BUPA TSL TEAM OF THE YEAR 2020
BACKS
Josh Arnold (Glenorchy)
The Magpies co-captain had a tremendous season in defence for the Magpies. A bright light in a glum year for Glenorchy. His use by foot and leadership has been a feature in a stellar individual season for the experienced defender.
Arnold’s incredible season is backed up by the stats, averaging 21.5 disposals across 12 games. He was sixth in the competition for disposals, second for kicks, seventh for marks, fifth for intercept marks, third for rebound 50s, fourth for one percenters and second for spoils.
Corey Nankervis (North Launceston)
The competition’s best lock down defender. Nankervis returned to the TSL and has dominated forwards week-in, week-out. He has claimed many scalps this season, none bigger than his job on the dangerous Dylan Riley, holding him to just three disposals.
His ability to lock down the opposition’s most prolific forward has not only blunted the opposition but has allowed for other defenders to be aggressive in positioning.
Jacob Boyd (Launceston)
A much improved player and a deserved Team of the Year member. Boyd has been a mainstay in the Blues defence this season and has been a large part of why the Blues have been the stingiest defence in 2020, conceding the least points of any team.
He is a lock-down asset for Coach Mitch Thorp and while he isn’t a high possession getter, he is a strong aerial presence. Boyd finished the season as equal 7th for marks.
HALF BACKS
Jay Foon (North Launceston)
The North Launceston superstar continues to be one of the competition’s most influential players. A rebounding half back that sets up the Northern Bombers.
A strong interception player that provides dash and effective kicking.
Foon has averaged 19 touches and five marks a game across 12 games.
Finishing the season eighth for disposals, fifth for kicks, third for marks, seventh for intercept marks and eighth for rebound 50s.
Josh McGuinness (Lauderdale)
VICE-CAPTAIN
The Lauderdale Co-Captain is a star of the competition. There isn’t another defender in the competition that provides defence and attack in equal measure to the level of Josh McGuinness.
He is able to stop attacks and then instigate them himself, averaging 23 disposals and six marks.
McGuinness is a picture of consistency, having less than 20 disposals on just two occasions.
McGuinness leads the competition for marks and rebound 50s. Additionally the Bombers star is third for disposals and kicks, sixth for handballs, third for intercept marks and fourth for back 50 tackles.
Jeromey Webberley (Clarence)
Completing the defence for 2020 is the Clarence Coach Jeromey Webberley. The Roos Coach turned back the clock in 2020, to be one of the competition’s most consistent performers.
He played a number of positions across the season but proved particularly influential off half back, orchestrating things for his team. He has lead his young side with aplomb with his football doing the talking, especially important in the Roos upset win over Launceston.
Webberley finished the season top 10 in disposals, kicks and inside 50s.
CENTRES
Taylor Whitford (North Launceston)
The Coach of the irresistible force that is North Launceston has turned out yet another stellar individual season.
Whitford has been the competition’s stand out option on the wing, averaging 18.5 disposals, four marks and a goal a game. Rarely plays a bad game and sets the tone for his side with his tenacity and work rate. Has played a lot of wing in 2020 but has also continued to be dangerous at the contest and inside 50.
Whitford’s dominance sees him well represented across a number of key statistical categories. Ninth for disposals, sixth for kicks, ninth for contested disposals, equal seventh for marks, sixth for clearances, fourth for hard ball gets, ninth for goals, fifth for inside 50s, fourth for score assists and fifth for score involvements.
Jobi Harper (Launceston)
CAPTAIN
What a season Jobi Harper had. The Launceston Captain was a ballistic beast in 2020.
A big bodied contested bull that hits the scoreboard, Harper was undoubtedly one of the players of the season.
Averaging 23 disposals, 4.5 marks, 3 tackles and almost a goal a game – Harper’s season was statistically jaw dropping. Harper finished second for disposals, fourth for kicks, fourth for hand balls, second for contested disposals, sixth for marks, sixth for contested marks, first for clearances, first for hard ball gets, sixth for loose ball gets, third for inside 50s, eighth for score assists and fifth for score involvements.
A brilliant individual season.
Josh Ponting (North Launceston)
Josh Ponting wasn’t meant to be playing TSL this season but the reigning Lynch Medallist picked up where he left off, as one of the competition’s premier midfielders.
As has been the case so frequently in previous seasons, for the Northern Bombers it all starts with Josh Ponting. The extractor instigates so much of North Launceston’s ball movement, bringing the ball out and into the hands of teammates but is also damaging on the outside, himself.
Ponting has averaged a whopping 26 disposals across 12 games. The competition leader for disposals, handballs and contested disposals. In other categories, ‘Punter’ also ranks highly, at eighth in kicks, third for clearances, second for hard ball gets, second for loose ball gets, fourth for inside 50s, sixth for score assists, fifth for score involvements and second for tackles.
HALF FORWARDS
Bradley Cox-Goodyer (North Launceston)
Another strong season from the TSL’s answer to Dustin Martin. The North Launceston skipper has been highly influential through midfield and inside 50, averaging 20 disposals and a goal a game. An explosive player with a penetrating boot, capable of the spectacular. ‘BCG’ is first in the competition for inside 50s, second for score involvements, fourth for clearances, sixth for contested disposals, seventh for disposals, kicks and hand balls.
Jaye Bowden (Glenorchy)
It was the most difficult position for selection this season with very few key forwards having stand out seasons in 2020. The Prince of KGV gets the gong at Centre Half Forward with his sizzling seven games enough to claim the position. In just seven games the Glenorchy superstar finished seventh for contested marks and marks inside 50 and fifth for goals, capping off an incredible TSL career with another team of the year nod.
