Tom Williams coming along nicely

[cosmicr]

A big to Tommy he's having a great year, and congrats to him on his second career goal!

Have to say he's looking really comfortable down back, and as his confidence gains he's pushing forward and does alright in the ruck too. To see him play now you wouldn't say he's from a Rugby background at all.

We took Williams at a high pick (#6 in 2004) and you would expect a player taken that high to come bursting out with talent, but due to his injury(s) he's had to take the long path, but now the dividends are paying off.

Keep up the good work Tom!

 

[pabart]

That's not good enough cosmicr ... you don't praise Williams. Williams role here is as whipping boy. You just can't have a whipping boy that can't be whipped. I suggest you see a Big Footy psychologist and get your head back in order!

(By the way I totally agree ... even with all his troubles he has such an upside that we would have been silly to not persevere. We seem to be getting our 'reward' now')

(His goal was pretty good ... the impact of Brian rubbing off, now every backman wannts to sneak down there and jag on. He enjoyed it too.)

 

[Kelvin31]

Yes and he is backing himself in contested marking and much better by foot. By all reports Brian Lake has been tutoring Tom on where to run and body positioning which is starting to show. Could be our version of a Mackie/Enright type of player in a few years.

 

[The Original Swooper]

Tommy seems to polarise our supporters. With Eagleton out, he seems to have been elevated from part time scapegoat to full time. I had a dip at one of our supporters on Sunday. One of those morons who are being negative even when we are 10 goals up. I don't think I've heard a compliment emanate from his gob all season. Tommy's timing was terrific. After numb nuts abused Tommy, then referred to Minson and Tommy as the Dud Brothers, also inferring they were of "special needs" intellect (you all know the r word is so not pc..:>)), I had my dig. Then up pops Tommy kicks a goal. I asked the loudmouth how many goals his opponent had kicked.... he looked blank...I reminded him that Tom's opponent at the time (Hansen) hadn't registered a possie let alone a goal. As we all saw, Hansen then kicked a goal, so he let rip back into me. I had to point towards the I/C to inform him Williams was resting on the pine, and Hansens opponent at the time was non other than our AA FB, Mr Brian Lake. He finally dropped off on the Tommy-knockers...... and proceeded to abuse Bobby Murphy for the rest of the game. Some folks are totally clueless.

hooroo.....

 

[Testekill]

Yeah, Tommy has come leaps and bounds from the last couple of years. He's been fit for the year and it's really paid dividends as his confidence is sky-high and you can really see it improving his game.

 

[pabart]

Tommy seems to polarise our supporters. With Eagleton out, he seems to have been elevated from part time scapegoat to full time. I had a dip at one of our supporters on Sunday. One of those morons who are being negative even when we are 10 goals up. I don't think I've heard a compliment emanate from his gob all season. Tommy's timing was terrific. After numb nuts abused Tommy, then referred to Minson and Tommy as the Dud Brothers, also inferring they were of "special needs" intellect (you all know the r word is so not pc..:>)), I had my dig. Then up pops Tommy kicks a goal. I asked the loudmouth how many goals his opponent had kicked.... he looked blank...I reminded him that Tom's opponent at the time (Hansen) hadn't registered a possie let alone a goal. As we all saw, Hansen then kicked a goal, so he let rip back into me. I had to point towards the I/C to inform him Williams was resting on the pine, and Hansens opponent at the time was non other than our AA FB, Mr Brian Lake. He finally dropped off on the Tommy-knockers...... and proceeded to abuse Bobby Murphy for the rest of the game. Some folks are totally clueless.

hooroo.....

I assume you have reserved seats at The Dome?
That's a good review on the pitfall of reserved seats; you just have to put up with those about you.
You can't really give it to Mr Negative when you know he is going to be there next week; although I do know that the club will deal with 'problem people' the next year round.

 

[Bulldog Joe]

Yes and he is backing himself in contested marking and much better by foot. By all reports Brian Lake has been tutoring Tom on where to run and body positioning which is starting to show. Could be our version of a Mackie/Enright type of player in a few years.

I believe Tommy is in the group being mentored by the great Chris Grant.

The group also includes Liam Jones and Jarrad Grant and some involvement with a certain Jordan Roughead.

The group seem to be doing OK.

 

[stefoid]

Yes and he is backing himself in contested marking and much better by foot. By all reports Brian Lake has been tutoring Tom on where to run and body positioning which is starting to show. Could be our version of a Mackie/Enright type of player in a few years.

