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

[Val Keating]

That table is specific to age though I thought?

The last number shows overall rank. Simpkin for example is ranked at 30

 

[DrZaius]

The last number shows overall rank. Simpkin for example is ranked at 30

If he was the 6th ranked mid-fwd overall then it would be a lot more accurate, but 6th out of every player in the AFL is absurd.

 

[Heaps of fun]

No system is going to be perfect but Butters has been an extremely effective footballer this year. 6th best is really not that far off.

 

[Themanbun]

I've watched all of Ports games too. He will be a very good player and has played some great games thus far. He is not the 6th best player in the AFL though lol

I've got him in my AA lineup. Probably slot in on the bench at this stage but we are only three games in. The big boys will overtake him soon but credit where it's due.

It's probably skewed in favour of mids though. Tex should be number 1 at this stage.

 

[Val Keating]

If he was the 6th ranked mid-fwd overall then it would be a lot more accurate, but 6th out of every player in the AFL is absurd.

It’s only for the first 3 games, it’ll even out. Who would you have in front of him based on the first 3 rounds?

 

[La Flama Blanca]

I've watched all of Ports games too. He will be a very good player and has played some great games thus far. He is not the 6th best player in the AFL though lol

Butters is a very good player. He made a real contribution to their minor premiership last year and polled 4th in their best and fairest accordingly. Maybe 6th best in the AFL is overstating it, but not by as much as many would think.

 

[ChoppyGun]

Couldn't give a * about Butters.

This is the Powell thread.

We have are own gem. He is already one of my favourite players.

 

[King Corey]

The last number shows overall rank. Simpkin for example is ranked at 30

That bothers me tbh.

Not sure how Jy ranks 30th in the AFL for anything other than chiseled sixpacks or running after an opponent flailing your arms this year.

 

[King Corey]

Couldn't give a * about Butters.

This is the Powell thread.

We have are own gem. He is already one of my favourite players.

North Melbourne development pathway "hold me beer".

 

[DrZaius]

I've got him in my AA lineup.

After 3 games?
Don't get me wrong, that round 2 game he absolutely brained it and was BOG but his other two games have been 'just' okay (pretty good but nothing jaw dropping).

It’s only for the first 3 games, it’ll even out. Who would you have in front of him based on the first 3 rounds?

Out of every player in the AFL? Or just young players?
As a midfielder or a forward?

All of these guys I'd consider similar to or in front of Butters so far this season:

Walsh
McCluggage
McGrath
Ridley
Gulden
Warner
Brayshaw (freo)
Bowes
Noah Anderson
Lachie Ash
Kozzie Pickett
Oscar Allen

The only one of these I'd have even in the top 10 in the AFL would be Walsh at this stage.

If i'm not mistaken those players are all 23 & under, and that's not even to mention your established top line players that are having great seasons like your Bontempellis/Macraes/Daniels/Dunkleys/Merretts/T.Kellys/D.Martins/Grundys/Sloanes/Boaks/Pendleburys/Sidebottoms/etc.

And none of this is a slight on Butters at all, I just don't think he's anywhere near the 6th best player in the league.
People just go over the top because the whole 'super draft' narrative with the Port kids.

 

[ChoppyGun]

North Melbourne development pathway "hold me beer".

I actually think Powell is the type that could overcome it as he's simply a natural hard working, gun junior player.

Some of the rest of our team not so much confidence.

 

[King Corey]

I actually think Powell is the type that could overcome it as he's simply a natural hard working, gun junior player.

Some of the rest of our team not so much confidence.

Your youthful belief is both beautiful and alarming.

I'll be damned if we haven't rooted up much bigger talents than Tom Powell.

By the end of our "special program" we'll have this guy struggling to find the ball let alone knowing what to do with it.

 

[ChoppyGun]

Your youthful belief is both beautiful and alarming.

I'll be damned if we haven't rooted up much bigger talents than Tom Powell.

By the end of our "special program" we'll have this guy struggling to find the ball let alone knowing what to do with it.

Now now KC, that's very pessimistic even for me!

Not sure we've many better talents than Powell last couple of decades.

But yes I acknowledge we have developed very poorly in recent times.

Wrong positions, not fit enough, low standards for selection etc - hopefully under the new regime this changes and fast.

 

[Friday Night Lights]

Absolutely off it’s head.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

That is such a quality piece of play from a lightly built 19-year-old playing just his third game of senior footy. The handball to Cunnington was absolutely perfect as he was able to take the ball with forward momentum and keep clear of the two dogs on his hammer. There are probably only a handful of players in the league with the vision, decision making, and hand skills to execute that. One of them is the guy who received it.

I saw someone describe that as ‘basic handpass’....

 

[ChoppyGun]

Absolutely off it’s head.

Further than Turner can kick it.

 

[Shermanator]

Stuff running our gameplan through the corridor, just run our gameplan through Powell touching the ball at every opportunity!

 

[Psicosis]

I watch a fair bit of Port as I like the way they play and Butters has had an excellent start to the season.

The player port took with the Polec pick.

What a master stroke by Joyce!

 

[The Filth Wizard]

I saw someone describe that as ‘basic handpass’....

Hey, the moon landing went pretty smoothly.

 

[Palpatine]

The player port took with the Polec pick.

What a master stroke by Joyce!

No it was already their pick

 

[Thewlis Dish]

No it was already their pick

Yep, they traded the Polec pick along with picks 23, 30 and 49 to get pick 6, and then traded 6 and 35 for Mayes and 5 (which they used on Rozee).

Butters was their own pick.

 

[Roosurgence]

That goal of Lazzaro’s came from one simple thing. No one on the opposition thought we had a player that could execute that type of handball.

You could see as soon as Powell hit That handball they were all out of position.

This guy will make some players look silly with his ridiculous handball skills. I can only imagine what he might be with an AFL ready body and a tank to run hard all day.

 

[Psicosis]

Yep, they traded the Polec pick along with picks 23, 30 and 49 to get pick 6, and then traded 6 and 35 for Mayes and 5 (which they used on Rozee).

Butters was their own pick.

“Ahh, ummm, ahh what? Um is that allowed? ”

 

[Friday Night Lights]

I can’t even figure out how Powell saw Cunners. There’s at least 7 players between TP and Ben and the handball takes them all out of the play.

Haven’t seen a mind sum up a situation and annihilate the opposition in that fashion since The Queen’s Gambit.

 

[Jasemon]

I can’t even figure out how Powell saw Cunners. There’s at least 7 players between TP and Ben and the handball takes them all out of the play.

Haven’t seen a mind sum up a situation and annihilate the opposition in that fashion since The Queen’s Gambit.

Also blown away by the fact that in a micro second he was able to sum up the situation and change from the handball option on his left hand, reposition with a flick of the wrist and handball on his right instead about 15 metres over the converging pack. It's like he's immune to pressure.
Totally insane vision and skill.