Player Watch #24: Tom Powell - signed thru 2028

[FootySmartSimpson]

Tom doesn’t seem like he’s up for the fight atm. Getting plenty of game time and hasn’t shown much at all for 12 months now

If it wasn’t for one game where 100% of his 50metre, slam on the boot centre clearances turned into goals - where he could have been mistaken for a Harlem Globetrotter - it’s a pretty bleak 36 months retrospective for Tommy P.

 

[kool kangas]

He's never been the quickest, its a limitation on his game no doubt. But we know he's carried a back complaint pretty much all year and may well have been another who had the shits this week for all we know.

This is a reason for him to be " managed due to injury ". Theres no disgrace if he is listed as injured and it opens up another spot for another player to come in.

 

[shinboner magic]

Should be dropped after test performance.

Let’s see if clarko can make the hard call to drop one of his favs.

 

[nelroo]

I think he is carrying something but it’s still not good enough. Soft, fumbly and slow. What a great combination.

 

[Reginald0]

Fairly sure TP has played every game 24/25/26
Last yr a lot of 20+ disposals
What is hard to figure is…Posters say Doesn’t chase Doesn’t try Is injured
Why would the Selectors keep playing him
It is a complete brain bender

 

[Arthur Cloke]

P

Rated as elite in genuinely everything you want a midfielder to do

My Goodness. 97 senior games and I would say 5-6 were decent. The other 90-odd - pffffttt.

Just gotta keep pumping games into him.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Welcome Tom!

Load up on the antidote for leather poisoning.

He certainly did that.

 

[tazaa]

The problem with asking players to play another role is that they have to have the skillset. I'm not sure Tom does outside of probably the flushest 35m+ curling snap for goal in the game. Putting players in roles they aren't suited to keep them getting games is a very precarious position.

There are 3 roles he could play.

One is the link up/high half forward role that’s he’s being asked to play currently.
It’s probably the one he is suited to most. But he’s just not a ball magnet. For whatever reason he can’t get involved. Jy can actually get involved in this role or someone like PC who is lethal and damaging forward of centre are better options.

So we’re stuck with his current output.

The 2nd role is to be that manic pressure forward tasked with locking the ball in our front half. We prioritised Spargo, Dovaston and Banch in this role so far and Powell doesn’t have the engine or pace to do this.
Next.

The 3rd role is to be that lock down/run with defensive forward. Again for whatever reason I don’t think he’s got the capacity or discipline or even the tank to do this well. Blamires and Kostanty are clearly better options based on JK’s roles in the past and Blamires gut running he’s shown in his first 6 games.

He is decent enough depth for a side contending but he’s just not doing anywhere near enough be a best 23 lock.

I think the midfield group has gone past him and he’s in the side on seniority or games played and nothing more.

 

[Cyber_punk]

P

My Goodness. 97 senior games and I would say 5-6 were decent. The other 90-odd - pffffttt.

Just gotta keep pumping games into him.

If he had the 'it' factor we would have seen it by now.

List clogger in the vein of Atley/Gibson/Garner and many others from the Scott era.

 

[HugeJohnson1]

If he had the 'it' factor we would have seen it by now.

List clogger in the vein of Atley/Gibson/Garner and many others from the Scott era.

Unfortunately yea starting to see the same thing. I swear his first couple of games last season I thought he had absolutely arrived but now he hasn’t done anything since.

Maybe tie him with a pick in exchange for Butters?

 

[kool kangas]

 

[Ichiro #51]

Let’s face it, his year was always going to be bin juice once he rocked up for photos with that hair cut.

That stupid fringe might of ended his career.

 

[heem]

Could have had Caleb Serong

3

Caleb Serong

Age

25

Ht

180cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.6

4star

D

13.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.0

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.6

4star

CL

2.6

4star

D

13.0

4star

K

7.0

3star

HB

6.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

or Kosi Pickett instead of Tom. One of the more elite NMFC trade debacles.

 

[Johnny99]

I know it is a little thing, but what's with the hair style?

Is this a joke for Tommy boy?

Because it seems that way, when he plays...

Could have had Serong or Pickett over this vanilla dud.

He might be laughing, but I am crying.

 

[SWMD]

Could have had Caleb Serong or Kosi Pickett instead of Tom. One of the more elite NMFC trade debacles.

If the whole trade was about creating an additional pick, there was a safer, far greater way to generate it.