Shit yeah, Lake better stick around as some kind of assistant when he is done playing. This is why I was flumoxed a few years ago that we were employing guys like Cambell as a forward coach. OK, tactically he can regurgitate whatever Eade tells him to, but in terms of forward craft, WTF would he know? Might as well have Crofty as ruck coach and Kolynuik as defence coach.

Now we have Peter Dean and Chris Grant respectively !

 

[Testekill]

Now we have Peter Dean and Chris Grant respectively !

Not to mention that Leon Cameron is coaching the midfield (doesn't really need to these days though because our midfield is awesome) and Peter German has been doing a bang up job with Williamstown this year and is our development coach.

We really do seem to have a strong coaching staff now.

 

[The Original Swooper]

I assume you have reserved seats at The Dome?
That's a good review on the pitfall of reserved seats; you just have to put up with those about you.
You can't really give it to Mr Negative when you know he is going to be there next week; although I do know that the club will deal with 'problem people' the next year round.

The pro's outweigh the cons.... by miles.

Seats are front row.
Have a few FDL "old boys" in close vicinity, and we gather for a chat most games.
I have delightful funny folks to my left, a great family behind me, and a real character (albeit a tad painful) on my right, who laugh at/with me when I go in to repartee overdrive...:>)

I hear what you say re "next week", but I'll be honest, I speak my mind regardless. Nothing pains me more than folks who barrel in with criticism seconds from the first bounce, and continue through until the final siren, regardless of the scoreboard. (Surely that's what the opposition and umpires are for ??). I asked the same gent a few weeks ago at what stage does he relax and enjoy the footy, he simply responded that he had the right support the way he saw fit. He is right, he does have that right, but I am buggered if I know why folks like that bother going to the footy to whinge and moan for 2 hours. My theory is these people have nagging/overpowering wives, so the footy is the only place they can whinge their guts for a couple of hours without copping one from their missus! The hen-pecked hecklers...:>)

hooroo...

 

[dogzrule]

Whipping boy no longer, perhaps because he is not making the obvious mistakes.

Everyone is looking at Hall, Lake etc to take us through the finals but in the end I suspect it will be the likes of our mid range players like Tom who will finally take that next step in the next 2 months

 

[TempleKelvington]

In some games he's super important to the structure, but there are games when he's surplus to needs. I like that Eade is giving him experience in the ruck and forward. I'm sure it's just insurance that he's doing it.

But Tommy has improved as the year has gone on. Looks more assured these days. He can take a tall to allow "Chipper" Morris to play on a dangerous small....he played on Campbell last week. He can also release Lake to the forward line from time to time.

So he plays a vital role.

 

[dogwatch]

Where are all the BF Tommy knockers now? Strangely quiet. Here's your opportunity to say "I was wrong" if you have the courage.

It's taken a while but Tommy finally notches up his 50th game this week.

 

[Dazb86]

He's been very good for most of the year.

 

[mighty seagulls]

Where are all the BF Tommy knockers now? Strangely quiet. Here's your opportunity to say "I was wrong" if you have the courage.

It's taken a while but Tommy finally notches up his 50th game this week.

I was just about to mentioned this.

Congrats to Tommy. He is a player i have watched closely since Luke Darcy told my Dad at a pub to watch out for a young kid that had just been drafted to the club.

16 of 18 games this year. Who'd thought

 

[fronkalicious]

yep, the best part about having Tommy fit and firing is that Morris can go to the best mid/small fwd. These are the guys we've had most problems with in the past, and the guys that most of the top teams rely on more so than the big guys. So I can see Morris taking guys like Didak and Stokes if we meet these teams in September. He obviously gets Rooey when we play the Saints. Id even have him play on Cyril if we get the Hawks, with Williams playing on Roughie. Roughie actually got a bit of the ball against Morris when we last played them.

 

[bigdog54]

. Roughie actually got a bit of the ball against Morris when we last played them.

Yep. Tall, athletic forwards are a problem for Morris and I think we are wasting his ability by playing him on them when guys like didak, chapman, schnider etc could really tear us up.

Can see Williams is slowly growing in confidence, still doesnt look like a natural backman when the balls in the air but hopefully with another 50 games hell get there. Dont forget Lake was no world beater in his first 100 games either...

 

[JJHunter]

Tommy seems to polarise our supporters. With Eagleton out, he seems to have been elevated from part time scapegoat to full time. I had a dip at one of our supporters on Sunday. One of those morons who are being negative even when we are 10 goals up. I don't think I've heard a compliment emanate from his gob all season.

It might be "the Captain" from bigfooty !! He seems always to be complaining about the club and harsh on players !

 

[Captain Groenewegen Snr]

It might be "the Captain" from bigfooty !! He seems always to be complaining about the club and harsh on players !

Oh my