TSL KICK-OFF: DEMONS AND TIGERS GO HEAD TO HEAD
THE time for talking is done, now it is time for action.
After months of pre-season bickering between North Hobart and the Tigers, they will square off today at North Hobart Oval to start the TSL season.
Former Demons assistant coach Trent Baumeler will lead the Tigers team, which includes six former Dees and a seventh injured in the stands, for the first time.
One of the ex-Demons, last year’s best and fairest runnerup Will Campbell, said the start of the season couldn’t come quickly enough.
“Talking to the boys about that, I am glad it is the first game of the year,” Campbell said. “It is a hard one but it is good it is the first one so we can get it out of the way and get on with the rest of the season.”
Williams said his reasons for switching from the red and blue to black and yellow were personal, but it did not have anything to do with the switch from Hobart City back to the traditional name of North Hobart.
While the clubs and supporters have had lots to say after the transfers, Campbell said he was not predicting fireworks come the first bounce.
“I reckon for the players out on the ground it will be just another game, but for a few of the supporters and stuff it will be a bit different,” he said.
“For the 44 players out there we are trying to win four points, it will be trying to keep your eye on the prize rather than scuffle and stuff because we all know it doesn’t work well and undisciplined actions don’t result in winning sides.
“For us, it will be trying to win the footy first.”
Campbell’s role will be crucial to the outcome today as a tough, inside midfielder feeding the ball out to the Tigers runners.
He is most likely to be matched up against Nathan McCulloch, Brad Tilbury or Sam Caswell during the game.
The 21-year-old university agriculture-business student said after an off season debat- ing the future of the TSL, it was time the football public got behind the state’s top tier.
“The whole Tasmanian footy public has a negative outlook on the TSL, but I’m not sure why it is,” he said.
“They seem to want to play regional football and traditional rivalries but for young people like myself who want to better themselves, I think the state league is a really good opportunity and probably the only way forward. It just needs the backing of people higher up and it would be nice if the community got behind it. It is a really good product.”
Today’s game starts at 3.05pm.