Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, James Worpel, pick #43 2017 - Peter Crimmins medalist 2019

[Manila_Hawk]

‘It comes up in every interview’: Hard-edged ‘Worpedo’ sets the record straight

Hawthorn tough nut James Worpel takes a leaf out of his coach’s book in proving his doubters wrong.

www.theage.com.au

https://archive.vn/rs5hf

 

[theiaofseed]

Cant believe we got this guy for pick 43! ((Although there were some really good late picks in that draft). He was our first pick that year and we absolutely nailed it.

He's now the senior mid and playing exactly like it.

I love reading the first few pages of these threads after a player has established themselves -

Getting Worpel with Pick 45, Moore with Pick 67 and Jaith as a rookie really saved our bacon after giving up so much for JOM.

 

[Roddy]

Cant believe we got this guy for pick 43! ((Although there were some really good late picks in that draft). He was our first pick that year and we absolutely nailed it.

He's now the senior mid and playing exactly like it.

I love reading the first few pages of these threads after a player has established themselves -

Just as unbelievable is the fact that short-sighted halfwits were writing him off when he had a slight drop-off in form…

 

[peetoo]

Just as unbelievable is the fact that short-sighted halfwits were writing him off when he had a slight drop-off in form…

Wondering if he and Nashy will be in posters pre season best 22s, despite both playing most games previous seasons for 2 years now

 

[humid hawk]

25 disposals
7 clearances
7 tackles

Highest numbers on the ground for us in these stats above. Throw in a handy goal too.

Even when we are being decimated he still cracks in and gives us a chance. He doesn't allow the opposition to dictate his game and we desperately need some of our other players to lift to his standard when things are tough.

Onya Worps.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

25 disposals
7 clearances
7 tackles

Highest numbers on the ground for us in these stats above. Throw in a handy goal too.

Even when we are being decimated he still cracks in and gives us a chance. He doesn't allow the opposition to dictate his game and we desperately need some of our other players to lift to his standard when things are tough.

Onya Worps.

One thing you know with James is he will always have a decent crack. That takes you a long way in footy (and life in general).

Would be in with a very good shot at winning his second PCM this year which is no small feat.

 

[cryptor]

25 disposals
7 clearances
7 tackles

Highest numbers on the ground for us in these stats above. Throw in a handy goal too.

Even when we are being decimated he still cracks in and gives us a chance. He doesn't allow the opposition to dictate his game and we desperately need some of our other players to lift to his standard when things are tough.

Onya Worps.

That goal was a beauty too

 

[TylerDurden]

Very good performance considering his midfield mates couldn't handle the heat tonight.

 

[toomanysquibs]

Very good performance considering his midfield mates couldn't handle the heat tonight.

Worpel lifted a level, but everyone else was a bit all over the shop. Was really uncharacteristic for Jai to be so two or three grab in the clinches. It was like he was playing drunk there from the get go.

No such issues for Worps. That first goal for us was next level. It was 3am here when that happened, and I clocked off thinking we'd start a comeback from there.

At least he didn't let up! We're still young enough to suffer from inconsistency. It will be in a year or two where we'd need to ditch games like this from our repertoire in order for it not to be more than just a speed bump. Which it is at this stage.

 

[The Chad and I]

3 top 5 PCMs including one club chanpion in just 6 seasons.

Likely to be a top 5 this season too.

Have I got it right?

 

[Simon Crawshay]

3 top 5 PCMs including one club chanpion in just 6 seasons.

Likely to be a top 5 this season too.

Have I got it right?

Will be top 3 I'd say and with a decent shot at winning his second PCM (Moore will be hard to beat though given the season he is having).

Really he had one down year in 2022 but aside from that year he has been a very consistent player.

I rate players that turn up and put in when it's a tough night at the office like it was this weekend and Worps is definitely a player who always turns up.

 

[threesixpio]

Worpel’s forward entries have improved out of sight. He is as damaging as they come these days. Farkn love you Worps

 

[SSSSSS]

Works and Newk turned it on in the last alongside Meek.

Just dominated Freo and broke the game open.

 

[H00t]

Worpel’s forward entries have improved out of sight. He is as damaging as they come these days. Farkn love you Worps

Equal 3rd in the comp currently for goal assists.

No one would have picked that going into this year.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Worps just keeps turning up week after week

Forming a good partnership with Meek as well in the middle.

 

[cs61]

Worps just keeps turning up week after week

Forming a good partnership with Meek as well in the middle.

How classy is his finishing in front of goal now, and his laser-like passes inside 50? Starts games really well, and has kept a high standard all year. Turning from a hard-working, tough player into a highly skilled player as well. Similar to what happened with his current coach funnily enough.

 

[Wingnut19]

He’s an A grader now.

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Gotta admit his bustling and bursting work in and around packs is insane. He just seems to find a gap on opposition easily enough without the fend offs he relied on heavily previously. He is a bull

 

[Roddy]

He’s an A grader.

FIFY

 

[humid hawk]

He's improved EVERYTHING this year.

His kicking is almost elite now, but he's got this real explosiveness to his game. He bursts through stoppages and shrugs tackles for fun. He's a weapon!

 

[Alite]

I have held off posting this for months because I wanted a viable set of information.

First … The past: I watched a game Worpel played in the VFL in 2022 (just 2 years after he won the Hawks B&F) and was highly discouraged by his inability to hit a target. He was truely AWFUL that day. And he had been bad by foot before that day for some time.

Roll on to 2024 and Worps has been GOOD by foot. Not great, but certainly AFL standard.

I’m not sure if he has fixed his kicking by himself, or had people working on it with him (surely so), but Kudos to Worps.
He has greatly improved which means he could improve further.

Aside: I am loving his ability to “slide” out of tackles… Worps is likely doing well on the “make them and break them” ethos.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Ive mentioned it before but going by average season player rankings, worpels 2017, 2023 and 2024 are all better than Bailey Smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

's much lauded beat season in 2021

He's passed him.

Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk

 

[SSSSSS]

If he finishes the year strongly he's a chance to be a 2x PCM winner.

Been ultra consistent for us in the middle.

 

[peetoo]

Ive mentioned it before but going by average season player rankings, worpels 2017, 2023 and 2024 are all better than Bailey Smith's much lauded beat season in 2021

He's passed him.

Sent from my SM-G990E using Tapatalk

So Bailey smith could be Tom mitchell part 2?

 

[MasterSamurai]

Pcm will be between Sicily, Moore and worps . All three could lay a stake at been AA level along with scrimshaw.