Jake Hinds (Launceston)
Hinds has been a live-wire for the Blues inside 50 in season 2020, averaging 13.5 disposals and 1.5 goals a game.
The feisty forward has presented well and has been a key connector for Launceston and has been one of the competition’s most dominant forwards. Hinds is second in the competition for marks, third for contested marks, third for marks inside 50, third for goals, fourth for goal assists, eighth for inside 50s, eighth for loose ball gets and ninth for score involvements.
He has also been destructive with his stints in at the centre square and offers a different look for Launceston.
FORWARDS
Dylan Riley (Launceston)
The 2020 Hudson medalist has been one of the stand out players in the competition and far and away the best performing forward. His bag of eight goals against the Tigers a standout performance in a tremendous individual year.
Riley is an impossible match-up, strong in the air and at ground level. Truly a defender’s nightmare. Riley averaged 10 disposals and almost three goals a game, booting 34 goals for the season.
Riley leads the competition for goals, marks inside 50, score involvements, second for contested marks, second for score assists, third for forward 50 tackles and seventh for marks.
Tyler Carter (Kingborough)
The Tigers big man had a fantastic season, finishing second in the Hudson Medal with 21 goals.
Carter presented well and was a reliable goal kicker, making the most of his looks inside 50.
Ninth in the competition for marks inside 50 and the year’s top performing key forward.
Luke Nelson (Lauderdale)
The Lauderdale small forward has been a tremendous acquisition, booting 18 goals in 10 games to become one of the competition’s most dangerous smalls.
Quick, neat by foot and efficient inside 50. Has been integral to Lauderdale’s attack, third in the competition for goals and second for score involvements.
FOLLOWERS
Alex Lee (North Launceston)
The undisputed best ruckman in the TSL. Lee produced week-in week-out, averaging 31 hit outs a game to give the Northern Bomber on-ball brigade first look on most occasions. He had several stand out performances, polling seven RACTI Player of the Year votes.
Sam Siggins (Lauderdale)
The ultimate swiss army knife. Siggins had yet another outstanding season as a tall, mobile on-baller, that also is able to float forward or into the ruck to rip apart games.
Siggins averaged 22 disposals in season 2020, accumulating the fifth most disposals in the competition. He is a balanced player, rating high in a number of key categories. He was second for hand balls, third for contested disposals, fifth for clearances, 10th for hitouts, third for hard ball gets and equal second for score involvements.
A nightmare match-up, capable of influencing the game in any position.
Kieran Lovell (Kingborough)
Another awesome year from the Tigers’ ball magnet.
Lovell averaged 24 disposals, including 19 kicks and nearly a goal a game.
Lovell was a force to be reckoned with and had some monster matches but none bigger than his 40 disposal game against the Magpies in Round 10.
Lovell has regularly caught the eyes of the media for RACT Insurance Player of the Year and racked a lot of the footy, blending strong contested work with stylish use by foot. The prolific ball winning midfielder finished fourth overall for disposals, first for kicks, second for clearances, fourth for contested disposals, first for loose ball gets and first for inside 50s.
INTERCHANGE
Elijah Reardon (Kingborough)
An electrifying player, Reardon wasted little time to catch the eye in season 2020, climbing to the heavens to take mark of the year.
Reardon is a burst player that has moments that determine and devastate games.
The league leader for back 50 tackles, third for intercept marks, third for one percenters and ninth for rebound 50s.
Oliver Davis (Clarence)
The 2020 Richardson Medalist might only be 18 years old but was one of the league’s most influential inside midfielders this season, averaging 20 disposals and seven tackles a game.
The young on-baller is a tackling machine, laying the most tackles of any player for the 2020 season. The inside midfield bull grew to be a young leader for the Roos helping steer the inexperienced outfit to finals.
The Tasmania Devils Captain is an exciting draft prospect and has made the best of his opportunities in the TSL this season, as a competition leader in a number of categories – first for tackles, third for handballs, 10th for disposals, seventh for hard ball gets, fifth for loose ball gets.
Ethan Jackson (Clarence)
Ethan Jackson had a stellar season, taking his game to a new level as a key commander in the Roos midfield.
The youngster averaged 17 touches and four tackles a game and was a picture of consistency. Alongside Davis, Jackson did his best on the inside of the contest. Eighth for contested disposals and handballs, seventh for clearances, sixth for hard ball gets and sixth for midfield tackles.
Jay Blackberry (Launceston)
The experienced blue stood up in the big moments in 2020, becoming a key impact player for his side. Blackberry became a star inside 50 whilst remaining highly influential when in at the centre bounce.
The veteran notched 200 TSL games this season and showed no signs of slowing down. Ninth for kicks, eighth for clearances, hard ball gets, sixth for inside 50s, eighth for tackles and second for forward 50 tackles and ninth for score involvements.
SELECTION DILEMMAS
There were selection headaches with a number of players unlucky to miss the cut.
Centre Half Forward was by far the most debated out and discussed position with no clear cut option in the position. Jaye Bowden was preferred to Lauderdale full forward Toutai Havea, Northern Bombers youngster Jackson Callow and North Hobart big man Julian Dobosz, due to his sheer impact in the actual position. Others required consideration but either didn’t have enough of an impact or play enough in the position.
In the middle of the ground Tiger Will Campbell offered a strong case, as did Lauderdale’s Adrian Kalcovski and Launceston’s bollocking midfielder Fletcher Seymour. Troy Cunliffe and Jack Sandric both had strong seasons and were the pick of the Demons but were unable to sneak into the 22.
Clarence rebounder Keegan Wylie and Tigers shut down defender Blake McCulloch, as well as former Richardson Medallist Will Poland, were the back-men most strongly considered outside of the final team.