Melbourne received: NMFC 2019 pick 8
Melbourne gave: Picks 26 + 2020 F1

Melbourne received: Freo pick 10 + pick 28
Melbourne gave: The pick 8

Why would you give up pick 8 for a future, when we cpuldve slid back 2 for the same outcome?

Shocking trade, unfortunately made worst by covid.

Couldve gone direct to Freo for 2019 pick 10 + 28

 

[Passmore]

Apparently we could have had Pickett or Serong...first I've heard of that....

 

[heem]

If the whole trade was about creating an additional pick, there was a safer, far greater way to generate it.

Melbourne received: NMFC 2019 pick 8
Melbourne gave: Picks 26 + 2020 F1

Melbourne received: Freo pick 10 + pick 28
Melbourne gave: The pick 8

Why would you give up pick 8 for a future, when we cpuldve slid back 2 for the same outcome?

Shocking trade, unfortunately made worst by covid.

Couldve gone direct to Freo for 2019 pick 10 + 28

I think that 2nd pick through a series of iterations ended up with us receiving Stephenson or Atu from Collingwood. Genuine level 5D chess.

 

[Skarrz]

the video of pre season with him giving cheek to Barlow and not fully taking it seriously

The ****ing haircut, mate this isn’t 4chan

Then just the general malaise and lack of effort around the ground

Sloppy disposal, poor defensive efforts, that ****ing set shot miss

 

[r00boy96]

I've enjoyed watching Tom for a long time because of when he was drafted. Will Phill and Tom were our hopes through the worst times in club history. Since then we have drafted genuine A-graders - Sheezel, Wardlaw, Finn, Kerch, to name a few.

I just don't see a future for Tom in our midfield with all those superstars growing into their roles. I also don't think he has enough weapons to play forward. He doesn't kick enough goals. His ball use can be incredible, but because he tries the incredible he can take on too much and turn it over. It'll be interesting to see if Luke Urquhart gets a gig in his position if he can't put together a good game in the next 4 weeks. Considering they will all probably be losses it'll be peak dropping conditions.

 

[koshari]

the video of pre season with him giving cheek to Barlow and not fully taking it seriously

The ****ing haircut, mate this isn’t 4chan

Then just the general malaise and lack of effort around the ground

Sloppy disposal, poor defensive efforts, that ****ing set shot miss

But other than that hes killing it.

 

[ferball]

Could have had Caleb Serong or Kosi Pickett instead of Tom. One of the more elite NMFC trade debacles.

Could have ... but we would have picked Sam Flanders.

 

[Liam Boy]

If he had the 'it' factor we would have seen it by now.

List clogger in the vein of Atley/Gibson/Garner and many others from the Scott era.

It is nice that our list cloggers are in that company now instead of the Darcy Tucker, Daniel Howe area

 

[King Corey]

I still rate Powell. A few less than ideal bits of play lately including a deflating set shot but it happens.

Reckon he'll work his way back into form. You can't 'get games into' required players then soil yourself everytime they have a poor run.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I still rate Powell. A few less than ideal bits of play lately including a deflating set shot but it happens.

Reckon he'll work his way back into form. You can't 'get games into' required players then soil yourself everytime they have a poor run.

FOS’ arrival has put the kybosh on his midfield prospects.

Doesn’t have a big enough tank to play on a flank pushing up and down the ground.

Hes just sort of ‘there’ now.

Shoehorned into a position that doesn’t suit him.

 

[Chadwiko]

I still rate Powell. A few less than ideal bits of play lately including a deflating set shot but it happens.

If we're being honest, it's more than a "few less than ideal bits of play lately".

Watching him critically, he's been on a downward trend for the past few years. Which the stats back up.

His year-over-year player rating on Wheelo paints a pretty clear picture;



He's also tracking at a career-lowest disposal efficiency percentage in 2026, career lowest contested possessions (which is obviously largely because of his different position, but still), and the 2nd fewest tackles-per-game average he's had in his career (previous low was 2023), to name just a few stats.

But then there's the intangibles that don't get reflected on a stat sheet, and as you can tell from the dozens of posters in this thread all basically saying the same thing; he just looks ineffectual and lazy out on the ground at the moment. He isn't running. His disposals (when he does get it) aren't damaging. He's not doing the 1%ers.

Needs a VFL spell.