FINALS FRENZY
A HISTORY-making weekend of AFL action begins on Saturday and Launceston is set to be overrun with thousands of diehard footy fans keen to witness the first AFL finals matches played in Tasmania.
UTAS Stadium will host the first of two sold-out elimination finals, with the Sydney Swans facing cross-town rivals GWS Giants at 3.20pm before the Western Bulldogs and Essendon battle it out at the same venue 24 hours later.
Among the many Tasmanians excited about the footy is GWS fan Lachie Coe, who has been supporting the Giants since he first watched them live in Hobart in 2012.
“I watched one of their first games down at Blundstone Arena when I was about four and they got beaten by about 150 points but I really liked their colours so I’ve gone for them ever since,” he said.
“I’ve never seen the Giants play a final so it’s pretty convenient I can watch them in Tassie, but I’m pretty nervous because I don’t want them to lose.”
Eleven-year-old Western Bulldogs fan Macy Devine is also thrilled to be able to watch her team live and is even willing to miss a potential state basketball final to do so.
“I have a basketball tournament in Devonport this weekend but even if we make the grand final I’ll be missing it to go to Launceston because we have tournaments all the time but this is my only chance to see the Bulldogs play and I’ve never seen them play before,” she said.
The youngsters will be a small part of the 20,000 spectators spread across the two games over the weekend, with the state government sticking to its 10,000person capacity at each match and the requirement for people in attendance to wear a mask.
It was announced on Friday the losers of the two finals will depart the state after their matches while the winners will stay in Tasmania at their designated facilities until later next week.
While the North is preparing for an AFL footy frenzy, the South is also gearing up for a bumper weekend of footy with the TSL, SFL, Old Scholars and SFLW footy competitions all hosting finals around Hobart.
The first round of finals in the Southern Football League will take place on Saturday when reigning premiers the Huonville Lions host the dangerous Lindisfarne Two Blues in a qualifying final at 2pm.
At Dodges Ferry the Sharks will host New Norfolk at 2.30pm in an elimination final with the loser calling time on its season while the winner will face the loser of the qualifying final.