50 Games - at last - Tom Williams

[bornadog]

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/TWilliams_Rd209_246a.jpg

We normally don't celebrate a 50 game milestone with great enthusiasm but in Tommy's case its about bloody time.

Drafted in 2004 at number 6 overall (after Buddy 5th and Griffen 3rd), Williams career has been very unlucky with several injuries. This season he has played 16 of 18 games and is starting to show why the Dogs have had faith in him.

Tommy is important to our structure and we wish him well in his next 50 games.

[Desipura]

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa198/mmsalih/TWilliams_Rd209_246a.jpg

We normally don't celebrate a 50 game milestone with great enthusiasm but in Tommy's case its about bloody time.

Drafted in 2004 at number 6 overall (after Buddy 5th and Griffen 3rd), Williams career has been very unlucky with several injuries. This season he has played 16 of 18 games and is starting to show why the Dogs have had faith in him.

Tommy is important to our structure and we wish him well in his next 50 games.
He was quiet happy with himself when he kicked that goal on the weekend.

[bornadog]

He was quiet happy with himself when he kicked that goal on the weekend.

Yes only his second.

[Throughandthrough]

"like"

[Desipura]

Yes only his second.
Do you remeber his first? And against which team?

[LostDoggy]

Well done Tommy!! Hopefully you get through the next 50 games come a lot quicker!! :)

[chef]

Do you remeber his first? And against which team?

Against St Kilda at the dome two years ago after a mark on the 50 line and a fifty meter penalty.

[The Underdog]

Do you remeber his first? And against which team?

My guess would be against the Saints 2-3 years ago at Docklands. IIRC he went forward for a while in a game we won quite comfortably.
That's off the top of my head.

[Desipura]

Against St Kilda at the dome two years ago after a mark on the 50 line and a fifty meter penalty.


My guess would be against the Saints 2-3 years ago at Docklands. IIRC he went forward for a while in a game we won quite comfortably.
That's off the top of my head.
Give the guys a prize! :D Geez we store some useless information us diehards dont we?

[wend1604]

Congratulations Tom! There was a time where I didn't think he'd make it to 50 games.

Here's to the next 50!!!

Speaking of 50, I think this is my 50th post. YAY!!! It only took me nearly a year! :D

[always right]

I thought he looked as comfortable on Sunday as I've seen him. Did some fine mopping up in the first half when others put him under pressure. Still some way to go but I reckon he's gonna make it:)

[Mofra]

We simply need to get games into him. He will be our next Lake, the guy who we rely upon every week to take the monsters/no 1 forwards.

[EasternWest]

He was quiet happy with himself when he kicked that goal on the weekend.

That was pretty funny. He was so pumped up and then you can almost see the moment when he says to himself "play it cool, Tom" and stopped fist pumping.


I thought he looked as comfortable on Sunday as I've seen him. Did some fine mopping up in the first half when others put him under pressure. Still some way to go but I reckon he's gonna make it:)

This.

[Greystache]

Glad he's finally gotten to 50 games, I think it'll be another 50 before we really know what we're going to get from Tom in the long run.

[Throughandthrough]

How good was Brian Harris after 50 games?

[Remi Moses]

Agree he just needs more game,also disadvantaged by the fact he hadn't played the game growing up.

[Topdog]

Finally got there. Congrats Tommy.




Drafted in 2004 at number 6 overall (after Buddy 5th and Griffen 3rd), Williams career has been very unlucky with several injuries.

Griffen at 114 and Buddy at 115 shows how long it has been.

[LostDoggy]

Well done Tommy!

[AndrewP6]

Good luck Tommy... normally I might say "break a leg", but in this case I'm saying nothing! ;)

[LostDoggy]

Good luck Tommy... normally I might say "break a leg", but in this case I'm saying nothing! ;)

Haha exactly Andrew say nothing. :D

[LostDoggy]

Congratulations Tommygun - finally:o Hope you get the next 50 done much quicker and with minimal (or no) injuries. And like others, I thought he finally looked comfortable out there on Sunday mopping up across the backline. Oh yeah, he was pretty happy with that goal too!

[craigsahibee]

I'm not going to congratulate him until I know his name is on the team sheet on Sunday.

[Desipura]

I'm not going to congratulate him until I know his name is on the team sheet on Sunday.
You cynical basket! :D

[Ozza]

Thought Tommy's best game so far may well be his 49th. Has continued to improve on the back of getting some continuity into his footy this year. Gives us the flexibility to throw Brian around to wherever we need him most and thats a big plus.

Good stuff Tommy Williams.

