AFL Player 13: Nik Cox - Concussion panel, season done, back in 2026 - 4/7

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2026
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 6, Rick Ross

 

[Lance Uppercut]

If you go back to his first year he looked good early but as the year moved on they started to put more physical pressure on him to stop him jumping at the footy and having the impact he did. His form did drop away. His form last year was average and he had a very poor moment in the Anzac day game where he pulled out of the contest. Not sure what has happened. Lack of confidence in his body or just not a physical player.

He definitely showed he had some campaigner in him year one. Let's let him rebuild confidence before throwing around ridiculous epithets like "pea heart"

 

[eDPS]

eDPS did you see much of him in U17s? Obviously didn’t get an 18s year. Was he more physical/happier to absorb contact?

I would say it’s the same as now, it’s very inconsistent. I hope with more confidence and strength it will be a norm rather than here or there that he cracks in.

 

[Howard Moon]

Well maybe that's why they persist with the Wing project, cause he likes the wide open spaces and non contact. Even when he takes a grab it's only after he's used his leg or knee to clear a space never stands there and absorbs a body hit to take a mark

 

[ghostdog]

Well maybe that's why they persist with the Wing project, cause he likes the wide open spaces and non contact. Even when he takes a grab it's only after he's used his leg or knee to clear a space never stands there and absorbs a body hit to take a mark

Agree. They want him taking marks.

The thing is, even he sees himself as a CHB. It's not inconceivable that he could, but if he's unwilling to take the hit it's a delusion. He needs confidence in his body regardless of the position he plays.

 

[Lore]

From what I’m seeing and reading it sounds like he’s a cream on top player. We need to build a cake under him so that the opposition aren’t putting tooo much time into him if we want to get the best out of him long term. (Reminds me a tiny bit of Daniher needing to be the third tall forward and not the only one, but please don’t accuse Cox of sitting on a fence.)

And at the same time he needs to build himself up to a point where his body is strong enough to compete and he’s confident that he can do that without breaking a foot or a vertebra or something. A preseason without injury would be helpful in that respect, but also put the brakes on any comparisons with different types of players.

I would add that we could’ve taken any of the three first of our three picks. We chose Cox first because we thought he would be able to mentally handle the fanfare better than the other two. In theory he should be able to cope and if he isn’t then that’s a bit concerning.

 

[ant555]

He definitely showed he had some campaigner in him year one. Let's let him rebuild confidence before throwing around ridiculous epithets like "pea heart"

He was never physical. I have seen maybe 80% of his footy live in the last 4 years. If you watch him live right now you will see he is actually putting himself in spots where he will not be at a contest at various stages. It is very mixed. Early in the game he flew for a few marks in the back half and then there where times he allowed his opponent go to the contest while he sat back 5 or 10 meters away. It was not just last night. He was doing it in the VFL as well. He can build confidence playing VFL. It is not ridiculous that I expect the players playing in the side I support to actually go when it is their turn. I am not expecting him to play like Munford. I am expecting him to lead at the footy when he is on the wing and not sag out of the contest before the ball has been kicked. I expect him to go with the bloke he is on and make an effort. It is the fact that he has talent that makes it annoying. He will be fourth year in next year. Even if he is more an outside interceptor than a rugged KP he has to show a bit more appetite to play the whole game at 100%.

 

[The Prosecutor]

Even putting aside his picking and choosing of contests, without the marking ability what else does he offer. His disposal is not great, every second kick is a floater. Hasn't really shown anything resembling above average football IQ.

 

[ant555]

Well maybe that's why they persist with the Wing project, cause he likes the wide open spaces and non contact. Even when he takes a grab it's only after he's used his leg or knee to clear a space never stands there and absorbs a body hit to take a mark

I would take that but watching this year in both the VFL and the AFL he has not always lead up in those spaces. What is annoying more is not that he is not a contested marking player but more that he is has periods in the game where he is in positions where he will not get the footy. Nick Martin is not a big physical guy but he will try and use the space and will take the odd contact even if contested footy is not his one wood. That is what I expect from Cox. I do not expect him to play an ultra physical game but I do expect him to work hard on the wing and lead up. I expect him to consistently play like he does on the odd occasion in defense where he ahs taken good intercept marks . I do not expect him to play periods of games where he does not look interested in getting the footy. What I have observed happened last week as well plus in his first 4 VFL games of the year.

 

[ant555]

Hope I am wrong but I am not staying on the train.

 

[DERO]

A lot less than we paid.

I don't like sunk cost fallacy but I definitely don't like buying high and selling low.

Why the * would you trade him? I don't get it. My view is: give the kid a break and let him have at least the same amount of time you'd give any tall

I am half screwing around to be honest but I wonder what he would be worth.

 

[TheUnicorn]

He was getting Bont comparisons in his first year. He has that kind of talent. Just hasn’t had a good run at it.

