AFL Player 13: Nik Cox - cleared to return! - 11/11

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2026
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 6, Rick Ross

 

[Kong]

Jayden nyugen

I'm uncomfortable with the amount of players we have whose name has a J and a Y in it.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Jye x2
Jade
Jayden x2
Jaiden
Jordan
Jake x2

And a Jacqui, Joanne and Jessica in the girls for good measure

 

[citizen-erased]

Only one problem with him being a ruck IMO and that is he has to prove he is not soft .

i wonder what happened for that edge to drop.
have to wonder if the kid is disengaged after injury

as a Blicavs type where he plays a non-kpd role in defence & 2nd ruck with some form of midfield craft, he could find a spot.

 

[Old Campaigner]

i wonder what happened for that edge to drop.
have to wonder if the kid is disengaged after injury

as a Blicavs type where he plays a non-kpd role in defence & 2nd ruck with some form of midfield craft, he could find a spot.

It’s probably a result of playing undersized and getting pushed around and physically bullied. He may regain that as he builds his size and strength over time

 

[citizen-erased]

It’s probably a result of playing undersized and getting pushed around and physically bullied. He may regain that as he builds his size and strength over time

possibly also playing a wing role where he's a bit lost.

question for me - Ridley and Redman are rusted on in our defence.
how many of Reid, Baldwin, Cox, Laverde & McKay (latter i'll assume is also rusted on) also play in that backline.

we're still heavy on numbers for KPD, but don't have a clear picture on where it will be in 12-24m time.

 

[ant555]

i wonder what happened for that edge to drop.
have to wonder if the kid is disengaged after injury

as a Blicavs type where he plays a non-kpd role in defence & 2nd ruck with some form of midfield craft, he could find a spot.

Half way through his first season sides started to put more physical pressure on him and his form dropped away. He had a couple of really bad selective moments in his second year before he got injured. Last year when he came back in the VFL it looked like he was positioning himself so he was not going to be in the contest at times. Who really knows as the sample size from his under 18 year was small so it is hard to say. Maybe just not being developed enough physically to play as much footy as he did early after having a very limited top age under 18 year. It was a chook lotto draft with a lot of guess work.

 

[citizen-erased]

Half way through his first season sides started to put more physical pressure on him and his form dropped away. He had a couple of really bad selective moments in his second year before he got injured. Last year when he came back in the VFL it looked like he was positioning himself so he was not going to be in the contest at times. Who really knows as the sample size from his under 18 year was small so it is hard to say. Maybe just not being developed enough physically to play as much footy as he did early after having a very limited top age under 18 year. It was a chook lotto draft with a lot of guess work.

i have a lot of questions on that draft strategy

2x KPD's when we had 2x NGA KPD's. granted lack of depth at the time, but we certainly hedged our bets.
One of Cox/Reid + one of the mids (Bruhn, O'driscoll, etc) would have been wiser imo.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

possibly also playing a wing role where he's a bit lost.

question for me - Ridley and Redman are rusted on in our defence.
how many of Reid, Baldwin, Cox, Laverde & McKay (latter i'll assume is also rusted on) also play in that backline.

we're still heavy on numbers for KPD, but don't have a clear picture on where it will be in 12-24m time.

Basic history and probability says 1 or even 2 of Cox, Reid and Baldwin will ultimately be no good - that’s just how footy and recruiting works.

Provided McKay stays on the park he’ll hold down one key post, there’s another up for grabs, it’s probably Laverde at the moment.

 

[jannissary]

Basic history and probability says 1 or even 2 of Cox, Reid and Baldwin will ultimately be no good - that’s just how footy and recruiting works.

Provided McKay stays on the park he’ll hold down one key post, there’s another up for grabs, it’s probably Laverde at the moment.

he's past a certain number, so...

he's been a trooper but i can imagine he'll be overtaken by reid/baldwin at some stage this year

 

[Bunk Moreland]

View attachment 1886998

he's past a certain number, so...

he's been a trooper but i can imagine he'll be overtaken by reid/baldwin at some stage this year

Hopefully. As it stands I probably have him in Round 1, but one of the kids may even supplant him by then.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Looking more likely that he doesn't have a position at AFL level with his physical attributes.

Not strong enough for KPP and there's no flanker in the league with his size.

People can point to Dustin Fletcher

Dustin Fletcher

Age

50

Ht

198cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.0

4star

K

12.3

5star

HB

3.7

3star

M

4.7

4star

T

1.2

3star

MG

301.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

14.2

4star

K

11.4

4star

HB

2.8

3star

M

4.8

5star

T

1.4

4star

but different times, different game.

Big investment for us and we need to see out another 2 years. Id be comfortable letting him play VFL mostly and a handful of AFL games if form warrants.

We sit and wait....and hope.

 

[citizen-erased]

Basic history and probability says 1 or even 2 of Cox, Reid and Baldwin will ultimately be no good - that’s just how footy and recruiting works.

Provided McKay stays on the park he’ll hold down one key post, there’s another up for grabs, it’s probably Laverde at the moment.

add Eyre and Brand to that mix of one draft, five KPP's (all of which gravitated to defence).
outside Perkins, that was our draft. all to get to....well, Perkins with a defined role and sustained games.

i questioned more the recruiting of Reid after taking Cox at the time. we could have spread the coverage a bit and landed a mid or mobile fwd type (or you know, traded for Dunkley) to help other things, and still be in the same position now.

