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

[Moti]

******* get jed and Hugh out of there and give Tom a run at it now

Hugh yes but Jed is about the only player that hits the contest consistently and pushes the ball forward. He is a bunt object but I can't see skill doing much at the moment, considering we have dearth of it.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

He did 2 or 3 things yesterday that only Cunnington can do. How many touches did he have? 8?

 

[the flying ham]

Hugh yes but Jed is about the only player that hits the contest consistently and pushes the ball forward. He is a bunt object but I can't see skill doing much at the moment, considering we have dearth of it.

Pushes the ball forward? He averages 10 effective disposals a game and less metres gained than Jy. Jed and Hugh are liabilities in the middle. Chuck tom powell in the 1st string rotation now, he has had a block of senior footy now

 

[the flying ham]

He did 2 or 3 things yesterday that only Cunnington can do. How many touches did he have? 8?

He had 8, 6 effective disposals. Conversely Jed had 9 effective disposals. I know quite emphatically who I want in there now

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Goldstein/CCJ/Xerri +LDU, Powell, Jed should be centre square squad we use for the majority of the time.

Jed there as protection.

Powell to extract it.

LDU to blaze away with explosive speed.

Use Jed across HF when resting.

Use Powell for his IQ and kicking across HB when resting.

Use LDU’s explosive line-breaking behind the ball when middle rotations need a point of difference.

Why the hell is this so hard to see?

 

[the flying ham]

Jy > Jed

 

[The Nostradamus]

Goldstein/CCJ/Xerri +LDU, Powell, Jed should be centre square squad we use for the majority of the time.

Jed there as protection.

Powell to extract it.

LDU to blaze away with explosive speed.

Use Jed across HF when resting.

Use Powell for his IQ and kicking across HB when resting.

Use LDU’s explosive line-breaking behind the ball when middle rotations need a point of difference.

Why the hell is this so hard to see?

Jed forward or not at all

Him hacking kicks is not what we need

Get the ball use of Powell, TT and sleevo in there in combination with LDU and JHF

 

[shinboner magic]

Jed forward or not at all

Him hacking kicks is not what we need

Get the ball use of Powell, TT and sleevo in there in combination with LDU and JHF

Seriously you’ve got blinkers on - Jy does the same thing but without any defensive pressure

 

[archereleven]

How to over complicate and destroy an extremely promising kid 101 - Author: David Noble.


The sequel?


How to destroy an extremely promising kid before he even gets a shot - The Josh Goater Story of being played at Full Back in the VFL - Author: David Noble.

Now, now.

Flexibility trumps mastering a position. Havnt you heard?

We are the kings of 'x training' players in positions they simply can't excel in. Can't say I've ever seen Andrew Brayshaw playing quarters at a time at HF.

You play your best clearance players at cba's, not slow as treacle defensively minded mids who cant catch the oppo even when they do get it.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[The Nostradamus]

Jed forward or not at all

Seriously you’ve got blinkers on - Jy does the same thing but without any defensive pressure

To be fair I want jy on the wing more

 

[shinboner magic]

If they want to play Powell on a flank - put him at half back and he’ll get more touches.
Which will be a good thing for us

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

Jed forward or not at all

Him hacking kicks is not what we need

Get the ball use of Powell, TT and sleevo in there in combination with LDU and JHF

We actually need at least one player who can be a meat shield- protect space, tackle, block/shepherd to release the other two. While Cunnington usually is the extractor, he also acts this role too. Until he returns, we need Jed in there to protect Powell.

 

[The Nostradamus]

We actually need at least one player who can be a meat shield- protect space, tackle, block/shepherd to release the other two. While Cunnington usually is the extractor, he also acts this role too. Until he returns, we need Jed in there to protect Powell.

LDU is a big boy he doesn’t need big plodders like greenwood or Jed around him

Surround him with speed and class

 

[Psicosis]

He has been handled insipidly this year.

Hopefully a new coach will bring a different approach to developing our young mids.

 

[shintemaster]

LDU is a big boy he doesn’t need big plodders like greenwood or Jed around him

Surround him with speed and class

Tend to agree. What he does need is some defensive minds around him that aren't chasing the clearance because when he gets a run at the ball he is very difficult to stop (as opposed to most our mids who get wrapped up or congested clearances).