 

[BrunoV]

The thing that still gets me is that he'd be the same player 10cm shorter, and 10 cm shorter no one would have gone over the top over another lanky 190cm athlete.

I'm yet to see him do much that suggests he'll ever justify the hype. The only way I can see it happening is on a wing but that's currently as far away as him being a key position player.

 

[Mikevk123]

The game against Sydney showed what he can do if he’d played correctly. Plonk him at centre half back.

 

[Lore]

It was an ugly moment when he pulled out but I don’t think he is irredeemable because of it. How many games of AFL has he played in defence? Can’t be ignored either. If I was Brad I would take him in one on one and go through the tape and ask him what could have you done better. Those situations have nothing to do with your size or body type. Hesitation is defeat and in my experience you seem to get more hurt the more you second guess yourself.

Redman said similar in an interview a while ago. His old man told him to go hard in the contest, because if you do you won't be the one that gets hurt.

 

[Keystone agony]

Redman said similar in an interview a while ago. His old man told him to go hard in the contest, because if you do you won't be the one that gets hurt.

How come Selwood got hurt so much?

 

[Schnitzengruben]

 

[brain taylor]

How come Selwood got hurt so much?

by putting his head in places where it might get clipped so he could win a free

 

[dank420_]

The overreactions aside, I think he’s got a bit of the early Langford’s about him. He just needs time. Calling anything this early is actually stupid.

 

[andleanback]

eDPS did you see much of him in U17s? Obviously didn’t get an 18s year. Was he more physical/happier to absorb contact?

Didn’t really play a physical style of game but was a good marking option at either end of the ground. The one game I watch at the start of 2020 right before lockdown he was absolutely dominate as an intercept defender.

 

[Lore]

Didn’t really play a physical style of game but was a good marking option at either end of the ground. The one game I watch at the start of 2020 right before lockdown he was absolutely dominate as an intercept defender.

Ah so we got another Francis/Ridley

 

[andleanback]

Ah so we got another Francis/Ridley

A 200cm version, but he was also good at shutting down leading options

 

[bennyg12]

Delist

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I thought he had a solid game. Some are overreacting. I think sometimes he is slow to make decisions, I don't think he's soft.

 

[Yoda_]

I thought he had a solid game. Some are overreacting. I think sometimes he is slow to make decisions, I don't think he's soft.

He was supremely confident in his draft year. After such a long lay off id be hesitant too.

Certainly agree that some are over reacting with his game. Did some nice things, did some dumb things. IF he was a pick in the 30s people would be pleased with his progress.

Im keen to see this project build because there is something pretty special in there.

 

[ant555]

He was supremely confident in his draft year. After such a long lay off id be hesitant too.

Certainly agree that some are over reacting with his game. Did some nice things, did some dumb things. IF he was a pick in the 30s people would be pleased with his progress.

Im keen to see this project build because there is something pretty special in there.

I do not think it is an over reaction to call him out on something that has been in his game in the last year. I held when I saw it on Anzac Day last year and also held when it was in his first few VFL games. I called it out in the VFL game against GC (from memory) at WH when in the first half he was on the wing and was simply standing 80 meters back and not putting himself in a position to contest the footy coming out of the back half and he just trailed up his opponent. He got a rocket at half time and his second half was better.

It has been the same at AFL level the last two weeks. He has been okay when played in the back half but back on the wing it has not just been dumb positioning it has been actually staying out of the contest. You do not see it on TV but it is as clear as white balls on a black dog when you watch from behind the goals on level three. The four Essendon supporters sitting behind me all commented that they did not realize how soft he was. It was the first time they had seen him live this year. They brought it up in conversation.

He has the tools but he needs to get it out of his game. As I have said I am not expecting him to smash the game apart with brute strength. I know he has to put on some size and that will take time if he does build up. However there is no excuse for not leading at the footy and just standing 80 meters back when you team mates are looking for options. You can not just look floating into the back half and taking the odd intercept mark when you get a clear run at the footy. If he is going to be a marking option on the wing then he has to be the outlet guy as much as possible and that is leading at the footy. It is not staying out of the contest like he is a 70kg 180cm first year player. Nick Martin is not a physical beast but he attacks the footy when it is his turn. Tsatas is no where near ready and his tackle attempts are a bit feeble right now but he keeps having a go at it.

I have held on this. I do not tee off on players very often and I certainly do not do it based on one game. I have had one very good footy judge and Essendon supporter mention it to me and I had another non Essendon supporting friend who has a long coaching history mention it too me at the Eagles game as we where siting together. This is not just something that I have seen jump out in one game.

I hope he gets it out of his game. He has ability. I do rate his potential. I am not going to say everything is okay. He will be fine. I am going to raise the question and cop it if I am wrong. I am not going to put the blinkers on and then in three years yell at the sky when he has failed. He is on watch.