To kick off the 2019 Tasmanian State League season against the reigning premier North Launceston, the Kingborough Tigers were hoping for great weather and a big crowd and that is exactly what they got at the Kingston Twin Ovals on Saturday, March 30.
Tigers supporters turned out in droves to watch the exciting young players representing the Kingborough, Channel and Huon communities take on the TSL powerhouse that is the Northern Bombers with a crowd tipping the 1000 mark through the gate, all in great voice in support of the team in yellow and black.
Michael Paul, Elijah Reardon and Jarryd Drew all made their debuts, and hopes were high that along with the return of former Hawthorn midfielder Kieran Lovell the Tigers would be highly competitive.
The Bombers came out firing in the first term with seven goals to two.
The Tigers kept their northern opposition to just four goals in the next two terms to cut the margin to 17 late in the third term, before a five-goals-to-none last term blew out the margin to see North Launceston get its premiership defence off to the best possible start, running away 53-point winners with Coach and star midfielder Taylor Whitford kicking a lazy half-dozen goals in the 16.11 (107) to 8.6 (54) win.
For the Tigers, Lochie Griggs, Hugh Johnston and Blake McCulloch were some of the best, while Kieran Lovell made a bright start in his State League return, kicking the home side's first goal and racking up plenty of ball through the middle.
Johnston, Luke Graham and Michael Paul were the Tigers' sole multiple goalkickers with two each.
The patterns were similar in the other two games on the day.
In the TSL Development League although the Tigers led by the slightest of margins at quarter time the Northern Bombers kicked away and looked very comfortable at each break.
For the next two quarters, they held a three-goal lead at half and three-quarter time to then break the game open in the last quarter, as the final margin was 36 points in the 11.7 (73) to 5.7 (37) victory.
Riley Ashlin stood out for the Tigers and Mitch Cooke was a great contributor for most of the game.
In the first game of the day in the Under 18’s the Kingborough Tigers battled hard but looked a little short of a run against North Launceston and struggled to stay in the contest for the day with the final score being in North’s favour by 27 points 11.8 (74) to 7.5 (47).
This week the Tigers have the bye in the TSL, their next game is away against Lauderdale on Saturday 13th April, followed by the next home game at the Twin Ovals on Good Friday 19th April against North Hobart.
This will also feature the official opening ceremony for the new 800 seat area on the western side of the ground by the Premier Will Hodgman.