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

[grumbleguts]

Yeah we do have a number of players that are woeful by foot, it's a massive problem.

We should swap usernames. You seem more like a grumbleguts and I wouldn't be giving Hodge such a bad name.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

We should swap usernames. You seem more like a grumbleguts and I wouldn't be giving Hodge such a bad name.

Hahahah. If more of our players had the foot skills of Hodge I wouldn't need to give the username such a bad vibe.

 

[5ammy]

Another poor game from him today, I think a stint in the 2's will do him some good. I want the Worpedo of 2019 back.

 

[TheFourPillars]

He was on guthrie in the last as a tag. But his kicking has fallen off the cliff

 

[Brant]

Another poor game from him today, I think a stint in the 2's will do him some good. I want the Worpedo of 2019 back.

Let's say he does play 2-3 weeks at BHH.

Does he come back a better HFF'er? Is he suddenly more able to complement Tom Mitchell + JO'M by not playing along side them?

I'm not sure that flicking him to BHH is the answer. If it's an application/effort thing - sure, let him show he wants it - but if it's not then I don't think BHH is the answer.

 

[cryptor]

He was on guthrie in the last as a tag. But his kicking has fallen off the cliff

Rushing his disposal and going to ground are his two biggest issues right now. If he can sort those out he’ll improve out of sight.

 

[Brant]

He was on guthrie in the last as a tag. But his kicking has fallen off the cliff

Don't think it was very effective, was it? I'm only watching on TV but I didn't see Guthrie's impact reduce too much.

 

[Kuuz]

May be worth giving him a few games in the two's just so he can recover his touch and feel.

Definitely still best 22, but just in a slump. Happens for kids, so just see it as teething issues. No doubt in my mind will be big for us by the end of the season.

 

[5ammy]

Let's say he does play 2-3 weeks at BHH.

Does he come back a better HFF'er? Is he suddenly more able to complement Tom Mitchell + JO'M by not playing along side them?

I'm not sure that flicking him to BHH is the answer. If it's an application/effort thing - sure, let him show he wants it - but if it's not then I don't think BHH is the answer.

I just think something needs to change, maybe his confidence is down? Maybe he is trying 'too' hard and hence making poor decisions / skill errors?

I absolutely love the bloke, has passion for the jumper. I just want him back to his best sooner rather than later a maybe a run at Box Hill might help with that.

 

[Brant]

I just think something needs to change, maybe his confidence is down? Maybe he is trying 'too' hard and hence making poor decisions / skill errors?

I absolutely love the bloke, has passion for the jumper. I just want him back to his best sooner rather than later a maybe a run at Box Hill might help with that.

You could well be right - I'm no fount of all knowledge (as any long term poster will attest to!).

I just reckon the HFF-thing is the issue. I'd much rather see him FP.

Maybe getting 30+ in the midfield at BHH for 2x weeks in a row is the answer?

 

[LMGjr]

May be worth giving him a few games in the two's just so he can recover his touch and feel.

Definitely still best 22, but just in a slump. Happens for kids, so just see it as teething issues. No doubt in my mind will be big for us by the end of the season.

That's it - no point stressing over it. We know what he is capable of. He's just gotta get it back, one way or another. I don't think the HFF is the way he gets it back, happy to be wrong but i don't see it.

We don't want to lose this kid at this stage of our rebuild.

 

[5ammy]

You could well be right - I'm no font of all knowledge (as any long term poster will attest to!).

I just reckon the HFF-thing is the issue. I'd much rather see him FP.

Maybe getting 30+ in the midfield at BHH for 2x weeks in a row is the answer?

Haha I'm no expert either, we all just want what's best for our footy club.

30+ and a couple of snags would be nice

Needs to get back to hitting the scoreboard like he did in his first couple of seasons, that celebration after rolling Hurley in 2018 still makes me smile.

 

[Spanish Sahara]

Rushing his disposal and going to ground are his two biggest issues right now. If he can sort those out he’ll improve out of sight.

Yep these are the biggest issues right now

 

[Birdofprey]

Yep these are the biggest issues right now

Yes, this was glaring later in the game today.

It would be great if he can improve his ability to stay balanced and keep his feet under pressure, that might be half the battle. You cannot dispose of the footy well when you on your knees or going to ground. It will always be dribble kicks and stray handballs from that position. Think of Sammy - he was able to stay balanced and upright even when under a lot of pressure. The ability to use the ball well, while under duress, is something that makes a player incredibly valuable, but it aint easy!

