Free Agency James Worpel - Joins Geelong as a Restricted Free Agent, Hawthorn receive Band 4 Compensation

[Jack Richards]

End of 2nd round compo pick is going Hawks way

 

[HairyO]

Worpel can only play midfield, he is keeping guys out of that position who are going to be better than him in a season. I've never seen a guy get caught holding the ball as often as him maybe Riley Bonner comes close.

No way that Hawthorn will match a bid. They will be making out like bandits getting a pick for him.

CJ gets caught way more. And is our professional sub.

 

[Ka Norkers]

Rumours have been floating around for years that he'd be likely to head back that way eventually.

He had a big year early on when he won the b&f when we were at the absolute beginning of our rebuild and Tom Mitchell was out injured all year. But since then, he has been a B grade mid who extracts well but uses the ball poorly.

More than happy for us to move him on for an end of first round compo pick, free up 700-800k a year and get more games into Ward and Mackenzie next year + bring in either Merrett or to a lesser extent Petraca if the trade price is right.

if you think Worpel moves the ball poorly, have a look at Max Holmes lols. Given Holmes, Smith and Atkins are in the middle down there, Geelong probably think Worpel is an amazing kick.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

CJ gets caught way more. And is our professional sub.

Fingers crossed we snag a 3rd rounder from Carlton for CJ and we'll be laughing.

 

[HairyO]

Fingers crossed we snag a 3rd rounder from Carlton for CJ and we'll be laughing.

Mitchell's biggest flaws - continuing to play CJ and moving Watson to defence

 

[Wojcinski]

if you think Worpel moves the ball poorly, have a look at Max Holmes lols. Given Holmes, Smith and Atkins are in the middle down there, Geelong probably think Worpel is an amazing kick.

Holmes kicking efficiency of 64%, Atkins 63.7%, Smith 55.9% to Worpel 45%

Worpel had the worst kicking efficiency in the AFL out of ANY midfielder, ranked 136 out of 136 midfielders to have played at least 6 games in 2025. Conversely Holmes was ranked #36 and Atkins #37

So no, Geelong would not think Worpel is an amazing kick because he is quite literally the worst kick in the AFL

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Holmes kicking efficiency of 64%, Atkins 63.7%, Smith 55.9% to Worpel 45%

Worpel had the worst kicking efficiency in the AFL out of ANY midfielder, ranked 136 out of 136 midfielders to have played at least 6 games in 2025. Conversely Holmes was ranked #36 and Atkins #37

So no, Geelong would not think Worpel is an amazing kick because he is quite literally the worst kick in the AFL

Worpel isn't ever going to kick like Zac Bailey but this year was particularly bad. Last year he was 131 of 161 according to wheelo for kicking efficiency, which weirdly put him ahead of De Goey, Serong, Ollie Dempsey, Rowell, Windhager, Taranto, Hopper and a few others.

It's not ideal but I think we can just train him to handball

 

[longdonkey]

I think you'll find his kicking efficiency is so bad because he is mainly kicking it while he is being tackled. The other times it misses his boot and he gets called holding the ball.

 

[HairyO]

I think you'll find his kicking efficiency is so bad because he is mainly kicking it while he is being tackled. The other times it misses his boot and he gets called holding the ball.

This year he was caught out over thinking so many times. He was 2nd guessing every possession and it was so frustrsting.

When he trusts himself he is a solid ball user. 1st and 2nd final was good. Prelim he just struggled. Ironically in front of the team he is going to.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

This year he was caught out over thinking so many times. He was 2nd guessing every possession and it was so frustrsting.

When he trusts himself he is a solid ball user. 1st and 2nd final was good. Prelim he just struggled. Ironically in front of the team he is going to.

I don't know if looked like he was caught thinking so much as he was just launching it forward without looking a lot. Like he knew he'd be run down ball in hand if he hesitated

 

[Hawks_Footy]

Whispers that Geelong have offered a 5yr deal

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Whispers that Geelong have offered a 5yr deal

Jeez that's a long time for a bloke who kicks like that

 

[FootyLad0]

Whispers that Geelong have offered a 5yr deal

Reported by who?

