Player Watch #24: Tom Powell - signed thru 2026 - 7th highest ranked player league-wide after 3 rds - avg. 27.7d & 7clearances p/g

[Disco Dew]

Stoked we’ve locked TP away for another couple years. His ceiling is so high, the skies the limit with this kid.

 

[bennymate]

That no-look handball though..

 

[Liam Boy]

Crows would be annoyed. Adelaide boy, his dad played for them, and he's exactly what they badly need to complement their list build

 

[Disco Dew]

Crows would be annoyed. Adelaide boy, his dad played for them, and he's exactly what they badly need to complement their list build

 

[Flawed Genius]

Possibly.

He’s better than a few blokes we trot out.

But he isn’t better than the pure midfielders we have out there and he’s invisible when played outside the centre circle.

Which is why he’s playing twos.

No possibly about it. He's a better footballer. A better midfielder. A better handballer, a more accomplished clearance player, a better kick inside 50. Lazzaro has him for running capacity but when you are getting 12 touches and having 2 metres gained or whatever, it's not good enough.

He's playing twos because Laz had a grouse preseason and Will didn't. In my view the coaching staff are rewarding a good preseason from Laz and making Will push for his spot. Once Will takes it back, he won't give it back IMO

 

[Jonnoo]

Powelly looking a lot more like an AFL player now rather than a skinny kid... a few preseasons under his belt and it shows, well done on the extension

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Well done Tommy, Well deserved extension.
Onward and upward!

 

[R00StaR]

With ball in hand it looks like he is moving like Ldu in traffic, not the same acceleration obviously, but from the minimal we’ve seen - perhaps he is as accurate with his disposals. He has definitely always had that aspect of slowing the game down with that old handball compilation.

He and LDU look like they’ve got similar builds and it is a one two combination I never really thought we’d see, its beautiful

Better disposal than LDU.
LDU has more burst and has some real tricks in weaving through traffic. Powell can to, just not the way LDU can. But then Powell is proving to be that valuable mid who can score. Loved his confidence in taking the shot from 50 and kicking it.
These two will love playing 150 games together.

 

[R00StaR]

Yep.

LDU, Powell and Wardlaw. That’s the first choice midfield until someone better comes along.

Simpkin/Lazzaro/McKercher/Sheezel to rotate.

Phillips on the outside looking in.

Id be looking at as LDU and Powell the main two, with higher rotations between Wardlaw and Phillips.
Sheezel half back works for me still, having his smarts and skills breaking lines and hitting targets is huge. McKercher can take a wing/ high half forward. Im less sure about Simpkin when not in the guts, perhaps his evasions and fast feet would be best off half back as well. Giving us some real pace and drive.
If Lazz is squeezed out id like to see him become our lock down on smalls. We could have some crazy running power out of defense.

 

[guapo]

Phillips is better than Lazzaro.

Much better

 

[AnEmptyChair]

he is a perfectly good kick and also an elite handballer, biut what really sets him apart to complement those skills is his vision and decision making. I'm honestly not sure ive seen another player like it. Cunners maybe, but he didnt do it as gracefully as tom.

He's a magician with the footy. what a player

 

[tazaa]

Tarryn Thomas

26

Tarryn Thomas

Age

24

Ht

190cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.0

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

5.7

4star

M

2.1

2star

T

3.3

5star

CL

0.9

3star

D

7.8

2star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.8

3star

M

1.3

1star

T

3.2

4star

CL

0.2

2star

D

12.8

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

6.6

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

0.4

3star

' loss is Tommy Powell's gain.

 

[ChopChopDigDig]

No possibly about it. He's a better footballer. A better midfielder. A better handballer, a more accomplished clearance player, a better kick inside 50. Lazzaro has him for running capacity but when you are getting 12 touches and having 2 metres gained or whatever, it's not good enough.