[Cyberdoggie]

So now that he has made the 50 milestone does that elevate him from the "in-experienced" category?.

No excuses now Tom. Let's see what you can do.

[Desipura]

So now that he has made the 50 milestone does that elevate him from the "in-experienced" category?.
No excuses now Tom. Let's see what you can do.
When you have only played less than 70 games of footy in total at any grade as Tom has, you would have to say he is still very inexperienced.
I would think with another full season playing seniors, we will find out how good of a player he will become.
Im looking to 2012 before I think we can say he has reached his potential or somewhere close to his potential.

[GVGjr]

It's great news for a guy that has spent so much time off the field. I don't know how many times I went to training and just watched him limp out to the ground and spend the next 30 to 40 minutes on that arm whinching machine.

[LostDoggy]

Finally he has made it. As many have said, let's hope his next 50 go by a lot quicker.

[KT31]

Finally and well done Tom.

[LostDoggy]

My old man and my uncle bump into Luke Darcy at a pub one summer and they got talking a bit. Darcy told them to watch out for kid who had just been drafted to the club. No one other than Tom Williams.

My Dad (being a Richmond support) came home and told me, because he was hardly going to watch him closely.

Since then i have watched this "project player" spend more time on the sidelines than he has on the ground. And as frustrating as its been (for both him and us supporters) I'm still glad we took this "project player" with our pick 6 in the 2004 draft.

You don't have to watch him closely to know he gives everything he does 100% and he's the type of guy you want to see succeed.

Well done Tommy. Good Luck Sunday and for the rest of your career.

[LostDoggy]

I too have been following Tommy closely as I am also a keen rugby player / follower. Tom's dad used to play for Queensland many moons ago and from the first day he stepped into the Kennel, i could see why Clayton had picked him so highly.

I reckon he is already a key player in our setup and this will just continue to grow in importance as his experience builds. He is a hell of an athlete and i just hope that he plays 200 games for us!

His late stints in the ruck have also been interesting! I hate to use the word potential for him, but he really looks like he could be a great option there as well, and he really seemed to relish the chance of having a go in the middle.

Good luck on Sunday...

[LostDoggy]

Did anyone else pick up on Brian Taylor's comments as the Bulldogs ran out onto the ground yesterday? It seemd to me he was having a bit of a dig at the cheer squad for having a 50 game banner for Tom. Comments along the lines of "Oh wow. Wowee" The way he said it was quite condescending. :(

Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

[bornadog]

Did anyone else pick up on Brian Taylor's comments as the Bulldogs ran out onto the ground yesterday? It seemd to me he was having a bit of a dig at the cheer squad for having a 50 game banner for Tom. Comments along the lines of "Oh wow. Wowee" The way he said it was quite condescending. :(

Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

Did hear that Suz, well done.

I thought he played well on Sunday and was cool under pressure. Must learning a bit from lake.:)

[chef]

Did anyone else pick up on Brian Taylor's comments as the Bulldogs ran out onto the ground yesterday? It seemd to me he was having a bit of a dig at the cheer squad for having a 50 game banner for Tom. Comments along the lines of "Oh wow. Wowee" The way he said it was quite condescending. :(
Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

He does this every week on his show on FOX. He doesn't like milestones that don't end in 00.

[LostDoggy]

Did anyone else pick up on Brian Taylor's comments as the Bulldogs ran out onto the ground yesterday? It seemd to me he was having a bit of a dig at the cheer squad for having a 50 game banner for Tom. Comments along the lines of "Oh wow. Wowee" The way he said it was quite condescending. :(

Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

He shoulda had a gold banner haha...

[Topdog]

Did anyone else pick up on Brian Taylor's comments as the Bulldogs ran out onto the ground yesterday? It seemd to me he was having a bit of a dig at the cheer squad for having a 50 game banner for Tom. Comments along the lines of "Oh wow. Wowee" The way he said it was quite condescending. :(

Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

BT has a lot of fun with Williams. I'm not sure exactly what happened but they said that Williams worked at Fox Sports for a bit and BT has been giving him stick ever since. It's all good natured.

[Murphy'sLore]

Did anyone else pick up on Brian Taylor's comments as the Bulldogs ran out onto the ground yesterday? It seemd to me he was having a bit of a dig at the cheer squad for having a 50 game banner for Tom. Comments along the lines of "Oh wow. Wowee" The way he said it was quite condescending. :(

Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

I heard you too, Suz, I thought, good on you -- would have thought it twice as hard if I'd known it was you!

[Topdog]

I thought Tom was great on the weekend too. He seems much more "at home" on the field these days.

