![Launceston celebrate a goal in their last match against North Hobart. Picture by Paul Scambler Launceston celebrate a goal in their last match against North Hobart. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/46f08eb3-ba41-4bdb-81d0-71b5ec479e46.jpg/r0_300_3113_2299_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It is not very often a team has a three-week break in the middle of their season.
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However, with a bye before last week's state representative game, that's what Launceston have been faced with ahead of playing North Hobart on Saturday.
So how did coach Mitch Thorp, whose tenure is coming to an end after this season, deal with it?
"We had a few different objectives," he said.
"One was to regenerate mentally, we had a bit of travel leading into the bye and have another Hobart game this weekend.
"We really just wanted to knuckle down into some method in establishing our brand and making sure our young guys continue to understand how to win football games.
"So it's been a good little education period."
Launceston produced a strong win - one of only two for their season - against North Hobart in their last match-up.
Coming away 63-point winners earlier in the year, the Blues' focus on Saturday is playing four quarters.
Thorp said they've been within 90 seconds of doing that this year before conceding two goals at the death against the Tigers.
"The Tigers match is a good example of a side that's still cutting its teeth and even a game like that where we played literally 99 per cent of the game our way, we let our guard down for a bit and got bitten on the backside," he said.
"That's been the biggest learning opportunity as you go up levels of footy, that you just can't give sides a quarter, let alone a half.
"So that's been something we've been learning on and I think in the second part of the season, you'll see a bit more consistency.
"We've got a little bit more availability with some of the guys that were unavailable at the start of the year - albeit young guys - they're in our best 22."
![Isaac Hyatt kicks for goal in the rep game. Picture by Aaron Black - Little Big City Media Isaac Hyatt kicks for goal in the rep game. Picture by Aaron Black - Little Big City Media](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/98dc5864-d5ed-4b2c-8ac9-3baaa47062d3.jpg/r0_0_2475_2035_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
While the rest of the Blues enjoyed an extended break on the sidelines, Isaac Hyatt was playing for Tasmania in the state representative game.
Playing up forward, he kicked a goal and had seven disposals and four tackles in the enjoyable experience.
"I spoke to him at length and it was certainly a brisk game of footy," Thorp said.
"He's looking forward to the next one as well, he really enjoyed it and it just gives him a natural boost in confidence."