SEASON 2025 will look slightly different for the Tasmania Devils, who face an altered fixture and less travel throughout the year. With two prospects among the Allies’ preseason squad and some former representatives returning, we preview the Devils’ year with help from head coach Jeromey Webberley.

PRESEASON

“It’s been really good. We’ve been in since the middle of November, like everyone. All three regions are going well, both in the boys and girls. Both squads are down to about 50 now. After the physical testing and our practice [matches] we’ll make some decisions moving forward.”

ALLIES TRAINING SQUAD MEMBERS

Jasper Hay
Ruck | 199cm | 10/05/2007

“Our only National Academy member. He’s a 200cm ruck. He’s got a fantastic athletic profile and follows up extremely well. He’ll play a little bit of ruck this year, but also some key position. He’s had a really strong preseason, a very talented basketballer as well.”

>> Preseason Q&A: Jasper Hay (Clarence)

Lucas Wootton
Midfielder | 179cm | 11/05/2007

“Lucas is a small utility who’ll play an inside mid this year. Fantastic athletic profile, brilliant in traffic, very good ball user. He’s got a very well-rounded game and some stuff that AFL clubs are going to like.”

>> Preseason Q&A: Lucas Wootton (Launceston)

ONES TO WATCH

“Jack Miller who was injured for basically three quarters of the year last year, played four Coates [League] games, I believe. He’s a small, athletic forward who will kick a lot of goals this year. I think he kicked a couple of bags of three or four goals in the Coates League last year, so watch for him. Jarvis Breen, who played a fair bit of Coates League last year as well [as a] small winger. Rylee McHenry as well, played every game last year. He’s a tough inside mid who can go forward as well. We played a lot of those bottom-agers last year, they’re now top-agers, so we feel like our squad’s in really good nick to launch in year.”

OVER-AGERS

“We’ve got a few overages. We’ve got Oliver Kubank and Max Roney, they’re both back. Oliver Dean‘s back as well, a developing ruck. We’ve got Nathaniel Sulzberger back in the state as well after a couple of years at Sandy, and we’ve got a young developing tall by the name of Khalen Matthews, who’s got a soccer background. He’s been playing footy for a couple of years. So, the five over-agers, there’s good opportunity for those boys.”

STYLE OF PLAY

“High tempo, like the way we’ve played over the last three years. We’re not going to be blessed with a great quantity of talls in terms of pure numbers, but we’ve got a lot of guys that are extremely fast and powerful and athletic. They’re not big in stature, but they can move. So we’ll play a high tempo game again.”

GOALS

“I think first and foremost it’s trying to put as many individuals on show as we can to hopefully get within the Allies squad [for] some national champs opportunities. We’re big into playing together as a collective and representing our state, so there’s some stuff around that, but essentially just putting some individuals on show and playing really tight Tasmanian football.”

ROUND 1

vs. Bendigo Pioneers
Saturday March 29, 10:45am
Highgate Recreation Reserve

>> MORE: Must-watch Coates Talent League fixtures in 2025