AFL Player #13: Nik Cox 🦄 - Skipper called him 'the Unicorn' in an interview (confirmed!)

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 6, Rick Ross

 

[smooth mover]

Sound's like he's trying to get out of another "heavy" pre-season!! Haha
Hasn't bulked up an ounce after missing most of last year! Obviously not a fan of the gym!!

 

[The Devils Advocate]

 

[ghostdog]

Signature moonboot time?

Cox recognising everyone wants the sporting goods endorsement contract, goes for the stretcher and moonboot endorsement contract.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Two years in and honestly starting to feel like a slowly unfolding nightmare.

Plenty of injuries and nobody is any the wiser as to what kind of player he is.

Hope I’m wrong.

 

[Duckworth]

I did miss Scott Gumbleton

Scott Gumbleton

Age

35

Ht

197cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

4.1

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.0

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

4.2

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.8

4star

G

1.0

4star

.

 

[yodellinhank]

Sound's like he's trying to get out of another "heavy" pre-season!! Haha
Hasn't bulked up an ounce after missing most of last year! Obviously not a fan of the gym!!

Probably just hates playing football altogether.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Keen to focus more on his modeling career

 

[ghostdog]

There's a photo of him standing just with his ankle strapped. Not sure if before or after stretcher though. Hopefully after.

 

['51 Bewick]

There is a post on Blitz saying he's okay and training today. Not sure if it's true though.

 

[DapperDon]

 

[thebigboy]

There is a post on Blitz saying he's okay and training today. Not sure if it's true though.

Stretchered off and then back training the next day? What a wuss

 

[citizen-erased]

Stretchered off and then back training the next day? What a wuss

 

[brendan84]

Stretchered off and then back training the next day? What a wuss

He’s been watching too much of the World Cup

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Lock him in at CHF and keep him there. No need to do the Essendon thing and throw him around so he's never settled as a player and loses confidence. Needs his moxy back

 

[Howard Moon]

Lock him in at CHF and keep him there. No need to do the Essendon thing and throw him around so he's never settled as a player and loses confidence. Needs his moxy back

But but but everyone wants their blicavs.

Guys a freak, doubtful anyone can replicate that

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Yeah, Cox isn't the second coming of Goodes, but he's a genuinely dual footed player. We need a way to find space for him, feels like when he is pressured he bombs it like McGrath. When he's in space he's a thing of beauty.

 

[owen87]

But but but everyone wants their blicavs.

Guys a freak, doubtful anyone can replicate that

Blicavs also took a number of years to be able to do what he's doing now, and was ~ 22 when he debuted for Geelong.

Cox's athletic profile is very similar to Blicavs, so in another 5 years time maybe he will be that ultra-tall endurance beast utility player, for now though he needs to find a clear role and settle in, playing Wing as a new role for him, in a dysfunctional side is a hard task.

Blicavs at least came in to a very experienced and settled Geelong side.

 

[Howard Moon]

Blicavs also took a number of years to be able to do what he's doing now, and was ~ 22 when he debuted for Geelong.

Cox's athletic profile is very similar to Blicavs, so in another 5 years time maybe he will be that ultra-tall endurance beast utility player, for now though he needs to find a clear role and settle in, playing Wing as a new role for him, in a dysfunctional side is a hard task.

Blicavs at least came in to a very experienced and settled Geelong side.

i see it more like group think sheep mentality - theres is always this prototype guy that every team tries to find all at once - one minute everybody was looking for the cripps tall strong mid, or it was the dusty mid/fwd burst guy - the pendles basketball background guy - now everyone wants the hybrid blicavs who can play ruck, full back, run on the ball, take a wing, drive the bus, cut the oranges and service your wife free of charge

the guy is an anomaly, a steeple chaser who happened to be able to kick a footy - lightning rarely striked the same spot twice.

Lets just turn cox into cox and watch everyone try find the next cox

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

 

[Zach Package]

The consideration no one has really made is that he doesn’t really end up a ‘tall’.

I actually thought they’d start him off a half back flank as a soft intro and just let him pick off high balls playing against smalls, and he still may end up there. He also may also end up a high motor lead up high forward similar to a Jamie Cripps

15

Jamie Cripps

Age

32

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.8

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

3.9

5star

G

1.3

5star

D

10.3

3star

K

6.3

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

2.4

3star

G

0.4

3star

D

6.4

2star

K

4.2

2star

HB

2.2

2star

M

1.0

1star

T

2.4

4star

G

1.4

5star

type, but a 2 metre tall match up nightmare.

Wherever he goes he’ll either be taller or quicker than his opponent so it’s all about how that’s best utilised.

 

[Howard Moon]

The consideration no one has really made is that he doesn’t really end up a ‘tall’.

I actually thought they’d start him off a half back flank as a soft intro and just let him pick off high balls playing against smalls, and he still may end up there. He also may also end up a high motor lead up high forward similar to a Jamie Cripps type, but a 2 metre tall match up nightmare.

Wherever he goes he’ll either be taller or quicker than his opponent so it’s all about how that’s best utilised.

thats true, he might just be the utllity type who grew tall but dosent play tall - i mean English plays like the mid he used to be even though hes ruckman height now - and has become a weapon because of it

 

[Zach Package]

thats true, he might just be the utllity type who grew tall but dosent play tall - i mean English plays like the mid he used to be even though hes ruckman height now - and has become a weapon because of it

Lukosious too.

The inverse would be Jeremy Howe that’s basically been playing centre half back at about 6’2.

I like him as part of a backline with Ridley, Reid, Zerk and Lav. Pressure up the field and just intercept everything in the air.

Could maybe involve Montgomerie too given overhead marking is his one wood as a smaller player.

 

[TheGrizz]

I said it when we drafted him and I have not deviated from it.
He isnt Mark Blicavs

46

Mark Blicavs

Age

33

Ht

198cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

M/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

7.9

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.2

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

11.1

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.9

3star

CL

0.1

2star

D

8.6

3star

K

2.0

1star

HB

6.6

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.6

4star

CL

2.0

4star

, he is Justin Westhoff

39

Justin Westhoff

Age

37

Ht

199cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.4

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.9

4star

CL

0.8

3star

D

10.4

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.9

3star

CL

0.8

3star

D

12.0

3star

K

8.4

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

4.6

5star

T

2.2

4star

CL

0.8

3star

(who was a very handy player, Port still haven't replaced his output).

Essentially a 3rd tall/high-leading forward that can

• swing back late as a 7th defender when we need to halt momentum
• go onto the wing when the match up is right
• pinch hit in the ruck around the ground (not CB) if a match day injury requires.

Essentially the human form of Selley's no more gaps - starting forward and filling in needs as required

 

[calyam]

I cannot say I'm particularly high on Nik right now. I'm not sure what he is and I don't think the coaching staff knows that either. However, he is a big kid and they can take longer to develop.

But I also cannot get too frustrated by it because that draft class is probably the worst class in the AFL era and there is no clear 'miss' that we could have got instead of Cox. A shame that was the draft we had three top 10 picks in

 

[Duster]

I cannot say I'm particularly high on Nik right now. I'm not sure what he is and I don't think the coaching staff knows that either. However, he is a big kid and they can take longer to develop.

But I also cannot get too frustrated by it because that draft class is probably the worst class in the AFL era and there is no clear 'miss' that we could have got instead of Cox. A shame that was the draft we had three top 10 picks in

What? We drafted two tall kids who take longer to develop and both of whom have been injured. Perkins has shown plenty as well. Even players like JUH, Campbell, Thilthorpe, Henry and O'Driscoll have been good. Considering their lack of junior years, the 2020 draft is tracking fine.