THE Northern team failed in its attempt to win the John Hanson Shield for the third year in succession.
Playing at the Launceston Works Club, the North-West team won 23 matches to clinch the shield ahead of North, 16, and South, 9.
The shield is played in honour of a former great, the late John Hanson, who won the Tasmanian snooker championship in 1981, as well as the North Island of New Zealand championship in the late '70s.
Northern players dominated the best snooker break awards: Andrew Saltmarsh, cues 1-2 (29), Steve Leary, cues 3-4 (26), Andrew Rainbow, cues 5-6 (20). Chris Sutton (NW) won the highest billiard break with 47.
Jeremy Cowie's break of 54 didn't count as the tournament was decided before his match.

State championship
THE finals matches will be played at the Burnie Club over the coming weekend. Top-class snooker will be on show and the public are urged to support the players. Matches start at 10.30 am on Saturday, with the state final on Sunday.
Graeme Pickett (North) v Steve Carroll (S), Gregg Watt (S) v Callam Bissett (NW), Peter Donati (N) v Anthony Adams (S), Les Higgins (S) v Brian Cole in (NW).
Entry is free of charge.

Interclub
VETERAN Launceston RSL player Roydyn Bishop became the third Northern player to take his handicap to minus, notching up his sixth straight win in A grade interclub snooker.
The former dual Tasmanian champion, who celebrated his 65th birthday last week, is enjoying a return to form.
Exeter Black kept alive its slim chance of defending its 2010 premiership with a 3-1 win over Works Gold. Still six points out of the four, it has this week's bye and will need to win both remaining matches to make the finals. Ben Swain, Gary Bakker and Rex Swain all won for Exeter, while Trevor Leary was Gold's only winner.
Top team the Raiders were held to a 2-2 draw with Launceston RSL Grey. Alan Armitage (2-1) and Lionel Young (2-1) won for the Raiders and Roydyn Bishop and Paul Zoon both won 2-1 for the RSL team.
Works Black also drew with Works Blue. Bruce Lockley (2-1) and Andrew Saltmarsh (2-0) won for Black, while Michael Leslie (2-0) and Rolf Stevenson (2-1) won for Works Blue.
In A reserve, Works Green moved 15 points clear on top, with a 9-3 win over the RSL White team.