2002 NTFL News

Burnie has pulled off its third consecutive upset to defeat Ulverstone by 8 goals in today's NTFL senior Grand Final at Latrobe. Before a crowd of just short of 6,000, Ulverstone lead by 2 points 15 minutes into the third quarter, only to be steamrolled in the last quarter and a half by the rampaging Burnie side, lead brilliantly by captain Errol Bourn. The final scorre was Burnie 14.5.89 to Ulverstone 5.12.42. Ulverstone failed to score a goal in the last quarter. It was Burnie's third consecutive upset finals victory, after a 6 point win over North Launceston in the second semi final and a 28 point victory over South Launceston in last week's Prerliminary Final. Full scores will be added soon.

With a Preliminary Final victory over South Launceston at Latrobe last Saturday, Burnie has set up an all coastal Grand Final, playing first semi final winner Ulverstone. A huge crowd is tipped to turn up at Latrobe on Saturday, with good waether forecast and two traditional rivals playing off in what should be a very close Grand Final, if finals results so far are anything to go by. It will be the first time Ulverstone has played either NWFU Burnie teams (Burnie Tigers and Cooee) in a Grand Final since 1965. On that day, 7,224 saw Cooee defeat Ulverstone at the West Park Oval.

East Devonport forward Adrian Partridge won the Darrel Baldock medal for the NTFL's Best and Fairest player at the Launceston Casino on Sunday. After being voted best afield in 6 matches, Partridge won the award with 22 votes, 1 vote ahead of Matthew Stephenson from Latrobe.

This unofficial NTFL Website has not been updated for a number of months now. This is due to several reasons disenabling us to update it, back we're back online now just in time for the Grand Final! We apologise for this.

South Launceston Rover Scott Stephens won the G.B. "Paddy" Martin Medal for the best NTFL player on the ground in Sunday's NTFL v. SFL match at York Park. This continues his fabulous season so far, with the 19 year old also leading several media awards. The best SFL player on the ground was North Hobart's Luke Curtain.

For the sixth consecutive time, the NTFL has defeated the SFL in the annual intrastate clash. The match was a curtain raiser to Sunday's Hawthorn v. Port Adelaide AFL match at York Park, and there was as many as 9,000 at the ground at the end of the match. The NTFL are now undefeated against the SFL, winning by 64 points (104 to 40).

Despite the AFL match and also the intrastate NTFL v SFL match, over 1,000 people attended Saturday's Devonport v. Latrobe match at Devonport Oval. The official figure of 1,003 is the best attendance this year on a Saturday, and also the highest attendance this season for a match outside of Launceston. The only better crowd this season was 1,140 for the South Launceston v. North Launceston match at Youngtown earlier this year.

Burnie's 30 game winning streak is over. They were defeated by South Launceston at York Park last night by 39 points, 15.13.103 to 9.10.64. The match was the curtain raiser to the Tassie Devils v. Murray Kangaroos VFL Match. Burnie had not lost a game since a semi-final in the old SWL against North Hobart in 2000. They won every game in the NTFL in their first season (last year) including the Grand Final against North Launceston. South now sits a game clear on top of ladder having not lost a game all season.

The biggest NTFL match for quite some time is on tonight at York Park. With Burnie and South Launceston both with 8 wins from 8 matches, this match should be a classic. Being the curtain-raiser to the VFL match between Tasmania and the Murray Kangaroos, the crowd should be over 4,500 at the end of the match, and of those who have never seen NTFL before, they can be sure that they will come back. The match shoulds be a beauty, and I urge everyone to get down to York Park this afternoon and witness a memorable game. Play starts at 3pm and admission is $9 for adults, $6 concession and children under 16 are free.

What an up and down year it has been for North Launceston so far this year - starting off with a huge win over Smithton, a close loss to Ulverstone, another big win over Latrobe, an embarrassing loss to East Devonport and now a near miracle victory over Burnie. Yes, the "undefeatable" Burnie Dockers were nearly knocked off in freezing conditions at York Park last night. Before 970 brave fans, Burnie looked home at quarter time, leading by 40 points. Then at half time by 25 points and at three quarter time by just 16 points. But they managed to just hold on against a fast finishing North Launceston, winning by just six points.

The round 9 match between ladder leaders South Launceston and Burnie has been switched from Youngtown to York Park. The match will be played after the Tassie Mariners match against the Murray Bushrangers, and before the match between the Tassie Devils and Murray Kangaroos in the VFL at 6.p.m. The NTFL match will begin at 3 p.m. and the reserves teams will play at the next door Invermay Park.

A huge crowd of over 1100 turned up at Youngtown last Sunday to watch the Launceston city derby between South Launceston and North Launceston. Against the odds, South Launceston took the points in a rough match, and has further consolidated itself as a force of the NTFL in 2002.

The great turnout should force the NTFL to consider taking its biggest matches and turning them into blockbusters by playing them on Sundays. This Saturday night, North Launceston is at home to Burnie at night at York Park - night matches should also be used for outstanding games, but Sundays would be more ideal. However, the Sunday games should not be played on the same days as VFL matches or AFL matches. This leaves about 12 weeks for blockbuster matches in the NTFL roster series. These games should be played between North and South Launceston, Burnie and Devonport, East Devonport and Devonport, Burnie and Ulverstone, and Devonport and Latrobe. This would obviously attract larger crowds, like the one at Youngtown on Sunday, to NTFL matches.

Years ago it would have attracted a huge crowd - the coastal battle between two of Tasmania's leading clubs, Burnie and Devonport. But last night at West Park Oval in Burnie, only 410 people braved the cold to turn up and watch the clubs fight out a one sided battle. Is it that Burnie is so superior that people find it boring? Or is it that people have lost passion for local battles? Just 7 years ago, over 5,000 attended the same two teams at the same venue at the same time. We can only hope that the NTFL soon becomes even again.

Due to some computer problems, the Unofficial NTFL Website has not been updated since the middle of February, during that time there has been Launceston's lightning premiership, the NTFL season launch and Round 1. Unfortunately the round 1 results can not be put online for a few weeks yet, but things will be back to normal tonight or tomorrow after round 2. We apologise for this.

Champion Burnie full forward Andrew Hering will leave his job as assistant coach at Burnie to work in Brisbane. He will follow teammates Paul Gaby, Matthew Wooldridge and Scott Matheson in leaving the state - leaving a huge hole in the Burnie team, which won all of its matches last saeason under Mick McGuane.

Ulverstone's coach Max Brown has had his $500 fine for "bringing the NTFL into disrepute" after a complaint about the allocation of venues in the finals series last year to $400. He appealed yesterday to Football Tasmania saying his fine was too severe and it was cut by $100.

Pura Milk will sponsor the Wynyard Cats for the next 12 months. The milk company signed the deal yesterday and it will be the Cats' biggest ever sponsorship deal.

Burnie Dockers full-forward Andrew Hering has shelved plans of retirement and will become playing-assistant coach of his team. He joins Nick Probert (senior coach) and Laurie McCall (under 18s coach) as new faces to the coaching panel in 2002. Hering kicked 102 goals last season, including a record equalling 17 against Smithton to be leading goalkicker of the NTFL, but missed Burnie's premiership team through suspension.

The NTFL has introduced a new regional competition within itself. The new competition will put the 12 clubs into 3 seperate areas, with points given for victories against other teams in the same region, with the team in each region with the most points being the champion of their region. The teams and regions will be: South - North Launceston, Launceston, South Launceston and Deloraine. North - Latrobe, Devonport, East Devonport and Ulverstone. North West - Penguin, Burnie, Wynyard and Smithton.