There is a promising ruckman/forward at the Northern Knights who starred in Round 1 of the Coates Talent League.
Thomas Sims started the 2024 season in fine fashion with a bag of five goals in his side’s 43-point victory over the Western Jets at Trevor Barker Oval last Saturday.
Player manager James Pitcher, from Bravo Talent Management, was taken by what the 199cm Sims produced with his handful of goals, 14 disposals, nine hit-outs, seven marks and three tackles.
“There were some good performances, in particular Thomas Sims who kicked five,” Pitcher said on SEN’s Future Stars.
“He’s a physical ruck/key forward who also had 14 touches. He really impressed me as someone who is probably not one who is in the Metro squads or national academies.
“But he has really come out and announced himself in Round 1.”
While Sims does spend a bit more time inside attacking 50 than a regular ruckman, he does remind Pitcher of a young Kieren Briggs.
The GWS big man has been an intimidating force in the AFL since coming of age with the Giants during the 2023 campaign and there are specks of his game in Sims.
“This guy took a while to come on from an AFL sense, but he (Sims) is Kieren Briggs,” Pitcher added.
“So Briggs as a junior would intimidate those around him, put the fear of God through them a bit like the ‘Mummy’ (Shane Mumford) used to do.
“Thomas was doing that. He made sure that his presence was felt.
“He really covers the ground well and is versatile in that he can play ruck, push forward, take a mark and put it through.”
According to Pitcher, the Montmorency product was the most impressive player across the Victorian underage competition on opening weekend.
“I was really impressed by Sims,” he said further.
“When the game was on the line he really intimidated the opposition, he spread the game well, he was great up forward, a great pair of hands and he kicked it well.
“From what I saw, he was the player of the weekend.”
Sims and the Knights take on the Eastern Ranges at Belvedere Reserve in Seaford on Good Friday from 1:30pm AEDT.