To be fair to him, moving outside really puts his ball use under the microscope in a way that "in and under" stoppage work probably does not. So now we all seeing his game from this different perspective. He also had severe injury last year, and probably trying to get some confidence back.

I think he can do it this year.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

No chance we drop him in my mind. Its not working for him right now, but there's no way we drop him to Box Hill and leave all the heavy lifting to Tom and JOM, because as much as people here think Worps is doing SFA, he's still having an impact in the centre and at other stoppages in our set ups.

Clarko has to back him in, and Sam has to get him to work through this slump.

 

[TylerDurden]

Is the leadership group thing affecting him?

Has to work through it and will.

Has time on his side. Back him in.

 

[Brishawk]

If we send him to box hill he would probably end up being the man at that level and won’t learn as well how to be a part of this midfield unit. Have to play him back into form.

But he really needs to get better. It isn’t effort it is how and when he charges around the field.
1. Tap by McEvoy to Worpel. Worpel doesn’t take it cleanly and shins it to Phillips. Worpel’s direct opponent is parfit who is to the left of Stanley
2. Worpel charges straight towards the quick kick by Phillips, which is taken by the cats player here. Parfit runs forward of this contest in behind Worpel

3. The handball goes straight over the top of Worpel to parfit

4. Parfit steps Worpel easily and comes in board, drawing McEvoy and Mitchell to the ball to pressure parfit

5. Parfit handballs to O’Connor (Mitchell’s opponent) and attempts a pass inside fifty

If Worpel just pauses a moment and stays near enough to parfit the handball never goes over the top and we don’t concede an inside fifty.

Worpel doesn’t get close enough to the contest involving Howe and the cat to affect it, charges hard at parfit making it easy to be stepped. He just had to track parfit past Phillips to prevent an easy outlet for howe’s opponent. If he does that, we put number the cats near the ball and we’re a good chance to win it. Worpel does this over and over and over again every match. Charges around too hard and makes no impact on the contest and leaves us exposed on the outside.

it is hard to show this through images but for anyone wanting to watch it, it is immediately after the miers goal in the first quarter.

 

[Walshawk]

Worps is a great ball getter, but is too slow to play outside, and his skills and decision making are average at best. Right now, we probably don’t need him in our team. But Tom Mitchell is 28 next month and, unlike Worps, he is probably not going to be in our next premiership team. So, between Worps and Clarko they need to find a way for him to add value to the team, and remain happy at our club, possibly until Mitch and Shiels retire.

 

[theiaofseed]

25 pressure acts(second most) 4 one percenters(second most) 4 tackles(equal third most) 4 spoils(second most)

It's not clicking right now for Worpel but he's trying his guts out defensively.

 

[Zack]

He's a worry, he was a worry most of last year too. Not sure what to do. And for a guy listed at the same height as CJ, I've never seen a player look and play smaller. He always looks the smallest when starting in the square.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Out of contract end of this season is he not ? Be very interesting the sort of money we offer him if this form he's currently in carries on.

3 poor games in a row.

 

[theiaofseed]

Out of contract end of this season is he not ? Be very interesting the sort of money we offer him if this form he's currently in carries on.

3 poor games in a row.

Signed an extension to 2023

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Signed an extension to 2023

Ah good news for him that he got that in before this form slump.

I'd assume it would be somewhere around the 500k a season type mark though, hopefully it isn't more than that.

 

[CobberRodgers]

Give him a run with roll for a few weeks. Let him learn a few things chasing the oppo best mid around. He's great around the footy with his tackling and pressure and it'll give him some purpose.

Kicking and clean hands are the issues at the moment.

 

[Billyc]

Give him a run with roll for a few weeks. Let him learn a few things chasing the oppo best mid around. He's great around the footy with his tackling and pressure and it'll give him some purpose.

Kicking and clean hands are the issues at the moment.

I agree with this. Take the pressure of ball winning and ball use off him for a while and develop his defensive game. I know Clarko has always resisted pure tagging but I think there’s a role for it and Worpel should be given a 4 week stint at it.

I don’t agree with dropping him. He’s a developing player and leader and this is a development year. We should be backing him in but offering opportunities to develop new skills. I reckon tagging is the place to start