Player Watch #24: Tom Powell - signed thru 2026 - finishes 5th in the 2024 SBM.

[Masked Avenger]

He is a very smart footballer has good skills but is slow AF. How do you best counter that.

Sounds a bit like Ben Cunnington that description and look how he turned out.

A lack of leg speed didn't hamper him.

Cunners also had intensity in spades.

That's the missing piece for Tom imo.

 

[Makeshift Park]

'
Ok so to play someone totally unaccountable you need others to work harder to cover for you. ANd fyi that's actually fine.

What we doing with Wardlaw, LDU and Phillips

Wardlaw could get a gig as a partner at Ernst and Young he's so accountable.

Defensive running midfielders are definitely a priority this off-season. Phillips I hope makes it, but we should get Parfitt and/or Lyons to play the Drew role as free agents in case he doesn't.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Powell is my favourite player but right now would you entertain a straight swap Powell goes home to Adelaide & we get Rochelle ?

 

[Themanbun]

Powell is my favourite player but right now would you entertain a straight swap Powell goes home to his home town & we get Rochelle ?

I'd rip their hand off

 

[The acurate one]

Powell is my favourite player but right now would you entertain a straight swap Powell goes home to Adelaide & we get Rochelle ?

FMD he’s your favorite player. Ross crikey .

And mines Bert Nuyon he makes me laugh and a lot.

Bert Nuyon and Powell for Rachelle I think the Crow would be interested.
Thoughts ?

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

I swear he’s not that slow. Like he’s not a slow plodder. His tank has somewhat improved and his body has improved as well. Skills have always been there. Definitely was quicker when he was as thin as a rake. It’s really just that impact in the contest that he needs in my opinion. He’s not consistently impactful at contest. Hopefully it just clicks for him.

 

[ferball]

Powell is my favourite player but right now would you entertain a straight swap Powell goes home to Adelaide & we get Rochelle ?

Nope.

Powell is the highest ranked player of his age for a reason. He's a long way from the finished product too.

 

[archereleven]

One thing you know with Powell is he'll come to the club in great nick after the off-season and get to work.



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[Horizons_00]

He’s not slow, has elite handball skills, nice kick, can even tag and rack up disposals. He came back really fit and stacked on some muscle.

Sure he is inconsistent, but he is only 22 and was BOG imo in a-lot of the games early in the year and we were putrid.

Another few years and hopefully we can lift, all the doubters will be eating their words. He has the talent.

 

[Reagan Smash]

Compare his and LDU’s stats at the same age, there’s not much between them.

And , no I’m not saying he’s as good as LDU but he’s a baby in midfield terms

 

[king of the road]

I really like Tom as a player.

Fact is though, we don’t seem to function well as midfield unit when he’s around the ball and at centre bounces.

Needs to get stronger, better defensively and be able to play the system better.

 

[Ashley B]

Tom is improving. It’s hard to see any improvement with our results but don’t want to let him go.

 

[amaz199]

following the Chad Warner

1

Chad Warner

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.0

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

3star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

2star

CL

0.0

1star

D

7.0

2star

K

4.5

2star

HB

2.5

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.5

4star

CL

0.0

1star

trajectory.

 

[zoomba23]

following the Chad Warner trajectory.

He's like Chad Warner, but without the best traits of Chad Warner

 

[King Corey]

Powell can play.

 

[archereleven]

Given that he has had virtually nobody to learn off, he's progressing very well imo.

Hopefully, he hits the gym again and spends a bit of time in Rye over the off-season.

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[giantroo]

10th in player ratings for under 22s in 2024.
35th for <25s

 

[Passmore]

10th in player ratings for under 22s in 2024.
35th for <25s

View attachment 2094781

2nd out of the top 10 for tackles, 5th for pressure acts.

These data ratings love him.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Given that he has had virtually nobody to learn off, he's progressing very well imo.

Hopefully, he hits the gym again and spends a bit of time in Rye over the off-season.

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Yep this is what annoys me the most.

So many wasted years by not giving these draftees proper onfield role models and someone to learn off.

Then we cry about why they’re taking so long to develop or aren’t there yet.

 

[Themanbun]

10th in player ratings for under 22s in 2024.
35th for <25s

View attachment 2094781

I don't think I could find a single human however who would believe Massimo, Reid or Weddle had a worse year than Tom.

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

I don't think I could find a single human however who would believe Massimo, Reid or Weddle had a worse year than Tom.

Massively flawed ratings system agreed. He’s basically the AFL player ratings darlings. Does enough in contested possession / clearance / score involvements. Gets enough touches. But mainly is Uber-efficient. 78% disposal efficiency (ranks elite for mids). Multiple games with 20+ touches @ 100%, lots with 20+ @ >80%.

At the end of the day he is one of the cleanest mids in the comp with ball in hand. For mids average over 20 touches he has the 2nd best disposal efficiency and 5th best kicking efficiency, with 2 above him in KE being Shiel and Setterfield who played less than 10 games and then also Massimo & McInerney who are wingers.

He is as efficient as Lachie Neale with ball in hand essentially (albeit with half the contested possessions). In space, he’s about as safe a player with ball in hand as it gets.

If he can get his contested ball up, he will be a weapon.

 

[LB2Snake]

Nope.

Powell is the highest ranked player of his age for a reason. He's a long way from the finished product too.

Couldn’t agree more. Reckon TP gunna be a ripper.

 

[archereleven]

I don't think I could find a single human however who would believe Massimo, Reid or Weddle had a worse year than Tom.

Reid averaged the most frees against in the entire league. He would be taking a significant hit for that in his rating.

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[archereleven]

10th in player ratings for under 22s in 2024.
35th for
View attachment 2094781

Sheezel being listed as a med defender even though he played mostly mid this season

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[FootySmartSimpson]

Sounds a bit like Ben Cunnington that description and look how he turned out.

A lack of leg speed didn't hamper him.

Cunners also had intensity in spades.

That's the missing piece for Tom imo.

Tom showed Cunners-like 4D chess vision in his first year, but has seemed to throw those goggles of a cliff sometime since then.

Comparisons with Ben10 will fall well short because of two reasons:

Strength: Tom just does not have the innate strength in the contest that Ben had which allowed him to release handballs while drawing two oppo players.

Defensive intent: now we have to remember Ben started his first 4 years playing with our all-time tackle record holder Swallow. But I’m saying that, Ben showed three times the intent and capability to hunt, tackle and shut down anything that moves within 5 metres.