Tasmanian State League

The Wrest Point Tasmanian State League will break new ground in 2012 with many matches scheduled outside the traditional weekend time slots and at night.

AFL Tasmania’s General Manager, State League, Shaun Young released the 2012 Wrest Point State League fixture saying the goal was to give the community greater access to the competition.

"The 2012 fixture will see State League football played at night on Wednesdays, Fridays and Mondays, as well as the traditional Saturdays, Sundays and Saturday nights," Young said.
"The fixture has been designed to make the state’s premium football competition available at times that better suit our patrons."

The competition commences on Saturday, March 31 with regional season openers at West Park, Aurora Stadium and Lauderdale Recreation Ground.

Round 1 will continue on Easter weekend, where Clarence and Glenorchy commence their season on Wednesday night, April 4 at KGV, followed by all other matches played on Good Friday across the state.

The roster consists of 19 senior night matches played at various venues, with the aim of drawing larger crowds to Tasmania's premier football competition.

The majority of night matches will take place in the first five rounds of the roster when warmer weather is expected.

Mid-season will see many Sunday games, with a total of 12 senior matches scheduled in the roster.

The Glenorchy District Football Club will also host their Round 15A match on a Monday night, against Clarence on July 30.

The 2011 Grand Final rematch will take place in Round 4 at West Park, on Saturday, April 28.

"We have been impressed with how co-operative the clubs have been in scheduling matches outside the traditional Saturday games structure, to endeavour to improve game day patronage. Going forward we will further explore innovation in the fixture that sets the State League competition apart from all other football competitions in the state," Young said.

Provisions have also been made in the fixture with a competition bye, to enable the Launceston and Burnie Football Clubs to compete in the 2012 Foxtel Cup.

There will also be a competition bye on the weekend of Saturday, May 26, when Tasmania takes on the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Due to ground renovations, Blundstone Arena will be out of action from Monday, August 6, which means that there will be no TSL matches from that time until the completion of the finals series.

http://www.tasmanianstateleague.com.au/images/stories/tsl_-_2012_fixture_schedule_including_finals.pdf

Great to get some info on other leagues, nice work, our Amateur League is playing our state game at Aurora stadium on the june long weekend, cant wait!

You're going, FC?

Training duties?

Apparently AFL Tas told the ABC to get stuffed in response to the ABC wanting more money to broadcast matches.

http://www.theadvocate.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/state-league-switched-off-our-screens/2457310.aspx

Can not agree more with the Tassie league trying night matches, think it will be quite popular for them as it has been here also.

Went down to Burnie last Tuesday and ended up speaking to former Essendon player Jack Mihocek who now runs one of the local sports stores and he basically stated that no one here in Tassie wants a statewide league, but we have to have a successful one if we are to put up an AFL bid in the future.

It was interesting to hear that the NorthWest-North-South rivalry of the island is still very much alive and well and because of this, you'd get many more people going to a local 'amateur' match rather than a TSL game. His example was 1500 people at a Smithton vs Wynyard game in the NWFU compared to 300 people at a Burnie vs Clarence game in the TSL - Clarence having taken out the flag a few times in recent years.

The North Melbourne experiment in Hobart is also an interesting topic down here. Many do not believe it will work and these games have only come about because of the desperation of North to expand their brand and a few people in Hobart who hate the fact that AFL is being played at Aurora Stadium. I also found out that many 'Southerners' do not support Hawthorn (even though they have Tasmania plastered all over their jumpers) because the Hawks have committed to play their 'home' games in Launceston only.

Anyway, the TSL believe that having no TV coverage this year will encourage people to get to the grounds to watch matches but people are very loyal to the ways of old down here! I have my doubts and so do many others!

redandblack wrote:You're going, FC?

Training duties?

Yep, sure am, can't wait!

Didn't have any idea you liked Tassie, FC?

New outlets to help grow competition:

http://www.tasmanianstateleague.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=1&Itemid=59

2012 In & Outs for TSL clubs:

http://www.tasmanianstateleague.com.au/images/stories/News/2012_tsl_player_gains_and_losses.pdf

htwww, I was with Westies when they played a trial against North Hobart a few years ago.

Small ground, but very pretty.

Yes it is indeed. It's been interested to see how grounds have been 'setup' in the North compared to the South. You'll find the Southern ovals more compact and 'intimidating' for better want of a word, where Northern grounds have had a greyhound track or athletics track built around the playing surface, giving them a very open and distant feel, with exception to York Park, which has obviously been upgraded for AFL purposes.

