'I'm loving it': Hyatt on kicking goals, stepping up and big compliments

The compliment shocked the 22-year-old, who is in his first year of State League football after coming across from Hillwood.

"I'm probably not at this point in time but in three or four years when I'm playing my best footy ... hopefully by then it's true," he said.

"It's obviously a huge compliment, he's probably coached some of the best small forwards in Tasmanian footy so it's huge and I'm kind of embarrassed by it a little bit."

Hyatt joined the Blues in the off-season, looking to play at the higher level alongside brother Isaac, which he thinks will be a major career highlight.

After kicking only one goal in the Blues' first three matches, the former St Patrick's College student has responded with 13 in the next three - sitting fifth in the league.

"The last few weeks I've actually got up the ground a fair bit more and got more of the footy, just trying to get busy around stoppages," he said.

"I feel like when I'm playing well, I'm kicking goals but I'm also getting up the ground, getting involved, taking marks on the wing and helping my teammates out as much as I can."

The warehouse worker, who is also studying at UTAS, was named in the NTFA's 2023 team of the year, kicking 33 goals from 18 matches after 30 in 2022.

He explained the difference between the two competitions, identifying fitness as the main one.

"In the NTFA I could just rely on being a bit faster and quicker than my opponents to be better than them," he said.

"But in the State League, it's a lot more of a level playing field - everyone's a lot fitter.

"The backmen, I feel they obviously put a lot more time into their opponents with vision and research.

"I wanted to get the best out of my footy and I'm loving it."

After going down to Glenorchy last weekend, the Blues face cross-town rivals North Launceston, who Hyatt called 'the benchmark of the competition'.

The Bombers dismantled Launceston in round one, holding them goalless in a 162-point Good Friday thumping.

The small forward described the Blues' effort as poor and is looking forward to the challenge that Friday night's clash presents.

"Since then the training levels and efforts have improved," he said.

"We've also had younger guys that have started stepping up, we've had heaps of debutants and they've all taken the challenge with both hands.

"Little guys like Hunter McGee, he's kicked a couple of goals in the last two games, players like him have come a long way in helping out the team."