DASHING defender Jackson Thurlow is doing all he can to win a NAB Rising Star nomination.

Champion Data's stats show that the 21-year-old Tasmanian, who has played eight games this season, taking his career tally to 18, is among the leading youngsters in the competition.

After tallying 23 disposals and six marks while roaming across half-back in the big win over Essendon in round 10, Thurlow is ranked …

* 1st among rising stars for total rebound 50s (35)

* 2nd among rising stars for total kicks (105)

* 3rd among rising stars for total effective disposals (132)

* 3rd among rising stars for total marks (45)

Thurlow's accurate kicking has been a feature of his game this season.

His kicking efficiency is 77.1 per cent, and he has certainly won over the Cats' forwards with his ability to pin-point a teammate.

Thurls has one of the best right pegs to lead to in the comp #mightycats — Mitch Clark (@mitchjclark) June 6, 2015

Cats fans are now pondering whether Thurlow will eventually move from half-back and become a regular midfielder, and a question along these lines was put to Chris Scott in this week's episode of Tweet The Coach.

Scott replied: "I think there seems to be a consensus generally in the football public that you play your best footy players in the middle of the ground.

"We don't necessarily subscribe to that theory.

"Corey Enright's a really good example. He clearly was going to be a good enough player to play through the midfield, but he has gone on to become one of the greatest mid-sized defenders of all time.

"So we think that if Jackson's best position is at half-back, that's where we should develop him.

"It doesn't preclude him from going into the midfield at times, but we think his best position for the team at the moment is back."

Thurlow in action at training at Simonds Stadium