Player Watch #24: Tom Powell - signed thru 2026

[Horizons_00]

Averages 21d, 5cl, 3m and 4t in 2024 and he’s just turned 22 years of age…

A couple of quiet games is part of the destination, he’ll bounce back.

He is just a bit out of form but he isn't playing in the middle much at all lately

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

He’s just sort of…there at the moment.

 

[Freomaniac]

B grader at best.

Maybe.... But he got 22 disposals on the weekend.

He could be anything. He could be a serviceable 20 disposal a game fringe player.

Could be a 25 disposals a game player and get All selection a couple of times if North Melbourne are contending for finals

 

[Psicosis]

With Wardlaw missing, it’s head scratching that he saw no increase in CBAs. Patch & Clarksons balance of CBA attendance has been a mess all year and as a result hurting Tom’s form.

 

[hotchilli]

With Wardlaw missing, it’s head scratching that he saw no increase in CBAs. Patch & Clarksons balance of CBA attendance has been a mess all year and as a result hurting Tom’s form.

Eh I really like what Tom is capable of but I feel like he slipped down the midfield pecking order due to some of his lacklustre defensive efforts when he was in the primary group earlier in the year.

 

[chubbspeterson]

Don't believe him or LDU have gotten through a full season of AFL footy so he's experiencing the grind this year imo.
Definitely not trading him yet. When he gets to free agency in a few years there might be a call made but how about we wait until there's an actual problem and somebody takes his spot.
As much as I don't rate Scott its probably the same situation there as well until somebody grabs it.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

With Wardlaw missing, it’s head scratching that he saw no increase in CBAs. Patch & Clarksons balance of CBA attendance has been a mess all year and as a result hurting Tom’s form.

It’s not super surprising when you think about the changing nature of the centre bounce setup.

Last week we went in with an extra midfielder which pushed him out.

Plus, when you go with a tagger that takes up 1 place at the majority of all centre bounces. So it leaves LDU, Simpkin, Sheez and Powell rotating through 2 spots. You could argue that Simpkin had too many on the weekend, but he was the designated inside mid so needed to be there for that balance.

Ultimately, Will Phil’s inclusion will naturally hurt Powell’s time in the centre.

 

[shinboner magic]

Needs to have a big off season to improve his speed off the mark - looks stuck in quicksand at times.

 

[r_boy]

He has not bought into the rabid defensive efforts that are making us more competitive.

 

[Moti]

The current long-term A Team for the midfield is:

Xerri, Wardlaw, LDU, McKercher, Scott and Phillips

Anyone not on that list is on the pine, occupying space on a flank or in the VFL. It wasn't long ago that he was holding that last spot and Phillips was in the VFL. I think some spots will be in flux for a while and with injuries there is always opportunity to shine. It is a bit disappointing that without Wardlaw and currently McKercher isn't in the side/not in the midfield that he wasn't able to step up and have more impact.

The issue is going to be, if we take another top midfield talent in the draft then unless you can make some serious inroads your option will be to play a lesser support role or find a different club that doesn't have the same calibre of players ahead of you.

Scott and Philips don’t belong in that group. One can’t hit the side of a barn and the other has only had a couple of solid tagging efforts.

They are in that group with Powell that have got deficiencies that could break them.


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[Zebrah]

I think he is class. Overshadowed a bit recently, but still averaging 20 for the season.

Not quite Sheezel levels, but I feel comfortable when he has the ball. A bit to work on, but he is a keeper.

 

[7577969923]

If you look at year-on-year comparisons, he is actually on a very similar trajectory to LDU when you look at his numbers. Also similar to LDU at the same stage, there are a bunch of posters in here very quick to write him off or call him limited.

From where I sit Tom still has a lot of improvement in him over the next 2 to 3 seasons at which point he will still only be 25. Improved strength and tank will be a big part of that and those things take time for kids that come into the system with very slight frames. He is one of the best two or three on the list in terms of decision-making and disposal with the ball in hand. Just needs to work hard enough to get the ball more often in damaging positions, and improve both his physicality and defensive efforts.

If Tom can continue his improvement trajectory over the next three years but still is only 5th or 6th in the pecking order for our midfield, we will be in a very strong place.

 

[ferball]

If you look at year-on-year comparisons, he is actually on a very similar trajectory to LDU when you look at his numbers. Also similar to LDU at the same stage, there are a bunch of posters in here very quick to write him off or call him limited.

