Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn: Cooper Stephens

[Judd2Sewell]

In the broader rotation, TOM, JOM and Howe for starters.

Amon is coming straight into the side.

Does Worpel come back in after his end of season injury? We have Wingard coming back too.

Who in the current side does he replace? Nash? Morrison? He certainly doesn't have a clear run and will need to impress during preseason.

 

[burger09]

I'm looking forward to following his progress over pre season.
If he gets a full off season on the track I'd be fascinated to see where he lands in the pecking order. Big bodied mid, in front or behind Worple, Nash and McGuiness?

If he and Meeks are best 22, our off season looks quite solid.

 

[tommyk72]

Amon is coming straight into the side.

Does Worpel come back in after his end of season injury?

Who in the current side does he replace? Nash? Morrison? He certainly doesn't have a clear run and will need to impress during preseason.

Isn’t that the brilliant part though? There are a number of spots that have been freed up. Note it’s up to the boys to train and compete hard to prove that they’re the ones who deserve the spot?

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Isn’t that the brilliant part though? There are a number of spots that have been freed up. Note it’s up to the boys to train and compete hard to prove that they’re the ones who deserve the spot?

Yeah that's great and it's exactly what we want.

But that's not the point of this recent discussion - which was the lack of enthusiam from the supporters over Stephens.

 

[MillerHawk]

Just bumping this, because I felt like it.

The lack of enthusiam for what this guy might bring is somewhat strange.

Is it because people believe Geelong wanted to be rid of him? That they threw him in as steakknives?

Or is there a subconscious desire to view everything to do with the Tom Mitchell trade in the worst possible terms?

Former first round pick, with three years apprenticeship in one of the best midfields in the league. Body ready to go.

He could be a genuine addition to our midfield, but all aound the internet, there seems to be a collective 'meh'...

So he’s the messiah? Or no? Arise Maud’Dib!

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Just bumping this, because I felt like it.

The lack of enthusiam for what this guy might bring is somewhat strange.

Is it because people believe Geelong wanted to be rid of him? That they threw him in as steakknives?

Or is there a subconscious desire to view everything to do with the Tom Mitchell trade in the worst possible terms?

Former first round pick, with three years apprenticeship in one of the best midfields in the league. Body ready to go.

He could be a genuine addition to our midfield, but all aound the internet, there seems to be a collective 'meh'...

Agreed. As I’ve read it written many times since that we “got nothing for Mitchell”, which is just damn odd.

Most years we’ve got pages of trade threads scratching and scraping for any possibility of bringing in a former first rounder looking for opportunity, and when we finally do it he gets hardly any love at all.

 

[kirbatron]

Yeah that's great and it's exactly what we want.

But that's not the point of this recent discussion - which was the lack of enthusiam from the supporters over Stephens.

true. I wouldn't know him if he popped up in my Porridge.

need to see him in action before blowing my biscuits

 

[Nugett]

Just bumping this, because I felt like it.

The lack of enthusiam for what this guy might bring is somewhat strange.

Is it because people believe Geelong wanted to be rid of him? That they threw him in as steakknives?

Or is there a subconscious desire to view everything to do with the Tom Mitchell trade in the worst possible terms?

Former first round pick, with three years apprenticeship in one of the best midfields in the league. Body ready to go.

He could be a genuine addition to our midfield, but all aound the internet, there seems to be a collective 'meh'...

It could be a collective of things. Being a sloppy second to Bowes and pick 7. Disappointment about losing a lot of experience. The feeling that the club got shafted in both the Tom and JOM trades. The negativity towards McKenzie and wright in the recruiting strategies and the feeling of constantly being screwed over in the past. Being viewed as a Geelong reject.

The truth of the matter is he and Meeks could be great pick ups. Sometimes what people view as a loss ends up being a huge win. What people view as a win ends up being a bust. The best thing us supporters can do is wait and see.

 

[eldorado]

Agreed. As I’ve read it written many times since that we “got nothing for Mitchell”, which is just damn odd.

I think I told you, when I slept through the last hour of trade week, that I woke up, and all I could see on BigFooty was that we traded Tom Mitchell for pick 41 and 50!