I'd say LDU, Powell and a more general all round defensive mid would be a good mix. I'd like to see JHF back more to HF (as long as he gets bursts in there to keep him interested if we're not getting the ball forward). Simpkin should be more wing side and floating forward as he just doesn't get separation often enough as first in and he isn't defensive enough when he's not.

Thomas, Jed and another more all round mid would probably be a good mix for the other grouping with Stephenson on the wing.

Stepho and Jy simply have to be more accountable defensively whilst pushing hard forward on the attack. They are not babies.

 

[ferball]

Not strong enough yet.

I wonder if anyone posting in the last few pages has seen how often he gets pushed off the ball in contests. Especially against big, mature mids. When he stands next to an opponent and tries to hold his position he gets pushed away too easily.

This might be why he doesn't get as much centre square time. He is great in traffic while moving, has great situational awareness too but often he gets pushed off balance and misses the first step toward a contest or the whole contest. (This happens to Jy as well.) He'll be fine in a few years (if he hits the weights) but he isn't strong enough yet.

 

[shinboner magic]

Anyone that lives near Arden st - please go down and in the centre square paint ‘play tom Powell in the middle ‘

 

[Works atErrol St]

Anyone that lives near Arden st - please go down and in the centre square paint ‘play tom Powell in the middle ‘

Okay I’ll add in the AFL.

 

[shinboner magic]

Okay I’ll add in the AFL.

Lol you better - we ain’t got rocket scientists down there

 

[Roos1991]

LDU is a big boy he doesn’t need big plodders like greenwood or Jed around him

Surround him with speed and class

LDU does need protection. Both to give him space to use it but also so that he's not gassed by half time after getting absolutely smashed in the middle.

 

[Themanbun]

I wonder if anyone posting in the last few pages has seen how often he gets pushed off the ball in contests. Especially against big, mature mids. When he stands next to an opponent and tries to hold his position he gets pushed away too easily.

This might be why he doesn't get as much centre square time. He is great in traffic while moving, has great situational awareness too but often he gets pushed off balance and misses the first step toward a contest or the whole contest. (This happens to Jy as well.) He'll be fine in a few years (if he hits the weights) but he isn't strong enough yet.

He still has a great centre bounce attendance to centre clearance ratio, but I kind of agree. We've been playing +1 around the stoppage a bit, and I'd prefer that be Powell rather than Taylor or Perez. I think that's his go while he builds strength.

 

[KangaRooster]

Imagine if Clarko got his hands on this bloke

 

[Massive Unit]

I wonder if anyone posting in the last few pages has seen how often he gets pushed off the ball in contests. Especially against big, mature mids. When he stands next to an opponent and tries to hold his position he gets pushed away too easily.

This might be why he doesn't get as much centre square time. He is great in traffic while moving, has great situational awareness too but often he gets pushed off balance and misses the first step toward a contest or the whole contest. (This happens to Jy as well.) He'll be fine in a few years (if he hits the weights) but he isn't strong enough yet.

I agree with this entirely. What I don't understand is why he engages his opponent if he knows this will be the result. It puts him at an immediate disadvantage.

Whilst he builds strength he should back in his speed and nous to beat his opponent rather than body strength. Sure, he needs to be within contact but stop leaning in to engage as fully.

 

[ferball]

He still has a great centre bounce attendance to centre clearance ratio, but I kind of agree. We've been playing +1 around the stoppage a bit, and I'd prefer that be Powell rather than Taylor or Perez. I think that's his go while he builds strength.

Yeah, I agree. He's great on the move in (or out of) traffic. That situational awareness is almost supernatural. Also getting the ball to him after a centre clearance where possible, or the last touch before we get the clearance if he's running off the edge of the centre square at bounces. Instead of leaving him in the middle against guys with another five years of muscle and contested work behind them.

 

[ferball]

I agree with this entirely. What I don't understand is why he engages his opponent if he knows this will be the result. It puts him at an immediate disadvantage.

Whilst he builds strength he should back in his speed and nous to beat his opponent rather than body strength. Sure, he needs to be within contact but stop leaning in to engage as fully.

He's learning. Maybe he is coached to. But I've also seen other players step to engage him, put him off balance and then move. He'll learn from that tho. Guys like TT and JHF had a few years in state leagues to learn how to cope against bigger bodies.