[Throughandthrough]

BT has a lot of fun with Williams. I'm not sure exactly what happened but they said that Williams worked at Fox Sports for a bit and BT has been giving him stick ever since. It's all good natured.


Yeah, two weeks ago BT mentioned that Tom Williams spends every Tuesday working @ Fox Sports, must be doing media studies or something.


Definitely good natured ribbing.

[GVGjr]

BT has a lot of fun with Williams. I'm not sure exactly what happened but they said that Williams worked at Fox Sports for a bit and BT has been giving him stick ever since. It's all good natured.


Yes that is my understanding.

[LostDoggy]

Anyway, I rang KB on SEN this morning to 'get something off my chest'. Said that I was disappointed in Brian Taylor's comments and pointed out just how long it's taken Tom to reach this milestone and what a bad run of injuries he's had. So if the cheer squad want to acknowledge his 50th game, good on them!! :)

I thought it was you, you did a great job :)

[LostDoggy]

When you have only played less than 70 games of footy in total at any grade as Tom has, you would have to say he is still very inexperienced.
I would think with another full season playing seniors, we will find out how good of a player he will become.
Im looking to 2012 before I think we can say he has reached his potential or somewhere close to his potential.

Have to agree. The guy has been given an armchair ride to reach 50 games. Is he Rockets love child? Thats as good as it gets with Tom. Trade him back to QLD.

[The Coon Dog]

Have to agree. The guy has been given an armchair ride to reach 50 games. Is he Rockets love child? Thats as good as it gets with Tom. Trade him back to QLD.

And if he's as poor as you seem to think, what would you realistically expect in return if he were to be traded?

[chef]

Have to agree. The guy has been given an armchair ride to reach 50 games. Is he Rockets love child? Thats as good as it gets with Tom. Trade him back to QLD.

Lucky you weren't in charge when Lake was developing.

[mighty_west]

Have to agree. The guy has been given an armchair ride to reach 50 games. Is he Rockets love child? Thats as good as it gets with Tom. Trade him back to QLD.

How many players are as good as they get to at 50 games?...and who do we replace him with to play CHB?

[LostDoggy]

Come on guys he hasn't got a footy brain. If you think he is going to as good as Brian you are kidding. If he wasnt 6"5 and 100kgs he wouldnt ghet a run at Spotswood.He's a Rugby RING IN like Mulligan. Get these boys back over the border.

[Doc26]

Have to agree. The guy has been given an armchair ride to reach 50 games. Is he Rockets love child? Thats as good as it gets with Tom. Trade him back to QLD.

A bit harsh there BigFella. Yes it's taken Tom some time to come on but from his progression this season he has now cemented his place. He was a project player when recruited and we are seeing dividends now that his body is holding up and he has had some decent game time into him. He has become valuable not only as a foil for Lake but as a decent option to take the opposition's second tall forward and helps to take some heat off Dale.

[The Coon Dog]

Come on guys he hasn't got a footy brain. If you think he is going to as good as Brian you are kidding. If he wasnt 6"5 and 100kgs he wouldnt ghet a run at Spotswood.He's a Rugby RING IN like Mulligan. Get these boys back over the border.

Still didn't answer my question. If you think he should be traded because he's a spud, what would you realistically expect for him?

[chef]

A bit harsh there BigFella. Yes it's taken Tom some time to come on but from his progression this season he has now cemented his place. He was a project player when recruited and we are seeing dividends now that his body is holding up and he has had some decent game time into him. He has become valuable not only as a foil for Lake but as a decent option to take the opposition's second tall forward and helps to take some heat off Dale.

And he also allows us to send Lake forward.

[Sockeye Salmon]

I always thought the first rule of Woof was you weren't allowed to slag off our players without backing it up.

[LostDoggy]

Still didn't answer my question. If you think he should be traded because he's a spud, what would you realistically expect for him?

Not much

[mighty_west]

Come on guys he hasn't got a footy brain. If you think he is going to as good as Brian you are kidding. If he wasnt 6"5 and 100kgs he wouldnt ghet a run at Spotswood.He's a Rugby RING IN like Mulligan. Get these boys back over the border.

No one is suggesting that Tommy will be as good as Lakey, we are just saying that Lake was NOWHERE NEAR as good as he was at his 50 game mark of his career compared to his last few seasons.

Given Tommy's shortcomings, lack of football smarts etc etc, i reckon he's done pretty damn good considering he is playing such a vital role in the side, having to try & shut down one of the oppositions tall forwards week in week out, releasing Lake at times to play a more attacking role down back & stints up forward.

