Portland's Toby Jennings has long been a standout footballer but his coach believes he has taken one aspect of his game to 'another level' in 2024.
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The prolific midfielder, still just 22, continued his rich vein of form on Saturday, July 20, in his side's 63-point round 13 Hampden league loss to Hamilton Kangaroos.
The first-year Tigers vice-captain collected 35 disposals in wet and slippery conditions, to go with 13 clearances, one goal and a whopping 16 tackles.
He averages 29.8 disposals, 6.5 tackles, 9.2 clearances and almost a goal a game this year, stamping himself as one of the league's top-line midfielders.
Jennings was a star of the competition last year, highlighted by his league MVP trophy win, however Tigers coach Lochie Huppatz believes his contested-game has improved significantly.
"He's always been able to accumulate the football, get forward, kick goals and take big hangers but I've been really impressed by the contested stuff, like the tackle count and his clearance work has gone to another level this year," he told The Standard.
"I think the boys all really noticed that as well...
"That extra layer of leadership that comes with that contested stuff and him putting his body on the line for us is huge and it's really underrated."
Huppatz believes the improvement has been a "natural progression" for Jennings.
The star Tiger has been the epitome of "consistent" across his senior career.
Since debuting at senior level in 2019, he has played 65 games for the Tigers and been named in his side's best players 48 times.
More incredibly, he has played 29 of a possible 31 matches the past two seasons and has been named in the best players in all 29 games.
The rising talent also has a knack for hitting the scoreboard, with 76 goals to his name from the 65 appearances.
"As a coach and as a teammate as well, he's just one of those players that you just love having out there because you know he's going to give you something like that week-in week-out," Huppatz said.
Alongside his ball-winning capabilities, Jennings is a proficient kick with both feet and also possesses a freakish ability to regularly take spectacular marks.
"Pretty much week-in-week out he'll take a mark that you'll remember and same as his older brother up at Leopold, Harris Jennings, they're just very aerial players," he said.
"His old man Mick Jennings was the same. Spent most of his football on someone's shoulders.
"It's in his DNA to be taking those marks but just his ability to find the football (is impressive) and you know if he's got the football he's going to use it really well and put us in a really dangerous position up the ground."
Huppatz is excited to see how good Jennings can become.
"You kind of forget that he's still super young," he said.
"...He hasn't even reached near his potential yet which is a scary thought for opposition teams."
Other notable performers from round 13 include Cobden's Tim Auckland (15 disposals, 85 hit-outs, 12 tackles), Port Fairy's Jake Bartlett (18 disposals, 43 hit-outs, 19 tackles), Terang Mortlake's Lewy Taylor (38 disposals, 11 clearances, 12 tackles) and North Warrnambool Eagle Jackson Grundy (39 disposals, five clearances, 11 tackles).
Matt Hughes
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
Matt is a sports journalist at The Standard.
