Bupa TSL Round 5 Forward of the Week

Three heavyweights of the competition flexed their muscle across round five of the Bupa Tasmanian State League season, with Glenorchy, North Launceston and Launceston reinforcing their reputations as teams to beat. 

We want to know who you considered to be the premier defenders, midfielders, ruckmen and forwards of the round.

Here we are taking a look at the goalkickers, with premiership-winning Northern Bomber Tom Bennett and Glenorchy young gun Jye Bearman the contenders.

Tom Bennett (North Launceston)

Star Bomber Tom Bennett proved to be a handful for a youthful North Hobart outfit, kicking five goals in a performance that reaped two RACT Insurance Player of the Year votes.

Bennett combined well with Tom Couch and Zach Burt inside 50 to stretch the young Demons, who were without skipper and defensive general Hugh Williams.

With the ability to mark overhead and in front, combined with accurate goalkicking and a hunger for the ball at ground level, Bennett is a difficult proposition for any side, with his five-goal taking him to equal second on the goal-kicking tally, three goals behind leader Mitch Thorp.

Jye Bearman (Glenorchy)

Glenorchy live-wire Jye Bearman returned to the Magpies’ senior side on ANZAC Day, kicking three sensational goals to help his side to a hard fought 20-point victory at Kingston’s Twin Ovals.

At just 15 years of age and in just his second game of senior football, Bearman was dynamic whenever he touched the football, kicking two first-quarter goals to help his side get off to a promising start.

With six goals in just two games at TSL level, Bearman looks to be a player to watch for the future, with his composure, elite skills and X-Factor dynamic leading coach Paul Kennedy to admit that he has a mercurial factor to his game in a similar vein to high profile teammates Jaye Bowden and Zac Webster.