[LostDoggy]

I always thought the first rule of Woof was you weren't allowed to slag off our players without backing it up.

Im not slagging him OFF i'm just saying it as i see it. So if i look back through all your posts i wont find you "Slagging him off"?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Im not slagging him OFF i'm just saying it as i see it. So if i look back through all your posts i wont find you "Slagging him off"?

"he hasn't got a footy brain"
"If he wasnt 6"5 and 100kgs he wouldnt ghet a run at Spotswood"


If you're going to have a crack at one of our boys back it up.

Why do you think he hasn't got a footy brain? What examples can you offer where it has hurt us? If we trade him for "not much" (if you're getting "not much" for him, why would you bother trading - SS) who plays CHB when Morris is outsized? Lake and Morris are both approaching 30, who do you propose takes over on the big forwards when they are gone?

I would suggest when it come to a footy brain, Tom would have you covered.

[GVGjr]

Im not slagging him OFF i'm just saying it as i see it. So if i look back through all your posts i wont find you "Slagging him off"?

You won't find me slagging him off. After what you said about Cordy you seem to have little appreciation for guys that have had to battle through a number of injuries.

In a time when Williams should have been learning more about the game he was almost permanently in rehab and I admire his persistence in becoming a regular and reaching 50 games. He could obviously improve and has some faults but I think he is a great guy to have on the list.

I'd rather a guy on the list like Williams that has worked hard than guys with a lot of talent who take the short cuts.

[chef]

You won't find me slagging him off. After what you said about Cordy you seem to have little appreciation for guys that have had to battle through a number of injuries.

In a time when Williams should have been learning more about the game he was almost permanently in rehab and I admire his persistence in becoming a regular and reaching 50 games. He could obviously improve and has some faults but I think he is a great guy to have on the list.

I'd rather a guy on the list like Williams that has worked hard than guys with a lot of talent who take the short cuts.

Well said again GVGjr, I personally have been happy with the way Tommy has been developing considering he started behind the eight ball with a lack of junior football as well as all the set backs he's had injury wise.

[LostDoggy]

You won't find me slagging him off. After what you said about Cordy you seem to have little appreciation for guys that have had to battle through a number of injuries.

In a time when Williams should have been learning more about the game he was almost permanently in rehab and I admire his persistence in becoming a regular and reaching 50 games. He could obviously improve and has some faults but I think he is a great guy to have on the list.

I'd rather a guy on the list like Williams that has worked hard than guys with a lot of talent who take the short cuts.

I second that motion GVGjr - IMO he still has a lot to learn (and I'm more than happy that he continues to learn with Bulldogs), but you can't question his dedication to keep playing and his persistence to get through all the rehab he has been through.

[MrMahatma]

Actually thought he's been pretty good this year. Not a standout, but in our best 22.

[ReLoad]

OK, here is the deal.

The backline is a mini team, the best backlines function when you have the same core unit of players each with thier own roles and responsibilities.

Its critical inside this mini team that several things are achieved.
1. Regular squad, its the same guys in this team, they will know how each other plays, know what to read off each other and know how to move for each other, our team does this VERY well.
2. you need negative focussed players, you cannot have all attacking backmen, you need different types of players that can perform very negative roles, and other players whose sole job is to run with someone or to ensure in a contested marking situation nobody takes a mark.
3. you must have players who can perform multiple roles for coverage and different opposing team match ups.

So where does Tom Williams fit into all this?
1. Tick, they guy is a regular part of th team, and for those with blinkers on you will also notice him growing more into this aspect, he has even added some inside 50's into his game.
2. Tick, this is what he is folks. he is a negative player, the guy is NOT a play maker, he isnt Matthew Scarlett or Harry Taylor, he has been conditioned and trained to be a negative role player, i.e sit on someone's head and ensure they do not get the ball.
3. Tick, again he has elite endurance and closing speed, anyone who has seen his training results and physical test attributes knows this guy is fast and will run a lot longer than most given his size.

Next couple of points, when has he ever been totally beaten? i mean really carved up? the answer is he hasn't, and the reason he hasn't is because the whole backline works together, he will swap with Morris or lake in roles at times, and allow us flexibility in getting these guys free.

so finally let me put this to you.

Would lake be as great a player as he is without the benefit of the guys around him? they certainly help him be the player he is, and Tom Williams is part of that.

So id suggest that until the next miracle CHB appears on our list that everyone put their I hate Tom Williams t-shirts back in the bottom draw.

That is my .02 worth of Peoples Republic of West Footscray Roubles.

