Delisted Tom Simpkin

[Kildonan]

Pos Number Player           Age    Games    Price        2009            2008            2007       
                            DT     SC     Played    DT Avg    SC Avg    Played    DT Avg     SC Avg    Played    DT Avg     SC Avg
DEF 47 SIMPKIN, Tom (Rookie)    19    0    $94,500    $100,200 0    0.0    0.0    0    0.0    0.0    0    0.0    0.0

 

[Squizz]

Re: Sandringham Zebras 2010

Looks like Tommy S might be getting a rest on a fairly dirty day for the zebs:

Casey Scorpions 3.3 6.7 9.7 11.9 (75)
Sandringham 4.0 6.1 8.3 8.7 (55)

REPORTED PLAYERS:
Sandringham: Tom Simpkin - Striking

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Re: Sandringham Zebras 2010

Looks like Tommy S might be getting a rest on a fairly dirty day for the zebs:

Casey Scorpions 3.3 6.7 9.7 11.9 (75)
Sandringham 4.0 6.1 8.3 8.7 (55)

REPORTED PLAYERS:
Sandringham: Tom Simpkin - Striking

Simpkin was dishing out a bit of aggro on the televised game as well.
Bit of a hothead is he?

 

[karmafree]

Re: Sandringham Zebras 2010

Simpkin was dishing out a bit of aggro on the televised game as well.
Bit of a hothead is he?

Its one our few weakness, not enough agro. I now want to see the boy in action.

 

[Squizz]

Re: Sandringham Zebras 2010

Bit of a hothead is he?

Yeah, he's a pretty aggressive sort (good Colac lad). Has a good frame and will hopefully fill out a fair bit more so he doesn't need to resort to striking to let the opposition know he's around..

Needs to stay on the park after some injury troubles.

 

[karmafree]

Re: Sandringham Zebras 2010

Squizz and SS apart from Simpkin who else can you identify down at the Zebs has a bit of mongrel in them? I love it when Red Bull fires up, even if he is just expressing frustration.
Just want to see more of the intimidating factor with the Saints, or do you see it being coached out of them before they get their chances on the main stage?

 

[Squizz]

Re: Sandringham Zebras 2010

Hadn't heard that Maddison was reported

Did he have a melee with himself???

Maddison Hardiman - Sandringham Reserves - Engaging in a Melee - Guilty - Fine
Mitchell Cuthill - Geelong Seniors - Striking - Guilty - 1 Premiership Match
Tom Simpkin - Sandrignham Seniors - Striking - To be heard 22/6/2010
Matt Moore - Casey Scorpions -Reserves - Rough Conduct - Guilty - 1 Premiership Match
Jonathon Morris - Coburg Tigers - Reserves - Rough Conduct - Not Guilty
Peter German (Coach) - Williamstown Seniors - Verbal Umpire Abuse - Suspended Fine for remainder of 2010

Can't be too promising for Tommy if the tribunal isn't able to spell Sandringham.

 

[Kildonan]

Promoted off the rookie list onto our main list at the end of 2010 season.

 

[stkildathunda]

Simpkin discovers self-belief in debut

THE FATHER of St Kilda footballer Tom Simpkin says his son would have taken a healthy dose of self-belief out of his first AFL appearance.


Ian Simpkin ventured to the MCG to witness his third-eldest son debut on the big stage, and walked away pleased with what he saw.


Tom, a 20-year-old key defender, had nine touches and four tackles in a half-and-a-bit of football, the highlight of a big weekend for the Simpkin family.


Hours earlier at Box Hill City Oval, older brother Joffy starred in Geelong’s dramatic first win in the VFL, a one-point triumph against Box Hill.
And at the same time down the Princes Highway, the youngest of the four Simpkin boys, Lachlan, made his Geelong Football League senior debut for Colac in its 13-point loss to St Josephs.

 

[Ducky Tie]

Going to be a gun.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Simpkin holds his own

No AFL debut is easy, but as a young player in their first senior game, the task of going head to head with the 193cm and 105kg Collingwood forward Chris Dawes would send tremors through most individuals.

