Tamworth coach Peter Burke believes teenage ace Harry Snook actually doesn't know "just how talented he is".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The Magpies' excitement machine added another accolade to a long list of achievements in 2019, which includes playing for Combined States at the Australian Schools Championships, when he was awarded the Ken McConville Shield as the player of most potential in the New England competition at Saturday's grand final.
Hearing Snook's name would have come as no surprise to anyone that witnessed the mercurial youngster, who burst onto the scene with a club record top-grade points haul on debut, in action.
It certainly didn't Burke.
"Certainly from all the players I've seen around there is no one his age in this competition that has the potential that he is playing with," he said.
Blessed with silky skills and natural speed, it is however some of the less noticeable attributes that most impressed Burke, and others alike.
"He might have only been 16 this year but he was displaying the maturity of someone who has played a couple of years of first grade," Burke said.
READ ALSO:
He's not frightened to tackle either, as he showed in the major semi-final, when Robb continually ran their big forwards at him.
Perhaps most importantly though he "just has a sense of where to be in attack".
"He'll just pop up in the right spot," Burke said.
"Sometimes that is an uncoachable thing."
He also versatile, playing wing, fullback and five-eighth in the handful of games he played, his time in a Magpies jumper unfortunately limited by his representative commitments.
Burke doesn't expect that to change next season.
"I don't know how much we'll see of him next year," he said.
"I think he'll be playing representative football."
Snook was one of two Magpies' players to be recognised in the zone awards with captain James Bracken awarded the Roundtable Shield for the best and fairest player as chosen by the referees.
"I was personally really thrilled for him to get some recognition from the zone," Burke said.
"Apart from being good natured, Jimmy is one of those players who plays the game really well but is rarely recognised."
Someone who "puts the team before himself", the breakaway has by Burke's recollection only missed one game in the two seasons he has been in charge.
Bracken is the first to admit his form dropped off a bit last season but he has had a "wonderful season" in 2019.
"This season especially the first half to three quarters of it his form was sensational," Burke said.
Towards the end of the season a few niggles started to hamper him.