(You may also recall I immediately texted you about how shit we were at trading )

It took another 15 minutes sleuthing online to find out what the trade actually was...that in addition to two lesser picks, we got a whole young player, a first round pick no less!

It wasn't even mentioned on the thread what the trade actually was, and that we actually might have done well in the trade. Nope, endless 'we got nuthin!", over and over...





Memo to self....You're the idiot who trusted BigFooty for objective trade analysis, Eldo...

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

You're spot on with this.

It's amazing the difference in mentality towards this guy vs the hype around the prospect of getting Tanner Bruhn. To my eye neither have shown much, and we gave up far less in overall value for Stephens than Geelong did for Bruhn.

I'm quietly optimistic.

I agree 100%

Im pretty bullish on this lad. His highlights are impressive. With all the hand wringing about not getting a pick in the teens in that deal, its been glossed over the fact that we also got a talented former pick 16, with 3 years at a strong club under his belt.

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

 

[MasterSamurai]

İ bet, that if cooper was snapped up by another club, say Carlton, essndn ... We'd be fuming that out of first round inside mid options looking for a new home, we GOT NOTHİNG!!! it was a good get, make no mistake. Just up to the young man to get into pre season uninterrupted and ready to take the bull by the horns!

 

[HedgeFund]

It's because he's unproven at AFL level to date.

There isn't enough exposed form to warrant getting really excited over as yet.

I'm feeling cautiously optimistic ATM.

Edit: another issue is who is he displacing in the side?

Anyone who played midfield aside from Newcombe & Moore (and maybe Finn) is fair game.

 

[HedgeFund]

Amon is coming straight into the side.

Does Worpel come back in after his end of season injury? We have Wingard coming back too.

Who in the current side does he replace? Nash? Morrison? He certainly doesn't have a clear run and will need to impress during preseason.

Did anyone think Newcombe would just waltz into our midfield 16 months ago? Or Finn this year?

Let’s be honest, we have very few “locks” at the moment. It’s actually a good thing.

This idea that he would be “replacing” a player who has been part of one of the worst midfields in the competition doesn’t stack up.

It’s not like many of our mids would walk into the Geelong team. Stephens debuted in a near full-strength midfield (minus only Selwood) in Rd 8 2022.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Anyone who played midfield aside from Newcombe & Moore (and maybe Finn) is fair game.

I agree.

But the fact we can't say that he's categorically locked in and will improve our midfield from day one is the reason why fans have been nonplussed so far.

 

[The Chad and I]

I liked Stephens in his draft year.
Doubts over his kicking are exaggerated.
So if he can get a big pre-season and stay uninjured, I'm quite sure he will become a best 22 player for us by the end of the season.

 

[Iceman!]

Just bumping this, because I felt like it.

The lack of enthusiam for what this guy might bring is somewhat strange.

Is it because people believe Geelong wanted to be rid of him? That they threw him in as steakknives?

Or is there a subconscious desire to view everything to do with the Tom Mitchell trade in the worst possible terms?

Former first round pick, with three years apprenticeship in one of the best midfields in the league. Body ready to go.

He could be a genuine addition to our midfield, but all aound the internet, there seems to be a collective 'meh'...

Think it is just a matter of he is yet to show an awful lot, i am happy to have him because he fits the age demographic and has some potential. He is yet to show an awful lot at AFL or VFL level though, just a big wait and see.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Can we somehow blame the lack of excitement about Cooper on Mark McKenzie? Feels like he’s had a few weeks now where he’s not to blame for anything.

 

[phlogiston]

Can we somehow blame the lack of excitement about Cooper on Mark McKenzie? Feels like he’s had a few weeks now where he’s not to blame for anything.

My mortgage got more expensive yesterday. Bloody McKenzie, asleep at the wheel.

 

[The Chad and I]

Think it is just a matter of he is yet to show an awful lot, i am happy to have him because he fits the age demographic and has some potential. He is yet to show an awful lot at AFL or VFL level though, just a big wait and see.

Scrimshaw had a dubious reputation at the Suns and constantly injured.
I could not be happier with him since joining.

We could have a very similar situation here, except zero doubts about Stephens' character or work ethic, as there were about Scrimshaw.

