Run Tom Run

[The Investigator]

Ridiculous. The kid is already awesome.

Not saying he isn't Buzzard, but you'd be lying if you said he was perfect. There are always areas of the game that can be improved. Consistency will come with more experience. In saying that, I don't believe that was the reason he had a quiet night tonight, rather that was due to the overall team performance (lack of possession, poor completion rate, dubious referee decisions).

 

[HK_Eagle]

Tom T is very lazy and has a lot to learn with his positional play in defence as well as his agression in defence.
Tommy, you ain't playing under 20's anymore.

You need to be following the play all the time. Atm he is a long way off holding a candle to snake.

While I don't know if "lazy" is the right word (it could just be "unaware"), however, I do agree with this in general. He does need to be pro-actively getting himself in the right defensive positions, particularly when opposition is in our attacking zone.

I remember watching at one point today during their goal line camp and seeing Tom over near the play the ball close to the touch line on the last tackle. And sure enough, the cross field kick came back towards the posts and he was nowhere near being in the same post code. That was luckily defused by Kelly (I think) who was then bundled back into the goal area for yet another drop out.

He needs to better anticipate the game and get himself in the right position. He should be in the vicinity for just about every attacking bomb, and always there as the last line of cover down the wings. Too often he is not. But, hopefully it will come, and sooner rather than later.

 

[Wombat Legacy]

Ha Ha - the Sea Eagles devouring themselves

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Tom is virtually unstoppable 15-20 mtrs out. Whilst he did outrun semi once, he definitely doesnt have Snake's speed, but who does? Leave the kid be, he just had a bad day at the office, as did our whole team. After all, it is a team game & he definitely didn't cost us the game. Sure his defence does leave a lot to be desired, but I'm much more concerned with our defence as a team. But Turbo is just a kid & he's already proven that he's got the goods.

 

[Kevinward777]

Tom will eclipse Inglis by the end of his career!

 

[HoldenV8]

I remember watching at one point today during their goal line camp and seeing Tom over near the play the ball close to the touch line on the last tackle. And sure enough, the cross field kick came back towards the posts and he was nowhere near being in the same post code. That was luckily defused by Kelly (I think) who was then bundled back into the goal area for yet another drop out.

Tom was out near the play the ball because he actually had to make a tackle (I think it was on Jennings) or they would have scored. Even great experienced fullbacks like Wombat and Snake would have struggled to get back near the posts to field a kick on the very next play.

Just on Tom's pace. He does have speed, not as much as Snake did, but he does have it. He just needs to back himself more, especially now that he's had his ankle fixed. But as we also know, bulking up like he has over the past 2 years (he's about 8 or 9 kg heavier than he was in 2015) does blunt speed a bit.

I actually thought that for the most part, his defense today at fullback was better than it was last year.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Tom was out near the play the ball because he actually had to make a tackle (I think it was on Jennings) or they would have scored. Even great experienced fullbacks like Wombat and Snake would have struggled to get back near the posts to field a kick on the very next play.

Just on Tom's pace. He does have speed, not as much as Snake did, but he does have it. He just needs to back himself more, especially now that he's had his ankle fixed. But as we also know, bulking up like he has over the past 2 years (he's about 8 or 9 kg heavier than he was in 2015) does blunt speed a bit.

I actually thought that for the most part, his defense today at fullback was better than it was last year.

Fair enough. I didn't note his involvement in that prior part, but it makes sense.

 

[maxta]

The thread is opposite to dogging Turbo....more just wanting him to run the ball as such a super attacking player....pass through the line , not before it....you want your gun players taking on the line....to pass to a team mate in a worse position, with only 30% of your attacking ability is not the best option...

 

[court83]

I'm glad you're not a manly talent scout if you're not happy with tom.

im happy with him as a prospect... But he is far from the best 1s in league at this juncture.. same goes for munster, watched him last season after all the "storm dont need slater now munsters here" comments, and the kid adds nothing in attack like slater does.. they will both improve but as yet havnt earned the massive praise at nrl level that gets heaped on them...

 

[nightster]

He ran on most opportunities he would have been a lot better if we had the ball more. He did his best.

no he didn't ... not going for that 20/40 was flabergasting ... and not doing his best ... his best is much better than that

 

[nightster]

T
Just on Tom's pace. He does have speed, not as much as Snake did, but he does have it. He just needs to back himself more, especially now that he's had his ankle fixed. But as we also know, bulking up like he has over the past 2 years (he's about 8 or 9 kg heavier than he was in 2015) does blunt speed a bit.
.

also on the Sterlo interview (I think) ... he said the ankle didn't slow him down at all last year so he may not be any faster this year ... unfortunately ...damn he would be a great centre ... Kelly can play fullback ... just sayin

 

[Waz13]

If we had the amount of ball the eels had Turbo would have torn them apart. Parra game planned him well and were all over him I thought. He was always met with a wall of 3 players. The chance he got at the end he made the bust from the goal line but at that stage he was clearly gassed and got taken down at halfway. I thought the effort to hold French up in the first was ordinary tho. That dudes a light weight and Turbo could have stopped him I thought. Bring on next week I think he'll have a blinder.

 

[Fluffy]

TT needs match fitness - we saw the same thing early last year where he would go well in the first half and disappear in the second.

It looked like he was pacing himself a bit more in this game unlike Tedesco who killed it but had to leave the field - a closer game and Tedesco might have cost the tigpies a win.

 

[Buzzard]

Yea, i understand that, todays game wasnt a game that he could shine.. Not with the forwards leaving their hands at home... My observations on tom were more what i thought of him last year.. Not that fast and dosent get involved in attack nearly as much as other top fullbacks do.. But im not writing him off, he just needs to learn and get more experience
(edit. I understand he was carrying an injury, so hoping to see more growth in his game thru the course of 2017)

You still have an issue with Tom's growth and involvement???

 

[Clay]

I think the pressure in having an effect on Tom. You look at Latrell Mitchell and he is so confident and his body language is always energetic and excited. Tom always looks depressed and worried.

I agree, his face says it all. This is the result of losing consistently .
He would of witnessed a great Manly side growing up and if we were winning and it didn't solely rely on the Trebs I think you would see Tom playing with a smile and would be a much better player for it.
Can't fault his effort or heart

 

[court83]

You still have an issue with Tom's growth and involvement???

it was def a good game from him... will give credit where its due... he is a future star thats for sure, but theres a habbit of labelling 18-19-20 year olds as "superstars" long before theve earned it... tommy has massive potential, but would like to see it more often, hopefully he becomes the star everyone says he is,but for mine, hes a year or 2 of consistent seasons away from that for mine

 

[Fluffy]

Great attacking game again from TT but average in defence again. Positioning and or fitness need to improve - hoping it comes with match fitness.

Still looking for him sprinting in behind the ruck like Brett, Slater etc used to do to get himself in the right position. He gets caught in the defensive line far too often allowing many soft tries on the grubber in goal.