South Launceston Football Club
 | |
| Full name | South Launceston Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Bulldogs |
| Sport | Australian Rules football |
| Founded | As a merger on 26 May 1986 |
| First season | 1886 (City) (NTFA) |
| League | Northern Tasmanian Football Association |
| Home ground | Youngtown Memorial Oval |
| Anthem | "It's A Grand Old Flag" (Same as Melbourne Football Club but with slightly modified lyrics _ "the team of the red, white and blue") |
| President | Felicity Viney |
| Head coach | Aaron Viney |
| Captain | Aaron Viney |
| 2014 (NTFA) | Returned to community level in 2014 |
The South Launceston Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association. They were formed through a merger between City-South and East Launceston in 1986, clubs in the former Northern Tasmanian Football Association (which is not related to the current NTFA). South Launceston was in the TFL Statewide League from 1986 to 1997, then the Northern Tasmanian Football League until 2008, then in the Tasmanian State League until 2013.
The club is nicknamed the Bulldogs, a name which was adopted upon the merger. City-South were the Redlegs and East Launceston had been known as the Demons. For their club colours they took City-South's red and white as well as the blue from East Launceston's guernsey to give them their current royal blue, red and white club colours.
Club history
The Statewide League Era
South Launceston's first taste of statewide football could be described as a failure. In 12 seasons in the Statewide Competition the Bulldog's never contested the finals with a highest finish of 6th in 1992. During these 12 years South Launceston managed to collect 3 wooden spoons, this feat has only been matched by New Norfolk who have spent a longer period in the statewide league.
Northern Tasmanian Football League
In 1998 South Launceston pre-empted the collapse of the statewide league in 2000 when they decided to join the NTFL. This move greeted them with success with them winning the 1998 and 1999 NTFL Premierships. South Launceston remained competitive while they were in this competition.
Tasmanian State League
In 2008 the South Launceston Football Club accepted an invitation to leave the NTFL and join the new Tasmanian State League in 2009. After three seasons of very poor on-field performance, which included two wooden spoons and a win-loss record of 8–46 across the three years, the club appointed Mitch Thorp as playing coach for 2012. Under Thorp, the club rose to the minor premiership in 2013, with a record of 17–3, and went on to defeat Burnie in the Grand Final to win its first statewide premiership.
However, while its premiership season was ongoing, on 3 July 2013, a meeting of club members determined in a split vote to not pursue a further license in the Tasmanian State League beyond the season. The Club rejected an opportunity to have a joint venture with the Prospect Senior Football Club for a 10-year license in the TSL.
The Prospect Senior Football Club and the Prospect Junior Football Club subsequently took up a 100% share of the TSL license and formed the Prospect State Football Club t/a Western Storm.
Northern Tasmanian Football Association
In late 2013 the South Launceston Football Club was successful in being accepted into the NTFA and will play the first division against pre-merger rivals Longford and Scottsdale as well as previously amateur and country teams that make up the competition. The South Launceston team that first contested the NTFA in 2014 was successful in winning the senior premiership with a victory over Deloraine in the Grand Final.
Honours
City/City-South
Tasmanian State Premierships (7)
- 1928, 1930, 1932, 1954, 1960, 1966, 1972
NTFA Premierships (28)
- 1886, 1887, 1890, 1891, 1895, 1902, 1903, 1907, 1908,1910, 1914, 1921, 1922, 1928, 1930, 1932, 1939, 1941, 1952, 1953, 1954,1956, 1959, 1960, 1962, 1966, 1972, 1974.
Tasman Shields Trophy winners
- Harry Wade 1925
- Laurie Nash 1931, 1932
- Jock Connell 1934, 1939
- Ted Pickett 1935
- Max Pontifex 1938
- Harry Styles 1948
- Laurie Moir 1952
Hec Smith Memorial Medalists
- Stuart Palmer 1971
- Derek Peardon 1973
- Rod Thomas 1983
All Australians
- Geoff Long – 1956
NTFA Leading Goalkickers
- R.Ellis (10)- 1886
- J.Riva (6) – 1887
- C.Allison (6) – 1890
- A.Norman (12) – 1894
- A.Norman (8) – 1895
- F.Angus (16) – 1896
- A.Norman (10) – 1902
- L.Firth (12) – 1904
- Scott (12) & Waller (12) – 1906
- L.Firth (12) – 1907
- Ward (13) – 1908
- Bob Nash jnr (71) – 1932
- J.Martin (78) – 1946
- Murray Bramich (61) – 1959
- Stan Morcom (97) – 1960
- Graeme Wilkinson (54) – 1968
- Craig McIntyre (74) – 1985
East Launceston
NTFA Premierships (1)
- 1967
Tasman Shields Trophy winners
- Eddie Thomas 1961
- Darrell Pitcher 1962
Hec Smith Memorial Medalists
- Peter Webb 1967
- John Burns 1969
- Paul Reinmuth 1981
NTFA Leading Goalkickers
- Roy Ringrose (50) – 1957
- Roy Ringrose (55) – 1958
- Paul Wharton (59) – 1980
South Launceston
Northern Tasmanian Football League Premierships (2)
- 1998, 1999
Darrel Baldock Medalists
- Scott Harris – 2000
- Matthew Westfield – 2006
Tasmanian State League Premierships (1)
- 2013
Tassie Medalists
- Mitch Thorp - 2013
Northern Tasmanian Football Association Premierships (1)
- 2014
Records
Highest score - Regional Football
- City/City-South – 38.15 (243) vs East Launceston in 1974
- Cornwall/East Launceston 22.14 (146) vs City-South in 1958
- South Launceston – 34.19 (223) vs Penguin in 1998
Highest score - State Football
- South Launceston – 29.16 (190) vs Devonport in 2013
Most games
- City/City-South – 224 by Geoff Long
- Cornwall/East Launceston – 206 by David Thomson
- South Launceston – 199 by Nathan Richardson
Team of the Century
An official 'Team of the Century' for City-South was announced in 2002, which took into account the period from 1886 until 1986, when they merged with East Launceston
| City-South 'Team of the Century' | |||
| B: | Rusty Wainwright | Verdun Howell | Brian Lowe |
| HB: | John Bingley | Laurie Nash | Harry Styles |
| C: | Laurie Moir | Berkley Cox | Kim Saltmarsh |
| HF: | Roy Cazaly | Geoff Long | Craig Coombes |
| F: | Graeme Wilkinson (c) | Stan Morcom | Bill Linger |
| Foll: | Jock Connell (vc) | Derek Peardon | Paul Luttrell |
| Int: | Jim Wynwood | Mike Delanty | Bill Spearman |
| Stuart Barclay | |||
| Coach: | Bob Miller | ||