From where I sit Tom still has a lot of improvement in him over the next 2 to 3 seasons at which point he will still only be 25. Improved strength and tank will be a big part of that and those things take time for kids that come into the system with very slight frames. He is one of the best two or three on the list in terms of decision-making and disposal with the ball in hand. Just needs to work hard enough to get the ball more often in damaging positions, and improve both his physicality and defensive efforts.

If Tom can continue his improvement trajectory over the next three years but still is only 5th or 6th in the pecking order for our midfield, we will be in a very strong place.

While I tend to agree with this I do remember LDU making chase down tackles from his first year but i don't see alot of that with Powell.

Also, LDU said publicly last week that someone called him lazy earlier in his career and he upped his workrate across the board (on and off field, in and out of season) as a result.

 

[Sphynx]

I think he is class. Overshadowed a bit recently, but still averaging 20 for the season.

Not quite Sheezel levels, but I feel comfortable when he has the ball. A bit to work on, but he is a keeper.

He's fantastic with the ball. No question, really one of the most damaging young mids in the league with it per possession. It's only 1 side of the game though.

He was viewed as a big accumulator at junior level with OK skills. That was definitely an incorrect categorization. He really is a brilliant ball user by both foot and hand. His kicking particularly is so much better at AFL level than what was predicted.

A lot of his current issues are his 2-way defensive running and even his defensive ability around stoppage.

There's a bit of poor timing as well.

Clarko has decided to play a tagger the last 4 weeks, which has also coincided with Simpkin's return.


It's something that needs to be addressed long term.

We likely take another top midfielder this year.


We can't make the same mistake we made with Phillips, we can't just play Powell off of a half forward flank or off the bench with 15% CBA's the next 2 years.

If that is how the club views him, we need to trade him whilst he has currency and move that trade capital into other positions.

 

[Its a Process]

He's fantastic with the ball. No question, really one of the most damaging young mids in the league with it per possession. It's only 1 side of the game though.

He was viewed as a big accumulator at junior level with OK skills. That was definitely an incorrect categorization. He really is a brilliant ball user by both foot and hand. His kicking particularly is so much better at AFL level than what was predicted.

A lot of his current issues are his 2-way defensive running and even his defensive ability around stoppage.

There's a bit of poor timing as well.

Clarko has decided to play a tagger the last 4 weeks, which has also coincided with Simpkin's return.


It's something that needs to be addressed long term.

We likely take another top midfielder this year.


We can't make the same mistake we made with Phillips, we can't just play Powell off of a half forward flank or off the bench with 15% CBA's the next 2 years.

If that is how the club views him, we need to trade him whilst he has currency and move that trade capital into other positions.

Surely with his skillset and natural ball winning ability we can turn him into a great winger or flanker who can pinch hit in the middle. End up playing becoming an important role player like a Mitch Duncan, Oli Florent or Jack Crisp?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Surely with his skillset and natural ball winning ability we can turn him into a great winger or flanker who can pinch hit in the middle. End up playing becoming an important role player like a Mitch Duncan, Oli Florent or Jack Crisp?

He doesn’t have the pace to create separation in those positions.

It’s centre square mid or bust.

The problem being we already have two guys who are, and will continue to be better in that position.

 

[7577969923]

While I tend to agree with this I do remember LDU making chase down tackles from his first year but i don't see alot of that with Powell.

Also, LDU said publicly last week that someone called him lazy earlier in his career and he upped his workrate across the board (on and off field, in and out of season) as a result.

Yep. That was Gerard Healy, who surfs with LDU a bit and gives him some mentoring as well.

Maybe that's LDU's next step in his development as a leader, take Tommy under his wing and give him a similar message.

 

[PokerRoo]

Can see him ending up is the same position as Trent Dumont

43

Trent Dumont

Age

29

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

10.5

4star

HB

9.4

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

2.6

4star

D

20.1

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

9.7

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

2.4

4star

D

9.6

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

0.6

1star

T

4.4

5star

CL

2.6

5star

. Good player, but will be overtaken by players with more tricks. If he doesn't learn to make an impact outside of being a pure Mid, then he wont make it. He isn't alone in this. Unless you are Top Tier A-Grade Midfielder you need to play other positions.

 

[apollo_creed]

Scott and Philips don’t belong in that group. One can’t hit the side of a barn and the other has only had a couple of solid tagging efforts.

They are in that group with Powell that have got deficiencies that could break them.


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Scott being in the a-team for the midfield is one of the weirder calls.
the guy is scared of body contact and can't kick and we're talking him up as being in our a-team midfield..

**** me. can't work out why we finish bottom all the time.

 

[Zebrah]

He's fantastic with the ball. No question, really one of the most damaging young mids in the league with it per possession. It's only 1 side of the game though.

