Powell wins 2020 McCallum Tomkins Medal

By ZAC MILBANK

Prolific Sturt midfielder Tom Powell has won the 2020 McCallum Tomkins Medal, becoming the first Double Blues player in a decade to win the coveted individual award.

Powell, the son of Double Blues’ Jack Oatey Medallist Matthew Powell, polled 18 votes to edge out Norwood’s Cooper Murley on 17 and another promising father-son in the Eagles’ Jase Burgoyne (son of Peter) on 16.

Attracting maximum votes on four occasions, the 18-year-old polled in seven of his 12 matches while playing a major role in steering the Double Blues to the U18 minor premiership.

This included three votes from the umpires when he racked up a staggering 47 disposals against West Adelaide in Round 10, featured in the clip below.

Measuring in at 180cm and 70kg, Powell’s honour caps off an eye-catching campaign in which he also received the Torrens University Cup MVP Award.

Invited to SA’s NAB AFL Combine, Powell is considered to be a strong chance to be selected in December’s AFL Draft having also been named in Sturt’s best players nine times this year.

He is just the second Sturt player to win the McCallum Tomkins Medal since its inception in 2009, with the Double Blues’ Christian Calabrese winning it in 2010.