TWIN THOR BLOW

Boscott banned for state game and Bombers’ Clarence clash

TASMANIA will go into battle against the NEAFL at Blundstone Arena on Saturday without ferocious onballer Thor Boscott after he was dealt a double blow at the TSL tribunal last night.

State coach Anthony Taylor said he felt “sorry” for Boscott that his indiscretion — which earned him a onematch suspension — had cost him a state jumper.

And Lauderdale coach Darren Winter was ropeable that Boscott would not only miss the state game but the penalty also meant he would be sidelined for the Bombers’ clash with rival Clarence in Round 12.

Boscott was found guilty of high contact against North Launceston player Bradley Cox-Goodyer in Lauderdale’s stunning one-point win over the TSL ladder leader at UTas Stadium on Saturday.

Winter said he had seen worse incidents go unpenalised this season.

“I’m bitter. Very bitter,” he said.

“When you compare what Thor did to other incidents we’ve seen throughout the season . . . we don’t want to see players suspended for that.

“It’s a sad day for football when players are getting rubbed out for that kind of stuff.

“But it ticked all the boxes. It got referred and the match review panel have done their job and the tribunal have done their job, because it ticked boxes.”

Winter will take up his grievance with TSL general manager Carl Saunder.

“Our system is flawed. Not the match review panel. Not the tribunal. The rules and the system are flawed,” Winter said.

“I’ve told Carl what I think about it, and I will meet with him to go into more detail.”

In a bitter twist, Boscott was given his state jumper to try on for size before he went into the tribunal hearing. He will not get to wear it. Saunder confirmed that Boscott’s penalty was a double whammy.

“He must miss the next game in the competition in which he plays, and he is also now unavailable for selection in the state game — those are the rules,” he said.

Boscott was added to the state squad as part of a secondary intake of in-form players. He made the final cull of 26 on Monday.

The state captains will be revealed today and the team will be announced after training on Friday.

“Thor came into the squad on the back of some really strong form for his club,” Taylor said.

“He was right in the mix to play.

“It’s disappointing for us but I really feel sorry for Thor.

“It’s unfortunate but these things happen and he’s just going to have to move on and we will cover for him.”

Lauderdale player Bryce Walsh’s charge of umpire abuse was thrown out when the tribunal learned the boundary umpire had wrongly booked him.

Walsh dropped several “choice” words at North Launceston opponents when they claimed a deliberate out of bounds, and the boundary umpire thought it was aimed at him.

North Launceston player Mark Walsh appeared as a witness in favour of his Lauderdale opponent.