St Kilda defender Tom Simpkin was assigned the tough role in his debut game for the Saints back in Round 11 and passed with flying colours, holding Dawes to just two goals.

http://www.saints.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5315/newsid/116489/default.aspx

 

[Squizz]

Re: 2011 Player Reviews

Tom "Head" Simpkin #31

A 2nd place in Sandringham's 2010 B&F had Simpkin set for a big season, with the question marks being whether he had the height and stamina to push for AFL selection in a key defensive role.

After a brief sighting in the NAB Cup (including as a 191cm ruckman who’d never performed the role before!) and 6 VFL games (twice in the best players), Simpkin debuted against Collingwood – having 9 possessions and 3 tackles before being subbed off. He was selected in the AFL the following week, and had 7 possessions and 7 tackles before again being subbed off.

With a new found appreciation of the workrate required for AFL, Simpkin returned to the VFL and finished 3rd in the B&F.

At VFL level, he has often shown great judgement to not only spoil opponents (having more than double the number of spoils than any other player, along with the most shepherds) but also take many contested marks.

His capacity to provide rebound improved in 2011, and he showed an ability to kick cleanly on both sides.

His development has recently been rewarded with a 2 year contract extension, and VFL forwards will no doubt be hoping that Simpkin plays more AFL games in 2012.

 

[Squizz]

http://www.colacherald.com.au/2011/11/door-open-for-saint-simpkin/

Tom Simpkin ... is back running after undergoing surgery to fix persistent shin splints and is confident of completing his first pre-season at the club.

The operation, completed not long after St Kilda bowed out of AFL finals, has proven timely.

Simpkin, 21, said he knew there was an opportunity to build on his two senior games in 2011 but said that would only happen if he was fit, which was a pre-season priority.

“Zac is a good friend of mine so it was disappointing for him to go,” he said.

“But at the same time it does open a door. I’m just focusing on getting my body right at the moment.

Shin splints – a constant problem for the past five years – have prevented Simpkin from completing the running required during summer.

“I can’t seem to get rid of them,” he said.

He managed without problem playing for Sandringham in the VFL and finished runner-up in the 2010 and ’11 best-and-fairest awards.

But he found he burnt out on debut against Collingwood in round 11, and again against Western Bulldogs the next weekend.

“It’s a wait and see, but so far so good. I’ve run three times now and am feeling really good,”

“Hopefully I’ll be in rehab for another month and I’ll be back into the swing of things with the main group and hopefully get a few good running sessions under my belt.

“I haven’t been able to do a pre-season since I’ve been there so I want to get a good fitness base.

“I was able to manage it in the VFL but as soon as I played AFL – it’s so intense and there’s so much more running it’s crazy – I wasn’t able to run out those games I played.

“Pre-season is real big for me.”

 

[Murraj1966]

Quickly become one of my favourites, I'd be putting a 31 on my jumper if I knew he wouldn't be moving jumpers. When/If Raph leaves the club Tommy should get his number 8, as with Maxy at the club it'd just seem right.

 

[saintsrfreak]

Tom Simpkin​

​

2012 was a breakout year for Tom, having only played 2 games before the start of the year he went on to play 19 games for the Saints this season, earning himself a regular spot in the line up. Simpkin showed why VFL watchers rated him so highly, stepping into the 3rd tall defender spot from round 2 and keeping his opponents honest most weeks.

At 191cm he's shorter than most key defenders, but as has been noted before so was Max Hudghton. Simpkin has similar traits to Max, using his courage and smarts on the footy field, out positioning his bigger bodied opponents instead of taking them on in a wrestling match. I have high hopes that in time Tom can make the transition from medium to tall defender, just as Hudghton did. With Hudghton employed in a specialist coaching role I think he could go a long way towards mentoring Simpkin into that role.

The reason Tom has been one of my favourite players this year is he's a good, honest, tough player. Never shirking a contest, "Head" has clashed noggins with opponents many times this year, leaving his opponents worse for wear and with a big headache while he bounds back up as if to say "t'is but a flesh wound". Leading the team for 1%ers in just his first full season, Simpkin nearly always finds a way to get a fist on the footy.