NTFL Final Scores (Local League):

Latrobe Demons 13.17.95
Ulverstone Robins 18.9.117

Wynyard Cats 26.17.173
Smithton Saints 14.11.95

Penguin Penguins (Two Blues) 17.11.113
East Devonport Swans 19.12.136

NORTH Launceston took until the last part of the final quarter to see off a spirited Devonport challenge before finally winning its opening round State League clash by 27 points at Aurora Stadium yesterday.

Devonport was four goals down early in the last quarter but refused to surrender kicking four straight to cut the deficit to two points midway through the term.

But when most under threat the Northern Bombers experienced leaders in captain Darren Crawford, and vice captains Alan O'Sign and Joel Mountney stepped up to steady the ship, with North kicking the last four goals of the game to seal a 14.14 (98) to 11.5 (71) victory.

Crawford finished with five goals to be the best forward on the ground, two of those coming in the latter part of the final term.

Mountney put his body on the line attacking the football through a wall of opposition players to set up an O'Sign goal at the 16-minute mark to give the Bombers some respite and an eight-point lead.

Crawford brilliantly read a ruck tap in the forward 50 to goal straight after to extend it to a 14-point buffer.

Big ruckman Daniel Roozendaal marked and goaled in time on to make it 20 points and Crawford finished Devonport off with his fifth for the game just before the final siren.

North Launceston coach Zane Littlejohn was happy to get the win but said his side was still learning to play the style of game he expected them to play.

Burnie v North Hobart
Saturday 31 March 2012, 3.00pm, West Park

Burnie 6.5 9.7 18.11 20.12 (132)
North Hobart 1.0 5.6 5.6 10.14 (74)

Beaten 2011 grand finalist Burnie announced its intention to return to the pointy end of the ladder with a smashing of North Hobart at West Park to kick off the 2012 season.

Since the rebirth of the state league, North Hobart had been unbeaten at West Park, but that run came to a screaming halt as the Dockers inflicted a 58-point win over the Demons on Saturday.

It was a dominant display in windy conditions as Burnie had 11 scoring shots to one in the opening term to lead by 35 points.

The lead blew out to 83 points by three quarter time, but the Demons showed some pride in the last term kicking 5.8 to 2.1 to limit some of the damage.

Former Essendon ruckman Jason Laycock dominated the contest for the Dockers but was reported in the last term, resulting in a nervous wait for everyone at West Park.

Burnie shared the load with 12 goal scorers lead by medium-sized forward Rohan Baldock who booted four.

It was a disappointing start for the Demons, but acting captain Joe Arnold tried valiantly all day.



GOALS
Burnie: R. Baldock 4, T. Davies 3, H. Walters 2, Z. Mihocek 2, B. Mihocek 2, V. Ponsonby 1, A. Lee 1, L. Shackleton 1, R. Barrett 1, C. Hardy 1, S. Knott 1, R. Fox 1

North Hobart: O. Di Venuto 2, N. McCulloch 2, J. Wells 1, C. Dell 1, T. Nichols 1, C. Alcorso 1, J. Briggs 1, L. Owen 1

BEST
Burnie:H. Walters, N. McKenna, T. Davies, J. Laycock, S. Knott, L. Shackleton

North Hobart: J. Arnold, J. Wells, R. Fairbairn, C. Dell, H. Williams, G. Unsworth



Lauderdale v Hobart
Saturday 31 March 2012, 4.30pm, Lauderdale Oval

Lauderdale 3.7 3.10 8.16 11.19 (85)
Hobart 1.1 3.4 3.5 6.8 (44)

Breezy conditions and the first game of the season made for a scrappy game down at Lauderdale but it was a wind-assisted third quarter burst that resulted in the home side securing a convincing 41-point win over Hobart.

The first half was riddled with errors as the inaccurate Bombers took only a six-point lead into the long break despite having six more scoring shots.

But it was the third term that determined the outcome of the match.

The Bombers came out with the breeze at their backs and slammed on 5.6 to a solitary point as the Tigers struggled to clear the ball from defence let alone penetrate their own attacking half.

Hobart came home with the wind but could only outscore the Bombers by a point in the final stand in Tigers new coach Anthony McConnon’s TSL debut.

