Strapping Young Lad
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Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, James Worpel, pick #43 2017 - Peter Crimmins medalist 2019
- Thread starter Dixie Flatline
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Flukey!
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He will have no issues passing his skinfold tests.
Don’t think his issues have had anything to do with other players. Haha s form at the back end of 2021 was pretty good. He was playing a more balanced game. He just left that form behind this year.
And McKenzie or Clark.
McKenzie to play in their pocket and feast on the spills to clear the ball cleanly. He and ward and even MacDonald will benefit from grunts doing the heavy lifting.
cryptor
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There was even some good signs this season in the short time between returning from Box Hill and going out injured for the year.
Yeah. It probably is a little bit physical but a lot has to be mental.
- Jun 17, 2019
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Worpel's number to finish the season are strong, both 2021 and 2020 numbers in the back end of the year would be handy numbers.
Ned Ryerson
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I, for one, welcome our shredded Worpel overlord.
- Oct 14, 2006
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Like Will Langford. Had an explosive season and then battled. Ironically he’s the opposite of Sam Mitchell who was so smart and so clean. I hope he can turn it around but I’m not confident. He’s had three bad years in a row, that’s not just form, injuries etc. hope I’m wrong.
H00t
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Langford had a pretty good 2017. His problem was his kicking dropped off a cliff. Which meant he failed to capitalise on the opportunities he created. And once his confidence dropped off that was it.
Worps is always going to be compared to 2019. It set the standard so high for him that it’s been hard for him to live up to it. Without that 2020 and 2021 would have been a pass.
If he plays the rest of his career as he did the end of 2021 he will forge a pretty good career. It’s just hoping he can live up to what he has shown he can do.
They are a similar comparison as they both are confidence players. Both fantastic when on, and deplorable when off. Huge gap in their best and worst performances.
We'll know early on if Worp can reproduce. If he can't, he'll be moved on quickly for guys like Stephens, Finn, Cmac, pick 7 etc.
Or dare to dream, even Tsatas
H00t
Norm Smith Medallist
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Worps definitely can’t afford the slow starts he’s been having next year. No point playing good footy at the end of the year if you struggle at the start.
There’s going to be opportunities galore in our midfield next year. Pre-season training is going to be incredibly interesting. And I’m already excited for training reports already.
It's no coincidence that Worpel's best season (2019) was a full season without Tom.. Hopefully 2023 is a big one for him.
- Jun 4, 2016
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Good teams like Geelong don't carry players that only produce their form in fits and spurts.
This has been an issue with our side ever since our core champions of Mitch, Hodge, Lewis, Gibbo, etc left.
Players like Chad, JOM, Worps, Impey, etc having large runs of games where they are basically a non factor then have a brief 4 or 5 game spurt where they play really good footy.
Next year I want to see players rewarded who display consistency. No point playing players into form so they can have a good finish to the year (by which stage our year is already buggered).
Sam needs to tell each player what their individual base line performance is and hold them accountable to it. If he needs to drop a few big names I comfortable with that.
HedgeFund
Norm Smith Medallist
IMHO 2023 is pretty much about a massive midfield reset.
Only Newcombe, Moore and Maginness are entitled to any presumption that they’ll be centrally involved given their excellent 2022 seasons.
Everyone else goes back to the starting line and begins again.
Only Newcombe, Moore and Maginness are entitled to any presumption that they’ll be centrally involved given their excellent 2022 seasons.
Everyone else goes back to the starting line and begins again.
H00t
Norm Smith Medallist
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That’s just as much a list issue as it is a player issue. When you’ve got a stronger list players can play their role much easier. We’ve had to ask our players to take on a much bigger role.
Tom Atkins from Geelong is the best example I can think of. Very average player but been lauded this year for his work when he was pretty average but in a good team that elevated his performances. Or at least how they were perceived.
I agree it’s definitely in issue of players consistently being out of form. But it’s also a list wide issue. We need top line players to elevate the rest.
Though Worps has been the sort to elevate himself when given clear space. Hopefully he can do it next year.
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I dont think its coincidence but it had nothing to do with Tom thats making excuses for worpel's poor performance. He has under performed the last few years
HedgeFund
Norm Smith Medallist
This is the crux of the Worpel conundrum.
When a second year “nobody” in 2019 he was granted space by the opposition who were focused on pressuring our more experienced players. Hence he was able to impact onfield and play his role really well - as the 4th or 5th mid in the pecking order.
Since then, he has been given greater attention (and frankly I can’t see that going backwards given we have just traded out Tom and Jaeger) but hasn’t been able to perform as well under the greater pressure.
He either needs to learn to find space in the contest better, or deliver better under the greater pressure which comes with being midfielder 1, 2 or 3.
The mere fact our two most experienced mids have now gone won’t “free him up” as others have suggested.
I think it will actually bring even greater focus on him in 2023 and beyond.
Will be interesting to see how he responds
H00t
Norm Smith Medallist
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Clear space was bad wording on my part. I more meant under pressure but “clear space” by not having mids in front of him in the pecking order taking the main roles.
Two of his best games in 2019 (Suns and North) where while being tagged. It’s not the lack of space that bothers him.
I think a lot of it is probably confidence and overthinking. From the outside looking in, it seems he plays better when playing on instinct than trying to do to much. Instead it looks like he knows he’s struggling so he’s trying harder and harder at each contest but it’s just not been working.
Would want a decent 2023 or could be close to a delisting. Not many can afford 4 poor years in a row.
The biggest issue is his decision making. It’s poor. And we’ve moved to a faster style which it will make it harder for him. With the clean out he’d be up there as the worst user in the midfield (maybe Finn).
The biggest issue is his decision making. It’s poor. And we’ve moved to a faster style which it will make it harder for him. With the clean out he’d be up there as the worst user in the midfield (maybe Finn).
- Jun 17, 2019
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20 and 21 weren't poor though.
- Mar 22, 2016
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Is it right that he'd be our most senior mid? (Not counting Amon, he hasn't actually played a game in the brown and gold yet) It's hard to believe, so am I forgetting someone?
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