All the sources have said 4

 

[Ka Norkers]

wouldn't be surprised if they offered 5.
Geelong would obviously know that if the deal didn't attract the appropriate FA compo, Hawks would simply match the offer. There is no chance Hawthorn are letting him go for a pick in the 30's.

 

[TONYC3163]

wouldn't be surprised if they offered 5.
Geelong would obviously know that if the deal didn't attract the appropriate FA compo, Hawks would simply match the offer. There is no chance Hawthorn are letting him go for a pick in the 30's.

Not matching. Reported by a number of ITKs. Move on.

 

[janty]

if you think Worpel moves the ball poorly, have a look at Max Holmes lols. Given Holmes, Smith and Atkins are in the middle down there, Geelong probably think Worpel is an amazing kick.

Geelong are rumoured to be in on Sam Walsh as well.

I'm starting to feel quite sorry for Cameron and Neale next season.

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Jeez that's a long time for a bloke who kicks like that

If you use him right his kicking shouldnt be the issue. Just dish it out to Baz and Holmes.

He is elite at winning it

 

[Hamingja]

I can see the positives and negatives of him. I would be ok with it at the right price but a 5 year deal would be grim.

 

[hawkman]

Geelong are rumoured to be in on Sam Walsh as well.

I'm starting to feel quite sorry for Cameron and Neale next season.

Might be all a plan to confuse Harris Andrews next year. No way he would be able to read all those ball flights

 

[Burtman]

Any chance he can correct his disposal use as the years go on or this is the best we can expect?

His kicking greatly improved in 2023/24 but after the syndesmosis in opening round he lost his burst from the contest so it meant that his kicking was always rushed/under pressure. I was really happy with the steps he took in 23/24 and seemed to be using the ball a lot better, but just lost all confidence in himself from the injuries this year. He’ll never be an elite kick but he was a decent kick and caused some damage last year

 

[CatToTheFuture]

wouldn't be surprised if they offered 5.
Geelong would obviously know that if the deal didn't attract the appropriate FA compo, Hawks would simply match the offer. There is no chance Hawthorn are letting him go for a pick in the 30's.

IIRV the length of contract didn't have much bearing in the compo, just the $/yr and age

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I can see the positives and negatives of him. I would be ok with it at the right price but a 5 year deal would be grim.

5 year deal is standard for his level of free agent.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

I think Worpel is being a little underrated after his season went a bit awry following his injury mid year.

In 2024, Worpel collected Brownlow votes in 7 games. Same in 2023. He finished 26th in the Brownlow just last year.

IN 2023, he averaged over 26 touches, 5 inside 50's, 4 tackles and was 8th in the entire comp for clearances.

His numbers were similar last year but he also had 21 assists.

Worpel is very much a confidence player. Early in his career, with Mitchell out, he got the inside role and flourished, winning the best and fairest in an excellent season. Mitchell returned and he became unsure of himself and wasn't the same level of player.

When he got the role back a couple of years ago (following Mitchell and O'Meara's departure), he's had 2.5 years of high level football. When he got an injury mid year (and the news of him likely to move came out), he got some reduced game time, etc and it clearly affected his confidence, where he was second guessing himself, getting caught much more often, turning it over under pressure, etc.

Even then, he still had some very good games - such as 26 touches, 9 clearaces and 7 tackles vs Port or 26 touches, 6 clearances and 4 tackles vs Melbourne. Even the Elimination final, he still was second only to Newcombe in contested footy (14) and clearances (9).

I strongly believe that if Geelong give him the 'role' and tell him with confidence that it's his, the he will flourish and win plenty of the hard ball. Put Holmes and Smith around him and he can feed them all day. When confident, his ball use (and risk of getting caught) is not actually that bad IMO. It will never be an elite feature but when he's confident in his place, he's about on par with most inside mids.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Gettable saying 4 year deal to the Cats, expected to be announced after Hawks bnf on Saturday.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Yep, people have recency bias. Worpel 2025 season was an outlier not the norm.
Big numbers in 23-24 one the best clearence mids in the comp. Something just wasn't right this year, can't be cooked, not at 26! He'll be huge for the cats as he won't have Newcombe and Nash types taking his role.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Gettable saying 4 year deal to the Cats, expected to be announced after Hawks bnf on Saturday.

That was obvious months ago.