Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Warner: Why Cats midfielder is such a formidable foe
Andrew Slevison • September 26th, 2025 12:58 pm
Sydney’s Chad Warner has identified Geelong’s Tom Atkins as one of the toughest midfielders to come up against in the AFL.
The Swans jet is yet to claim a Brownlow Medal vote in six outings against the Cats, most recently kept relatively quiet with 23 touches in the Round 23 defeat.
Quite often he has to deal with the close checking of the hard-nosed Atkins who has built a reputation as one of the strongest run-with players in the game.
Warner outlined what makes the tenacious Atkins such a formidable midfield foe as he prepares to play a significant role on one of Brisbane’s key midfielders in Saturday’s Grand Final at the MCG.
“Tom Atkins usually does a bit (on me). (Mark) O’Connor went to Isaac (Heeney) last time,” Warner said on SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“He’s bloody tough, he doesn’t give you anything.
“The thing that’s great about him is he kind of matches up on you but he also goes and wins it himself.”
Warner was then asked: Who is the hardest player to play against?
“Probably him (Atkins) or Touk Miller,” he added.
“He is bloody tough. He just works so hard both ways.”
Atkins has again been superb in 2025, averaging career-bests of 19.6 disposals, 5.5 clearances and three inside 50s. He is the league’s most prolific tackler with a remarkable 226 tackles at an average of nine per game.
The 30-year-old is gearing up for his second Grand Final when the Cats meet the Brisbane Lions at the MCG on Saturday. He had 16 touches and seven tackles in 2022 when the Cats smashed Warner and the Swans by 81 points.