[MrMahatma]

OK, here is the deal.

The backline is a mini team, the best backlines function when you have the same core unit of players each with thier own roles and responsibilities.

Its critical inside this mini team that several things are achieved.
1. Regular squad, its the same guys in this team, they will know how each other plays, know what to read off each other and know how to move for each other, our team does this VERY well.
2. you need negative focussed players, you cannot have all attacking backmen, you need different types of players that can perform very negative roles, and other players whose sole job is to run with someone or to ensure in a contested marking situation nobody takes a mark.
3. you must have players who can perform multiple roles for coverage and different opposing team match ups.

So where does Tom Williams fit into all this?
1. Tick, they guy is a regular part of th team, and for those with blinkers on you will also notice him growing more into this aspect, he has even added some inside 50's into his game.
2. Tick, this is what he is folks. he is a negative player, the guy is NOT a play maker, he isnt Matthew Scarlett or Harry Taylor, he has been conditioned and trained to be a negative role player, i.e sit on someone's head and ensure they do not get the ball.
3. Tick, again he has elite endurance and closing speed, anyone who has seen his training results and physical test attributes knows this guy is fast and will run a lot longer than most given his size.

Next couple of points, when has he ever been totally beaten? i mean really carved up? the answer is he hasn't, and the reason he hasn't is because the whole backline works together, he will swap with Morris or lake in roles at times, and allow us flexibility in getting these guys free.

so finally let me put this to you.

Would lake be as great a player as he is without the benefit of the guys around him? they certainly help him be the player he is, and Tom Williams is part of that.

So id suggest that until the next miracle CHB appears on our list that everyone put their I hate Tom Williams t-shirts back in the bottom draw.

That is my .02 worth of Peoples Republic of West Footscray Roubles.
I believe Buddy tore him a new one a few years ago. Lucky for him Franklin kicked 1.10 or something silly.

[LostDoggy]

Thanks Reload, a comprehensive rebuttal to Bigfella 7's point of view. That was some rouble well spent. I believe that 'China' has developed into a consistently integral part of this team. Especially over the course of this season. It is amazing what several games without major injury can do for a player and his confidence. Go Queenslander!

[Mofra]

So id suggest that until the next miracle CHB appears on our list
... or any list.

Tommy holds his own in comparison to CHBs league-wide, despite his lack of experience. His footskills have improved considerably and I don't see much difference in the criticisms of a 50-game Brian Harris and a 50 game Tommygun.

[Topdog]

Come on guys he hasn't got a footy brain..

If that were the case he would have been shown up last weekend in the wet. Instead he was very very good and really used his brain a lot of the time. I've actually been quite surprised by how much he has improved this year.

[mighty_west]

I believe Buddy tore him a new one a few years ago. Lucky for him Franklin kicked 1.10 or something silly.

We threw everyone at Buddy that day, not only Tommy, Buddy also snagged 8 on Lake & Morris in a final.

Dale has also been owned by Micky O & Steve Johnson.

Was it last year that Cloke outplayed Tom in one contest?, and everyone was screaming for Tom to be axed? BTW, CLoke missed that goal and actually didn't kick a goal on Tom for that game.

Yet, we still like to stick the boots in.

[soupman]

Just thought tonight Tommygun showed his importance to the side playing on both Podsiadly and Varcoe and keeping both quiet whilst also being good with his disposals. He continus to improve and prove himself as a key member of the side. One of the few positives.

[EasternWest]

I always thought the first rule of Woof was you weren't allowed to slag off our players without backing it up.

No the first rule of WOOF is you do not talk about WOOF.

Sorry, had to be done.

Tom is fine. I like his development and think he will only get better.

Can anyone tell me if he's hurt after the collision with Bobby?

[bornadog]

No the first rule of WOOF is you do not talk about WOOF.

Sorry, had to be done.

Tom is fine. I like his development and think he will only get better.

Can anyone tell me if he's hurt after the collision with Bobby?

Report in the paper says he will be fine for next week.

[Ghost Dog]

Just said g'day to Tom Williams in city Road. Decent fella, kinda hard to remain anonymous when you're that tall. Told him I thought he was doing really well. One young guy look forward to seeing play. Go Tom.

[BulldogBelle]

Nice work Ghost Dog

[strebla]

Just said g'day to Tom Williams in city Road. Decent fella, kinda hard to remain anonymous when you're that tall. Told him I thought he was doing really well. One young guy look forward to seeing play. Go Tom.

Tippet had him covered in the first quarter Friday night but gee he was good after that.