitive with the premier big men in the State League, and coupled with a rigorous pre-season he has emerged as a star in his own right.
Buechner led the competition in 2021 with 7.3 pressure acts per game, and has been the rock in the Roos defence which will start as underdogs at Windsor Park but quietly confident having upset the Blues only three weeks ago.
“I did a pretty hard pre-season in the gym with the NTRS [CrossFit] crew in New Town, they really got me set up for a good season, got me real fit and the strongest I’ve ever been I think,” Buechner said.
“That really helped and I did a lot of work with Colin during the year and during pre-season, he’s really helped me a lot as well.
“He kicked eight goals on me one day when he was playing at North Hobart, he has taught me all the tricks of the trade, so he has helped me heaps.”
Buechner, one of two Roos alongside Harper to play every match this year, was humbled to be named in the team of the year.
But he has his eyes on a bigger prize.
“We’re not going to go up there and expect to lose, we expect to win every game so we’re going to give it a red hot crack and just see how it goes.
“We’re good enough to go the whole way I think.”
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