NORTH FULL OF CHARACTER IN LOSS

NORTH Launceston fell short at the final hurdle but in a year many tipped the club to come back to the State League pack the signs are evident a fall is not on the cards.

For three quarters the Bombers, effectively without coach Brad Cox-Goodyer after quarter time who was unable to play in the midfield following a knock to his bicep which gave him a dead arm, refused to wilt in the grand final against a Launceston side which twice threatened to pull away.

But the floodgates opened in the last as the final margin blew out to 34 points.

After losing a host of experienced talent following last year’s defeat, North’s ability to go back to the well was questioned, but 12 months on a host of emerging stars have been unearthed.

“It is always tough to lose a grand final but super proud of this group all year,” Cox-Goodyer said.

“The development of what we have seen of these kids is unbelievable, we are going to be a pretty hard team to beat in a couple of years.

“You always want to win grand finals and when you lose them it’s not a nice feeling but this group is going to grow, that’s a positive.

“We’ve had a great year, no one gave us a chance at the start of the year and I think we have woken a few people up to our program and what it looks like.”