The Examiner has introduced a NTFA premier player of the year award to discover the best big-game performer.
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It is not designed to imitate the coach or umpire votes but rather provide a point of difference. Its purpose is to identify the best performances particularly in the most-competitive matches.
The competition encompasses a three-two-one voting system based on each round with a player's influence on the game and their opposition strongly considered.
Bridgenorth's Jake Hinds - 3 votes
While the Parrots versus Roos match wasn't round four's most competitive, a nine-goal performance was too hard to look past in what was a relatively even affair.
The Parrots led by three points at half-time before Hinds booted six majors in the third term to put the result beyond doubt.
Bridgenorth surged to a 50-point lead by three-quarter-time before winning by 60 points.
Hinds took his season goal tally to 17 from four games after kicking 39 for Launceston Blues in 2023.
He equaled his best haul from last year which he achieved against Glenorchy in round seven.
Hinds has been building into the season with one goal, then two, then five and then nine.
He has also featured in the Parrots' best four times.
South Launceston's Brendan Taylor - 2 votes
Taylor, another former Blue, gets two votes for his starring role in what was the weekend's most competitive contest.
The Bulldogs won their first versus second battle against Longford by 22 points at home after trailing by two points at half-time.
Taylor also featured in South's better players against Bridgenorth in round two and was regularly in their best last season.
While the experienced campaigner has yet to hit the scoreboard this season, he booted 22 goals in 2023.
Hillwood's Archie Wilkinson - 1 vote
The strong target had been building to his six-goal haul with eight majors across his first three games.
Wilkinson receives one vote for kicking a bag of goals against a George Town outfit that has made a strong start to the season. The Sharks won by 61 points after leading by 30 at the final change.
It appears the twin towers forward combination of Wilkinson and Tom Bennett is working a treat for the Sharks.
The former is on track to match the 58 goals he kicked last year while off-season recruit Bennett has already slotted 13 majors this season, including three on the weekend.
Leaderboard:
- Cody Lowe - 5 votes
- Hamish Leedham - 3 votes
- Luke McCarty - 3 votes
- Jake Hinds - 3 votes