TASMANIA DEVILS 11.17 (83)
WESTERN JETS 8.6 (54)

TASMANIA produced two excellent quarters with the wind to account for Western Jets by 29 points and move within percentage of the top three in the standalone NAB League clash at Launceston’s UTAS Stadium on Sunday.

With most of the competition taking an early season break for representative trial matches, the Devils grabbed the chance to stay in touch with the competition’s top teams with an assured display that could only have been better if they had kicked straight.

The home team gained a jump by kicking 4.6 to 0.2 with the wind in the first term, only for the Jets to charge back with four goals in the first seven minutes after the break before taking the lead through Logan Morris at the 17-minute mark.

With scores locked together at the main break, the Devils went even harder in the third term, banging on 6.7 to 0.0 to seal the victory despite Western kicking 3.3 to 1.1 in the last term.

Tasmania Devils' Seth Campbell kicks the ball during the NAB League match against Eastern Ranges at Kingston Twin Ovals on April 17, 2021. Picture: Steve Bell/AFL Photos

Lachlan Cowan (20 disposals, six inside-50s, seven rebound-50s, one goal), Seth Campbell (19, five tackles, eight tackles, five inside-50s, one goal), Liam Jones (24, one goal), Colby McKercher (24, five tackles) and Tom McCallum (18, eight marks) were all impressive for the Devils as Cameron Owen dominated the ruck with 28 hitouts, 14 disposals and five tackles.

Jack Callinan (three goals) finished well up forward with support from Brandon Leary (two), while Will Splann (six marks, one goal) and Beau Nash (eight tackles) also contributed strongly.

The Jets were without star defender Massimo D’Ambrosio, who was putting in a best-on-ground performance for the Colgate Young Guns against Victoria Country in Melbourne, with Cameron Kizan (19 disposals, six tackles, five rebounds) and Adam Azzopardi (17, five tackles, five rebounds) stood up in his absence, while Jake Whybrow (20, five marks), Tom Rowland (19, four marks) and Darby Scott (18) all had their best games of the season and 16-year-old Jake Smith (17, six tackles) did well on debut.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

Western Jets' Adam Azzopardi clears by foot during the NAB League match against Gippsland Power at Morwell Football Ground on July 4, 2021. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos

NAB LEAGUE LADDER ROUND 6, click here

Western Jets' Jake Whybrow in action during the NAB League Boys Testing Day at Maribyrnong College on March 12, 2022. Picture: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos

THIS WEEK

ROUND 7: Saturday, May 21: Northern Knights v Calder Cannons (Genis Steel Oval, Preston, 11am). Sunday, May 22: Sandringham Dragons v Eastern Ranges (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, 12pm), Oakleigh Chargers v Tasmania Devils (Wilson Storage Trevor Barker Beach Oval, 2.30pm). Bye: All other teams.

NEXT WEEK: ROUND 8: Friday, May 27: Dandenong Stingrays v Sandringham Dragons (Shepley Oval, 7pm). Saturday, May 28: GWV Rebels v Western Jets (Mars Stadium, 11.30am); Tasmania Devils v Eastern Ranges (UTAS Stadium, 12pm); Geelong Falcons v Oakleigh Chargers (Mars Stadium, 2pm). Sunday, May 29: Bendigo Pioneers v Calder Cannons (Swan Hill, 10.30am); Murray Bushrangers v Gippsland Power (Norm Minns Oval, Wangaratta, 1pm). Bye: Northern Knights.

THEN: ROUND 9: Saturday, June 4: Oakleigh Chargers v Calder Cannons (Warrawee Park, 10am); Dandenong Stingrays v GWV Rebels (Shepley Oval, 11.30am); Murray Bushrangers v Tasmania Devils (Highgate, 12pm); Sandringham Dragons v Northern Knights (RSEA Park, 1pm); Gippsland Power v Geelong Falcons (Shepley Oval, 2pm). Sunday, June 5: Western Jets v Bendigo Pioneers (Avalon Airport Oval, 1pm). Bye: Eastern Ranges.

(All games are streamed live on the NAB League app except for the Herald Sun game, which is on that website).