TSL weekend preview: Round 11 – Young stars return to state league action
ROUND 11 of the 2020 TSL bounces down on Saturday, with a host of Tasmanian young guns making their state league returns after last week’s Sports Association of Tasmanian Independent Schools (SATIS) Grand Final. We take a look at where the best Tasmanian youth prospects will line up this weekend.
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Clarence will be buoyed by a bunch of young inclusions in preparation for its clash with Tigers, as the ‘Roos look to consolidate their top four spot. Fresh off a victory in the SATIS football decider, Under 18 AFL Academy member Oliver Davis leads the returnees among six changes for the visitors. Fellow Guilford Young students Baker Smith and Darcy Gardner make their way back to the senior level, as does five-goal hero Noah Holmes.
19-year-old former Tasmania Devils player Ethan Jackson is also poised to feature next to Davis in midfield, but the rush of inclusions comes at the expense of a trio of 18-year-olds in Tyler Penwright, Adrian Butterworth, and Jacques Barwick, among others. Coming off a two-win round, the Tigers side which boasts Oliver Burrows-Cheng and Riley Ashlin on the bench could well go in unchanged.
North Launceston has included top-age small Oliver Sanders on its bench in the team readying to face Lauderdale. The ladder leaders will crucially be without key position gun Jackson Callow, which makes their meeting with the third-placed Bombers even more dangerous. 17-year-old Sam Tilley will look to impact off Lauderdale’s bench, as former Devils representative Oscar Shaw remains in the defensive six.
The final fixture of the round sees Launceston host North Hobart, as the Blues look to stake their claim for top spot. The youth of North Hobart, who were relegated to the wooden spoon spot in Round 10, should be in for a good scrap, though. Patrick Walker remains out through injury, but Sam Collins will again play a key role at centre half-back, while Will Peppin (wing) and Jye Menzie (forward pocket) also feature in the starting lineup.
19-year-old ruck Hamish Allan should have his hands full against solid opposition, while fellow over-agers Tyler McGinniss and Jake Steele will rotate off the Demons’ bench. Top-agers Isaac Chugg (wing) and Jayden Hinds (forward pocket) are set to provide some spark going forward for Launceston. The Blues have also named promising 19-year-old Jared Dakin on the bench.
Fixtures:
Tigers vs. Clarence | Saturday September 19, 1:30pm @ Twin Ovals
North Launceston vs. Lauderdale | Saturday September 19, 1:40pm @ UTAS Stadium
Launceston vs. North Hobart | Saturday September 19, 2:00pm @ Windsor Park
Bye: Glenorchy
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