He was viewed as a big accumulator at junior level with OK skills. That was definitely an incorrect categorization. He really is a brilliant ball user by both foot and hand. His kicking particularly is so much better at AFL level than what was predicted.

A lot of his current issues are his 2-way defensive running and even his defensive ability around stoppage.

There's a bit of poor timing as well.

Clarko has decided to play a tagger the last 4 weeks, which has also coincided with Simpkin's return.


It's something that needs to be addressed long term.

We likely take another top midfielder this year.


We can't make the same mistake we made with Phillips, we can't just play Powell off of a half forward flank or off the bench with 15% CBA's the next 2 years.

If that is how the club views him, we need to trade him whilst he has currency and move that trade capital into other positions.

Agree needs to work on his defensive side.

We would get well unders for him at the moment. And it would have to be a player rather than a pick (eg if we bundled up Powell and pick 1/2 for a young key forward like Cadman, Ugle-Hagan, King etc). But don’t think others would rate him high enough.

We have a lot of potentially good mids, but I think he finds a place given his trajectory. When you have talent, you find a way to fit them in and I think he is versatile enough.

 

[Its a Process]

He doesn’t have the pace to create separation in those positions.

It’s centre square mid or bust.

The problem being we already have two guys who are, and will continue to be better in that position.

Jake Lloyd isn't fast and he managed to play back and become an a grade distributor, so did Caleb Daniel.

He has the tools to play multiple positions, it's up to him to make it work.

 

[archereleven]

He is the best two-way wing we have. End of discussion.

You need to be a 2-way runner when you turn it over incessantly.

Not hating on the bloke, but when our wingers are getting the ball 52 times, with 12 turnovers and 40 other vanilla disposals, then we are on a hiding to nothing.

Can he play well? Of course, but the turnovers are coach killers, and they occur regularly.

Clarko had Lewis, Smith, and Hill running through the wings at Hawthorn. He must bury his head in his hands at what he has to choose from here.


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[Tas]

Scott being in the a-team for the midfield is one of the weirder calls.
the guy is scared of body contact and can't kick and we're talking him up as being in our a-team midfield..

**** me. can't work out why we finish bottom all the time.

You and Moti must come from the Nostri school of lack of awareness.

It isn't my wish list or what I think the future will be, it is my opinion of what the status quo is right at the moment based on who the club picks, where they play them and what their current form/output is. It was Phillips out and Powell in prior to Phillips coming back and playing that tagging role. His ability to limit a good opposition midfielder plus whatever he contributes offensively is just greater than whatever Powell offers atm.

Powell's current form isn't anything to write home about at present. That may change between now and the end of the season, but it is what I think the current reality is.

Whatever some posters here feel, the club values Scott significantly more than your own opinion, if you can't identify there is a massive variance between your own opinion of reality and what the club thinks then it isn't something I can help you with.

 

[tazaa]

Averages 21d, 5cl, 3m and 4t in 2024 and he’s just turned 22 years of age…

A couple of quiet games is part of the destination, he’ll bounce back.

His first 6 weeks were amazing.
Then he had an up and down month leading into the bye and has been poor ever since.

He cracked 20 disposals for the first time on Saturday since round 10, and that’s after he copped a bake at quarter time after he only registered a single handball in the opening term.

His drop in output from round 7 or so onwards has been noticeable, to the point now role players like Curtis Taylor and Tony Pink potentially have more job security than him. Crazy but it’s how it feels.

If he was taken at pick 3 and Will picked instead at 13, the heat on this bloke would be intense.

If McKercher comes back this week, I’ll be keen to see Tommy’s output.
And then Wardlaw’s back for the Sydney game.
Competition for spots is going to be interesting.

 

[acelujak]

His first 6 weeks were amazing.
Then he had an up and down month leading into the bye and has been poor ever since.

He cracked 20 disposals for the first time on Saturday since round 10, and that’s after he copped a bake at quarter time after he only registered a single handball in the opening term.

His drop in output from round 7 or so onwards has been noticeable, to the point now role players like Curtis Taylor and Tony Pink potentially have more job security than him. Crazy but it’s how it feels.

If he was taken at pick 3 and Will picked instead at 13, the heat on this bloke would be intense.

If McKercher comes back this week, I’ll be keen to see Tommy’s output.
And then Wardlaw’s back for the Sydney game.
Competition for spots is going to be interesting.

Gun player and hoping he re-discovers that early season form. That said, competition for spots will be a great problem for us to have.


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