![Michael Stingel and Jack Tomkinson go to battle. Picture by Paul Scambler Michael Stingel and Jack Tomkinson go to battle. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/8mt7fPj3AeZSAF4grZ2EUc/a810d53c-7d51-457b-821d-264637708ca5.jpg/r0_172_2671_1757_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
North Launceston's unbeaten start to 2024 continued, staving off Kingborough 13.17 (95) to 5.11 (41) at UTAS Stadium.
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Collecting their 12th win in a row, fittingly against the team that was last to beat them in the 2023 grand final, the Bombers started slow but made up for it late.
They piled on five goals in the last term - bettering their second-quarter effort of four - to blow out the margin and continue their dominance.
"It was one of those games where it felt like we were in control, we just hadn't capitalised on our opportunities," coach Adrian Smith said.
"It was nice in the last quarter to have some moments where we finished our work and were able to put some scoreboard pressure on where we probably struggled to put scoreboard pressure on for most of the game."
The Bombers were the only team to find the big sticks in the first term, with AFL Academy member Oliver Dean kicking a major in the 29th minute.
Leading by seven points at quarter-time, the ladder-leaders didn't have to wait long after the break for their next one.
Brandon Leary got on the end of a miscued dangerous handball from Will Clifford at the top of the square and did what he does best.
Goals to fellow young guns Declen Chugg and Oscar Van Dam, the latter with a miraculous bounce, made it three in a row and when Will Manshanden was open running into the goal-square, the Bombers looked dangerous.
The visitors joined the goal-kicking list 21 minutes into the second term through Eddie Cole, controlling proceedings for the first half's remaining time without damaging the scoreboard.
Fletcher Bennett's defensive efforts shone through late, saving a counter-attack in the dying minutes.
Entering the second half leading by four goals, a miraculous Lenny Douglas major proved to be the main highlight of the third term - collecting, shimmying past an opponent and checksiding his way to a goal.
The teams traded goals through Jack Tomkinson and Michael Stingel, which gave the Bombers a 34-point lead at three-quarter-time and they stamped their authority late. Leary and Dean became multiple goal-scorers as the prolific Brad Cox-Goodyer and Harvey Griffiths joined the party - blowing the margin out to 60 points at its peak.
Tyler Carter celebrated game 150 for the Tigers with two last-term majors while Griffiths, Kieran Lovell and Oliver Depaoli-Kubank also finished with goals.
Coach Smith was impressed with the performance of his midfield, praising the dominant performance of Stingel, Van Dam and Cox-Goodyer as well as Alex Lee.
"Their ability to defend the stoppage and give outside and control the game was really good," he said.