A career-best 8th place in Gold Coast’s 2020 Club Champion is a fitting finish for young gun Wil Powell who showed massive signs of improvement this season.
A natural outside midfielder, Powell was thrust into defence mid-season for team balance and proved his versatility as a player with some strong performances in the backline.
He played 15 games in total, averaging 13 disposals and three marks per game.
His bravery was a highlight this season, with the slim defender never hesitating to drop back into a hole and fly for a mark without a care for the collision which would eventually come from behind.
He had his fair share of heavy knocks this season but never let that affect his performance on the field.
With another pre-season ahead of him, Powell should be able to add to his frame to allow him to compete with stronger opponents and take his game to another level.
Stat that matters:
Powell averaged eight intercept possessions per game for the final six rounds of the season, the most of any other player at the club during that period.
Best performance:
Powell’s best match was the second last for the season. Coming up against Collingwood, Powell had 22 disposals (eight as intercept possessions), six marks and 376 metres gained to also be voted the Austworld Player of the Round that week.
Moment of the season:
After being slated to miss a chunk of the start of the season due to a knee injury, the COVID break was a blessing in disguise for Powell. He ended up missing just Round 1 and would have been thrilled to regain his place in the side for Round 2 three months later. He then went on to play 14 of the remaining 15 games in the season which was great for his development.
Year in a movie title:
Braveheart