 

[Topiary]

Scrimshaw had a dubious reputation at the Suns and constantly injured.
I could not be happier with him since joining.

We could have a very similar situation here, except zero doubts about Stephens' character or work ethic, as there were about Scrimshaw.

Cooper just needs to get it a bit more and consistently, we will then have a player. The challenge is at the lads feet.

 

[JZedd]

Agreed. As I’ve read it written many times since that we “got nothing for Mitchell”, which is just damn odd.

Most years we’ve got pages of trade threads scratching and scraping for any possibility of bringing in a former first rounder looking for opportunity, and when we finally do it he gets hardly any love at all.

Very true I'm personally rapt we got him. Great size with main negative is his kicking when running flat out.
CJ had this problem early on. Now you can see how he just balances himself before he kicks it.. not a big deal fellow Hawkers.

 

[burner1]

I reckon most would have thought we was worth a late pick in a stand-alone trade (was rumour that was what we were trying to do before got wrapped into Mitchell deal). So 3 late picks equivalent is crap for Mitchell. Moving on.

Regardless, stephens has a lot of opportunity to play a chunk of games. Assuming we don’t want Jai doing all the grunt work and Ward/McDonald not yet physically ready, stephens really only competing with Nash, Worpel and maybe Finn for that inside grunt role. That’s a pretty low bar really.

 

[killerspud]

The greatest thing would be if Cooper Stephens could make it into our best 22 and be better than Bowes and Geelong's pick 7. That would be most enjoyable

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I think I told you, when I slept through the last hour of trade week, that I woke up, and all I could see on BigFooty was that we traded Tom Mitchell for pick 41 and 50!

(You may also recall I immediately texted you about how s**t we were at trading )

It took another 15 minutes sleuthing online to find out what the trade actually was...that in addition to two lesser picks, we got a whole young player, a first round pick no less!

It wasn't even mentioned on the thread what the trade actually was, and that we actually might have done well in the trade. Nope, endless 'we got nuthin!", over and over...





Memo to self....You're the idiot who trusted BigFooty for objective trade analysis, Eldo...

The Tom Mitchell trade was an interesting one.

Collectively we seemed to be okay with a pick in the 20s. That one that Collingwood got from Melbourne.

Instead we got a 3rd rounder and everyone was shitty.
But we also got Stephens. So is Stephens + pick 41 better than pick 27?

It depends on how you value Stephens.
Didn't have the hype that Bowes or Bruhn or any of those guys. The collective view is these guys are so great and we would be incredibly lucky if we got them. But the Stephens recruitment was a very quiet one.

If you value Stephens as:
1. A first round pick - then we've traded Mitchel for a 1st and 3rd rounder. = Massive steal
2. A second round pick - then we've traded Mitchell for a 2nd and 3rd rounder = more than most of us were expecting.
3. A third round pick - then we've traded Mitchell for 2x 3rd rounders = not what we were expecting but a similar value to 1x 2nd rounder.
4. Nothing at all - then we've just traded Mitchell for a 3rd round pick = the reaction most people have had.

 

[JZedd]

The Tom Mitchell trade was an interesting one.

Collectively we seemed to be okay with a pick in the 20s. That one that Collingwood got from Melbourne.

Instead we got a 3rd rounder and everyone was shitty.
But we also got Stephens. So is Stephens + pick 41 better than pick 27?

It depends on how you value Stephens.
Didn't have the hype that Bowes or Bruhn or any of those guys. The collective view is these guys are so great and we would be incredibly lucky if we got them. But the Stephens recruitment was a very quiet one.

If you value Stephens as:
1. A first round pick - then we've traded Mitchel for a 1st and 3rd rounder. = Massive steal
2. A second round pick - then we've traded Mitchell for a 2nd and 3rd rounder = more than most of us were expecting.
3. A third round pick - then we've traded Mitchell for 2x 3rd rounders = not what we were expecting but a similar value to 1x 2nd rounder.
4. Nothing at all - then we've just traded Mitchell for a 3rd round pick = the reaction most people have had.

I doubt Dangerfield would gift his valuable time coaching Stephens if he wasn't up to it. I just hope Danger didn't teach him how to kick.