All in all I think it's been a terrific year for Simpkin, flourishing under the opportunity given to him by Watters and cementing his spot in the team. I think he'll be a great defender for years to come with St Kilda.
8.5/10

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Tommy S gets another chance in the team. Highlights v Williamstown.

http://www.saints.com.au/video/2013-07-18/tom-simpkin-vfl-round-13

Really looking forward to having his courage and hard-nut-ness back in the team.

 

[Squizz]

#31 Tom Simpkin

After 19 games in 2012, finishing 14th in the B&F, Simpkin looked set for something similar in his 5th season at the club.

http://www.colacherald.com.au/2012/10/afl-young-gun-will-beef-up/
Tom Simpkin says he plans to gain three kilograms and work on his running before the 2013 season. Simpkin said he needed extra muscle to play against some of the AFL’s biggest forwards. “Lining up against a few monsters down there, that’s definitely going to help. I don’t want to get too heavy that I can’t run as well, I’ve got to get that balance right.”

However, his pre-season was interrupted by “niggles” and he did not participate in the NAB Cup.

He played his first pre-season game with Sandringham, and then the first two rounds in the VFL.

Whilst he had some good moments in both games, for mine his mobility didn’t seem ideal (and he looked a little big in the upper body).

However, Simpkin had been emergency for St Kilda’s first 3 games, and the back six again started to break down with Gwilt and Dempster suffering early season injuries.

He was brought in for round 4 against the Injectors, and struggled against Gumbleton.

After being dropped back to the VFL, he played two games before injuring his quad. Simpkin played the last quarter of his second game back as a forward, and Sandringham elected to go with it for a full game the next week. Whilst he didn’t have big numbers, he won praise from Simon McPhee.

Opportunity opened for Head with Sam Fisher ruled out for the rest of the season after surgery on his troublesome foot. He was brought into the team against Melbourne, and had the measure of Chris Dawes (subbed off at 3/4 time with 4 possessions). However, during the match he took a cheap shot at the ample head of Dawes and copped a very untimely 2 weeks off.

He played well in the VFL and was straight back into the St Kilda team after only one game for the Zebs. His form was OK in a team which had started to struggle (losing games against Port, Geelong and Brisbane), and then his season ended with surgery to relieve increasing pressure (compartment “issues”) in his left leg.

An extremely disappointing year for Simpkin with just the 5 games. However, with Blake retiring and Sam Fisher at 31yo the club has given Tom the security of a two year deal. A good pre-season should see his mobility return. Hopefully he can balance this with increasing strength as a maturing footballer at 23yo. His courage and dogged determination to succeed as a footballer has never been in question.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Simpkin interviewed about defensive training and his hopes for 2014:

 

[Periphery]

Here's what the 2015 Champion Data Prospectus had to say about Simpkin:

There really isn't anything worth putting here. They comment that he didn't play many games and that the Hawks kicked a lot of goals on him and that he wasn't amazing up forward when tried up there. I don't know why they didn't comment on his VFL performance.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Maybe its not all over yet for Tom

Performed well in the VFL match practice match in what appears to be a new role. Bit concerned that Huddo was " looking for him to be aggressive" Jeez if there's only one thing you get my my boy Tom - its aggression


Tom Simpkin

Tommy played as a high half-back. We know that he can play deep but we were looking for him to be aggressive and run off and be more offensive. We put him into the middle for the last quarter and he kicked a goal too, so we were pleased with his output on the day. He had some impact.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Great post on Tommy:

Vale Tom Simpkin. I just loved his attitude - as tough and as dedicated as they come. But every coach has their favourites, and I think Richo prefers Shenton, who has a little more toe and maybe a little more height. Shenton is not quite in our best 22, making Simpkin the backup to the backup.

Special props for his 2012 season where he was extremely reliable down back and on several occasions put himself into situations where he might have gotten killed. Go well, Tom.

I think we all loved the way Simpkin went about it, got the most out of himself and a shame he couldn't manage a game in his final year.

Thanks Tom.