BRING IT ON
IT’S the fiercest rivalry in the TSL — and the Clarence-Lauderdale power struggle is set to ignite at Blundstone Arena tomorrow when the Roos and Bombers clash in the qualifying final.
CLARENCE and Lauderdale have rung the changes leading into their crucial TSL qualifying final at Blundstone Arena tomorrow.
The Roos and Bombers will clash in the second instalment of the TSL finals doubleheader and both are welcoming back players.
Clarence has some big inclusions for the encounter and to fit them into the side regular performers Kyle Palmer-Hughes and Aiden Grace have missed out. Coming into the side are forward Trent Standen, defenders James Holmes and Jason Bailey and midfielders Jackson O’Brien and Jack Gleeson.
Defender Keegan Wylie might also miss the clash if he cannot pass a concussion test by tomorrow morning after a knock from Glenorchy defender Ben Reynolds last weekend sent him to hospital.
“We will be cautious with him,” coach Jeromey Webberley said. “If he is not right then he won’t play.”
Another worry for Webberley is the return of Gleeson, who is coming off a one-week suspension that was downgraded from three weeks by an independent tribunal.
The suspension leaves the reigning Clarence best and fairest a game away from the 16-game limit that results in automatic deregistration.
“He will have to make sure his discipline is spot on because I reckon they will spend a fair bit of time on him,” he said.
“We can have these conversations and put things in place to help Jack, but at the end of the day Jack Gleeson needs to help Jack Gleeson.”
For Lauderdale, coach Darren Winter said the return of key players Robbie McManus and Rhys Sutton along with the height of Ben McGuinness was a great addition to his side, but dropping players has caused him some headaches.
“Selection has been tough,” Winter said. “From a coach’s point of view it’s not a nice part of the season because you have guys coming back in and guys going out. Trying to tell three or four guys they are going out of a finals team is no fun.”
Glenorchy has also made some tough calls for its elimination final against Launceston with premiership player Tyler Bowden and draft hope Harrison Gunther missing out.
Skipper Brayden Webb will return along with midfielder John Geard and tells Cameron Duffy and Mitchell Hills.
Launceston has brought in coach Sam Lonergan, Sam Rundle and Jimmy Aganas.