He's playing twos because Laz had a grouse preseason and Will didn't. In my view the coaching staff are rewarding a good preseason from Laz and making Will push for his spot. Once Will takes it back, he won't give it back IMO

Weird tho, cos WilPhil was always in the best players of the seconds team for the prackies, while Laz was picked ahead of him. WilPhil practically captained and carried the seconds against our strongest side, and still isn’t getting a look in.

There must be something very specific they want out of him, and it’s surprising he’s not been able to get there, because from all reports he’s one of the more mature, serious, leadership types at the club.

 

[Johnny99]

Weird tho, cos WilPhil was always in the best players of the seconds team for the prackies, while Laz was picked ahead of him. WilPhil practically captained and carried the seconds against our strongest side, and still isn’t getting a look in.

There must be something very specific they want out of him, and it’s surprising he’s not been able to get there, because from all reports he’s one of the more mature, serious, leadership types at the club.

We all know what Will can do when he has the ball.

But its what he does when he doesnt have the ball.

Defensive running, putting pressure on the opposition to force the turnover.

Thats a big part of the game now.

And I think that's where he has to improve.

 

[Roo Beauty]

Tarryn Thomas' loss is Tommy Powell's gain.

If losing TT is what allows Powell to become an elite inside mid, it certainly softens the blow.

 

[the big lebowski]

We all know what Will can do when he has the ball.

But its what he does when he doesnt have the ball.

Defensive running, putting pressure on the opposition to force the turnover.

Thats a big part of the game now.

And I think that's where he has to improve.

I think he’s pretty good at turning the footy over within the contest, but his spread isn’t as good as lazz and that’s why he’s not getting a go.

 

[marklovesbeer]

Crows would be annoyed. Adelaide boy, his dad played for them, and he's exactly what they badly need to complement their list build

Don’t think he was ever heading back.
Loves Melbourne life & doesn’t sound like he has much/any contact with his old man anymore.

 

[Liam Boy]

Don’t think he was ever heading back.
Loves Melbourne life & doesn’t sound like he has much/any contact with his old man anymore.

Yeah, I'm sure he wasn't. Just saying that the Crows would have really liked him to.

 

[Duck the GOAT]

Tarryn Thomas' loss is Tommy Powell's gain.

Who's Tarryn Thompson?

 

[DuckYeah]

Who's Tarryn Thompson?

Give me Ivan Milat in the forward pocket, IDGAF. If Ivan kicked a bag every week, I wouldn’t give a toss what he did off the field

 

[Caracas]

Give me Ivan Milat in the forward pocket, IDGAF. If Ivan kicked a bag every week, I wouldn’t give a toss what he did off the field

I get the impression, DY, that you’d feel the exact same way, even if Ivan had his way with a member of your own family!

 

[DuckYeah]

I get the impression, DY, that you’d feel the exact same way, even if Ivan had his way with a member of your own family!

If we won a flag?

 

[Horace]

My apologies in advance to Tom, but I'm about to put the mozz on him.

I think and have felt for some time, that he has the potential to become our version of Mitch Duncan at Geelong. Duncan has been the quiet achiever at the Cats for a very long time, gets little fanfare yet nearly always gets the job done. A highly valued player down there.

Sorry Tommy.

 

[RossHenshaw]

I watched the replay of the first half last night as you tend to see a lot more than being at the ground with 3-4 scooners already into you ?!
But by gee we were up and about in that first half. So good. Should have been 40+ points ahead. 3 easy shot misses.
Tommy Powell instrumental with LDU, Sheez , Kerch & the Warlord. Exciting times ahead to a point now other teams are already worried and are saying via their own blogs and podcasts that we have been favored so much with priority picks and critical draft selections. They are shitting themselves on what is coming from the NMFC.
You know what I say ? * em all !!!

 

[king of the road]

Great to see.

I had him as my break out player for last year - but injuries curtailed him. I went a year too early.

Can’t believe some wrote him off. His first season showed he always had it in him. Now fitness and confidence is allowing that to be seen.

Go well Tom!