Bupa TSL Round 9 Back of the Week
Round nine of the Bupa Tasmanian State League season has been run and won, with the southern and northern Bombers notching important wins, and the Blues bouncing back onto the winners list in style.
With such a big round of footy now behind us, we want to know who you considered to be the round’s standout defender, midfielder, and forward.
We will firstly look at the defensive end of the ground, where a Lauderdale star and an emerging Northern Bomber shone brightly.
An honourable mention must also go to young North Hobart defender Bailey Walker. Walker was moved to the dangerous Mitch Thorp in the second term, and despite Thorp already having five goals to his name, Walker kept him goalless for the remainder of the contest.
Sherrin Egger (North Launceston)
Fast becoming an integral member of coach Taylor Whitford’s side, Sherrin Egger again performed well on the vast expanses of UTAS Stadium, providing plenty of drive out of the back half.
The Tigers came to play at UTAS Stadium, but the presence of Egger and teammate Arion Richter-Salter across half back proved crucial in the reigning premiers gaining the upper hand and getting them over the line.
Egger, a former Devonport Magpie, has elite ball skills, and combined with a willingness to take the game on, makes him a dangerous asset for the Bombers, and a difficult proposition for opposition outfits.
Josh McGuinness (Lauderdale)
The start of the 2018 season hasn’t been easy for the Lauderdale Football Club, but a shining light has been the consistency of leader Josh McGuinness.
McGuinness has held down key defensive roles throughout the season, while also drifting through the midfield to become a key rotation.
On the weekend, however, McGuinness sacrificed much of his own game in order to keep the dangerous Jaye Bowden quiet, with Bowden kept quiet for much of the afternoon, aside from a brief 10-minute period in the second term.
Alongside his younger brother Ben in defence, McGuinness is part of a side that looks likely to only improve as the year goes on, making last year’s grand finalists a dangerous proposition once again.
