HAWTHORN defender Grant Birchall has been nominated for the Tasmania Athlete of the Year.

Birchall is one of six finalists for the award, with the triple premiership Hawk up against athletes who have dominated their disciplines at the Commonwealth Games, world cups and the Ashes.

The award aims to recognise the best athletes who are putting Tasmania on the map.

The finalsists are: Grant Birchall (Hawthorn Football Club 2014 premiership player), George Bailey (Australian cricketer, Captain of the T20 team, 2013-14 Ashes winner), Amy Cure (triple medal winner at the 2014 World Cycling Track Championships and dual Commonwealth Games medalist), Tim Deavin (Australian Hockeyroo winner at the 2014 Hockey World Cup), Eddie Ockenden (Australian Hockeyroo winner at the 2014 Hockey World Cup, the Commonwealth Games and the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup) and Hamish Peacock (bronze medal winner at the Commonwealth Games).

Birchall enjoyed another stellar season for the Hawks in 2014 where he won his third AFL premiership and finished second in the Club’s best and fairest, the Peter Crimmins Medal.

Unlucky not to be named in the All Australian squad of 40, Birchall averaged 23.6 disposals and 5.0 marks.

He was one of just four Hawks to play every game this year.

Growing up in Tasmania, Birchall played his junior footy for Devonport before representing Tasmania in the U18 Championships and was identified as one of the class of 2005’s top talents.

He was drafted by the Hawks with pick 14 overall in the National Draft and by 2008 had established himself as one of the prime movers from defence and won himself his first AFL premiership.

In 2012 he was named All Australian for the first time in his career before playing in the Grand Final loss to Sydney Swans.

He got his redemption in 2013 though, winning his second premiership before being part of the back-to-back triumph this year.

The winner of the Southern Cross Television Tasmanian Athlete of the Year award will be announced on 28 November.