Lauderdale key forward Michael Cassidy kicked 1.4 in his debut for his new club against his old side and was relatively well held by Sam Reeves.

Instead Sean MacKay was the Bombers best rebounding out of defence and Alex Hevey, Alex Hill and Kaine Waller all kicked a brace of goals for the home team while Tom Robertson was the only multiple goal-kicker for the Tigers with two majors.

GOALS
Lauderdale: A. Hevey 2, A. Hill 2, K. Waller 2, J. Martinovich 1, J. Westell 1, R. Wiggins 1, M. Cassidy 1, R. McManus 1

Hobart: T. Robertson 2, M. Catchpool 1, C. Philp 1, T. Kelly 1, T. Harvey 1

BEST
Lauderdale: S. MacKay, A. Hevey, S. Siggins, M. Fitze, D. Garth, J. Roberts

Hobart: S. Reeves, B. Free, T. Harvey, T. Cunliffe, C. Philp



North Launceston v Devonport
Saturday 31 March 2012 7.00pm Aurora Stadium

North Launceston 3.3 5.6 9.10 14.14 (98)
Devonport 3.0 6.3 7.4 11.5 (71)

Last season’s wooden spooner Devonport showed serious signs of improvement but weren’t able to take away the four points against North Launceston at Aurora Stadium.

In a tight contest, the Magpies kicked the first four goals of the last quarter to get within two points of the Northern Bombers and a season opener upset looked a distinct possibility.

But it was an edge in class that got the home team to victory.

North Launceston captain Darren Crawford booted a game high five goals, including two after the Magpies last quarter surge, as the Northern Bombers kicked the final four goals of the game en route to a 27-point win in Zane Littlejohn’s coaching debut.

The Bomber’s Allan O’Sign was best afield in the victory, while Crawford was by far the most dangerous forward on the ground.

But there were plenty of positive signs for the Magpies as well.

Aaron McNab was the Pies best as well as booting three goals while Hector Lenton also chimed in with a valuable trio of majors.

GOALS
North Launceston: D. Crawford 5, D. Roozendaal 2, A. Viney 2, B. Cox-Goodyer 1, M. van den Berg 1, L. Harding 1, A. O'Sign 1, T. Nankervis 1

Devonport: A. McNab 3, H. Lenton 3, B. Kendall 1, B. Deverell 1, B. Sharman 1, S. Hess 1, K. Heazlewood 1

BEST
North Launceston: A. O'Sign, E. Petterwood, M. Walsh, A. Viney, C. Carins, D. Crawford

Devonport: A. McNab, B. Kendall, Q. Byard, B. Johnson, N. Robertson, S. Hess



Top Goal Kickers - Seniors

Darren Crawford - North Launceston 5
Rohan Baldock - Burnie 4
Aaron McNab - Devonport 3
Travis Davies - Burnie 3
Hector Lenton - Devonport 3
Zachary Mihocek - Burnie 2
Alex Hevey - Lauderdale 2
Tom Robertson - Hobart 2
Kaine Waller - Lauderdale 2
Nathan McCulloch - North Hobart 2
Oliver Di Venuto - North Hobart 2
Adam Viney - North Launceston 2
Brody Mihocek - Burnie 2
Harry Walters - Burnie 2
Alex Hill - Lauderdale 2
Daniel Roozendaal - North Launceston 2

Latest scores from around the state:

TSL:
Lauderdale 13.9 (87) d Glenorchy 6.12 (48)
Launceston 22.12 (144) d Devonport 11.8 (74)
South Launceston 14.11 (95) d North Launceston 8.11 (59)
Clarence 28.20 (188) d Hobart 4.7 (31)
With Burnie playing in Foxtel Cup, North Hobart had a BYE.

NTFL:
Wynyard 21.21 (147) d Penguin 8.12 (60)
East Dveonport 13.12 (90) d Ulverstone 7.13 (55)
Latrobe 23.20 (158) d Smithton 15.10 (100)

Circular Head Football Association (local footy in my part of the world...):
Forest-Stanley 12.6 (78) d Redpa 5.6 (36)
Irishtown 15.14 (104) d Scotchtown 4.7 (31)

For a little more info on the CHFA, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_Head_Football_Association - someone has kept it fairly up to date!

Apparently, Hobart Football Club members have backed merger talks with North Hobart Football Club. NHFC members will vote to join talks on Friday.