Delisted #19: Kobe Mutch - Not offered a contract for 2021

Aug 15, 2011
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Its going to be a hard side to shift his way into especially with our willingness to play Heppell more on a wing this year with success to the side aswell.

Usually each team picks 3 wingers and at the moment we have 4 ahead of him in Guelfi, Zacka, Heppell and Mcgrath. Those guys arent slowing down.
 

adsla69k

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Aug 26, 2007
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I'm looking forward to seeing what Kobe can produce next year. Runs all day and looks like he may surprise everyone and become an inside mid rather than an outside Stanton type. His ability to get to the next contest is elite.
 

Blood Bomber

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May 19, 2018
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Apparently strong work ethic and willingness to put required time into deficits. Will mean this kid will make it.

Over more talented recruits with not as strong work ethic but just the belief they will make it cos.

I love these kind of players. Backbones of premierships.
 
Sep 28, 2007
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Possibly no real basis for my thoughts on this, but since we bid on an academy player, I feel we have been looking at him for a while and may give him that extra chance he may not have got otherwise. I’d be surprised if he was cut before we had given him every chance.
 
Possibly no real basis for my thoughts on this, but since we bid on an academy player, I feel we have been looking at him for a while and may give him that extra chance he may not have got otherwise. I’d be surprised if he was cut before we had given him every chance.

No way we cut him on yesterday’s form, give this kid more time
 

blitzer

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Aug 27, 2006
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I have no idea why people are so impatient with Mutch who has shown great form consistently in the VFL and played pretty decent footy in the AFL when he got an opportunity and is only in his 2nd year. Having an outside player that can win his own ball, run all day and is a pretty handy mark sounds good to me. I also don't mind he can draw a free.

I reckon he'll get an opportunity through injury at some point next year and once he gets in the team he won't look back.
 

Ambrosia

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Mar 11, 2010
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I have no idea why people are so impatient with Mutch who has shown great form consistently in the VFL and played pretty decent footy in the AFL when he got an opportunity and is only in his 2nd year. Having an outside player that can win his own ball, run all day and is a pretty handy mark sounds good to me. I also don't mind he can draw a free.

I reckon he'll get an opportunity through injury at some point next year and once he gets in the team he won't look back.

I like Mutch but I worry he lacks a point of difference at AFL. I see him as a less prolific Dyson Heppell and the AFL seems to be trending away from those sort of players.
 
I like Mutch but I worry he lacks a point of difference at AFL. I see him as a less prolific Dyson Heppell and the AFL seems to be trending away from those sort of players.
He's much quicker than Dyson IMO.
 

Vander18

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Apr 22, 2011
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Think his best chance is to become an inside mid/stopper- his running ability would be above average for that that role. Too slow to play a genuinely outside role.

Has the heart and hands to do it, needs the rig. If he can add muscle and keep his running ability, he’ll be a good chance to make it. Has a decent frame to build on, it can be done.

Love his ticker, puts head over ball every time. Any calls to move on are waaaay to early - I think he’s a decent chance to be a good player. Has some Buddha/Ling about him.
 
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blitzer

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I like Mutch but I worry he lacks a point of difference at AFL. I see him as a less prolific Dyson Heppell and the AFL seems to be trending away from those sort of players.

I'd personally liken him to a guy like Shaun Grigg who was also plagued with the description of 'good at everything but lacks a point of difference' all through his early career but has ended up being a very reliable player.

I don't think he's particularly like Heppell except in terms of size. Heppell is much slower, more prolific and has better hands. Heppell also has evasion/awareness in close which I haven't seen from Mutch. Heppell has to play inside because he is so slow and his disposal isn't particularly damaging whereas I don't think Mutch will have the same limitations.

Anyway he's still young and his game style could change quite a bit in years to come.
 

naraku

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Sep 9, 2017
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I think next season he will really come on and play a lot of seniors next season. Really excited about Kobe next season.
 
May 6, 2007
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Not sure he makes it at Essendon. We're just quite deep. Can see him leaving at some point and doing very well if given the opportunity.

As silly as it sounds, an inside midfielder with the ability to spread is worth a lot. He could take over a Myers position one day or allow us to use Heppell elsewhere at times. Obviously has a strong running capacity that enables him to win lots of the ball. Should start on a wing but eventually move into a more prominent midfield role in time.
 
May 6, 2007
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Possibly no real basis for my thoughts on this, but since we bid on an academy player, I feel we have been looking at him for a while and may give him that extra chance he may not have got otherwise. I’d be surprised if he was cut before we had given him every chance.

The fact he's already played AFL (3 games) shows we a) rate him already (Clarke was putting up just as impressive numbers) b) bid on him as an academy player thats been recognized and c) given him every opportunity to fulfil his potential.

No problems with his progression tbh. I look a guy like Lachie Hunter and feel Kobe could turn into something similar, stylistically of course. A running machine who always seems to be there or thereabouts at the contest.
 

Haychh

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Jun 26, 2017
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Ankle injury? Anyone with an update?
 
Lateral ligament strain and bone bruising, progressing "as pain allows" out of the moon boot.

“Kobe was sent off for scans and fortunately his injury is different to Mason’s,” he said.

“Kobe has a lateral ligament sprain to his ankle, which isn’t a big concern, but he does have some talar dome bruising, so bone bruising within that ankle.

“He is progressing out of a boot over the next couple of days and then he’ll be brought up as his pain allows with that bone bruising, which makes it a little unpredictable.

“Once he can hop pain-free we’ll get him running on the AlterG (treadmill) and then build him up from there.”
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2019-02-05/skins-injury-update-preseason
 

Isaac Cumming No 1

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Mar 28, 2018
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Hopefully it gets sorted and he comes back in stellar form. Would love to see him play in round 10 at Marvel. If Cumming plays, and he might, it would be enough for me to come down to watch.

Side story but a couple of weeks ago two North Broken Hill Bulldogs juniors met on the field for the first time in Isaaac Cumming and Tex Walker. Kobe is actually the third in the AFL system.

Took me a quite a while to get over the hangover when Cumming debuted. I will always be grateful to Spotless security for not making an issue of the group of drunken old bastards turning up for that game.
 
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