 

[ant555]

i have a lot of questions on that draft strategy

2x KPD's when we had 2x NGA KPD's. granted lack of depth at the time, but we certainly hedged our bets.
One of Cox/Reid + one of the mids (Bruhn, O'driscoll, etc) would have been wiser imo.

Josh Eyre was a forward who got moved back in his second year. We took 2 x KPD in Reid and Brand. 1 x KPF in Eyre . 1 x medium forward / maybe midfielder in Perkins and a utility in Cox. The problem was Eyre had marking issues so had to be moved back and the knock on Cox was exactly what position he would play as he had shown good form at half back and half forward in limited games. He was not considered a genuine KPD despite his 200cm. He was a mobile intercept which is why I described him at the time as a possible 200cm Jordan Ridley.

 

[ant555]

Pretty good in the match sim today for the red jumpers. Steady start but started to take a few intercept marks as it went on. May be hard for him to find a spot early but back is his position.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Pretty good in the match sim today for the red jumpers. Steady start but started to take a few intercept marks as it went on. May be hard for him to find a spot early but back is his position.

Thank Christ they’ve found a position - now to stick with it.

 

[Call Me Cake]

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

View attachment 1889841

Highest point!!!

 

[fairbump_playon]

Highest point!!!

That’s the name of my Soft Hard House DJ Duo

 

[ghostdog]

So, Cox to 3rd tall intercept defender, Ridley to a wing. Or HF.

 

[Keystone agony]

So, Cox to 3rd tall intercept defender, Ridley to a wing. Or HF.

Cox and Ridley can play back together. I dont want Ridley anywhere else

Ridley KPD2, Cox as 3rd intercept marker on the 3rd tall when on field and on the mediums when they arent. Laverde in the same back 7 playing on smaller/deep dangerous types

ie round 1

Mckay - M.Lewis
Ridley - Chol
N.Cox - C.Macdonald (Go with up the field or decide to sit as the spare, consider taking Chol in positions and releasing Ridley as the free behind the play with CMAC chasing ball up field)
Laverde - Breust
Mcgrath - N.Watson/Ginni
Redman - D.Moore

Hind - Watson/Ginni

 

[ghostdog]

Cox and Ridley can play back together. I dont want Ridley anywhere else

Ridley KPD2, Cox as 3rd intercept marker on the 3rd tall when on field and on the mediums when they arent. Laverde in the same back 7 playing on smaller/deep dangerous types

ie round 1

Mckay - M.Lewis
Ridley - Chol
N.Cox - C.Macdonald (Go with up the field or decide to sit as the spare, consider taking Chol in positions and releasing Ridley as the free behind the play with CMAC chasing ball up field)
Laverde - Breust
Mcgrath - N.Watson/Ginni
Redman - D.Moore

Hind - Watson/Ginni

I was just poking. Ridley of course stays back. I don't see a place for Cox yet. Reid would be ahead of him.

 

[Keystone agony]

I was just poking. Ridley of course stays back. I don't see a place for Cox yet. Reid would be ahead of him.

It seems Reid is

but Mckay, Reid, Ridley and Laverde could be so stifle, slow and poor below the knees/ground balls that it may not survive long

Cox is a better mover than all, id say he may also be better below his knees then all aswell, id also say he rebounds better than atleast 3, maybe Ridley aswell. Hes also more agile than all 4 aswell

No doubt Reid is being picked tomorrow ahead of Cox

When 5 of hawks 7 fwds are Breust, Watson, Moore, Cmac and Ginnivan then we may want to avoid being too tall. Ridley on CMAC could be exploited but could also be a huge factor either way

 

[ghostdog]

It seems Reid is

but Mckay, Reid, Ridley and Laverde could be so stifle, slow and poor below the knees/ground balls that it may not survive long

Cox is a better mover than all, id say he may also be better below his knees then all aswell, id also say he rebounds better than atleast 3, maybe Ridley aswell. Hes also more agile than all 4 aswell

No doubt Reid is being picked tomorrow ahead of Cox

When 5 of hawks 7 fwds are Breust, Watson, Moore, Cmac and Ginnivan then we may want to avoid being too tall. Ridley on CMAC could be exploited but could also be a huge factor either way

Way too tall.
McKay is a lock.
Ridley is a lock.
Between Reid and Cox I'd say Reid is favoured.
Laverde can scrap at ground level. Not sure Cox still has that fight in him - it's been a while.

Then McGrath (lock) and Hind.
Martin the 7th.

Cox can mark, run all day and distribute on both sides. I'd be saying to him, look, Marto playing back is not ideal. We want him back on a wing. Push him out. Otherwise I don't see where he plays. McKay, Ridley, Reid and Cox is too tall.

 

[ant555]

Way too tall.
McKay is a lock.
Ridley is a lock.
Between Reid and Cox I'd say Reid is favoured.
Laverde can scrap at ground level. Not sure Cox still has that fight in him - it's been a while.

Then McGrath (lock) and Hind.
Martin the 7th.

Cox can mark, run all day and distribute on both sides. I'd be saying to him, look, Marto playing back is not ideal. We want him back on a wing. Push him out. Otherwise I don't see where he plays. McKay, Ridley, Reid and Cox is too tall.

Forget about Cox being 200cm. Plays like he is 190cm. He was doing just as well matched up on the medium and small defenders on Saturday when he had to. I think he has to force his way on for sure but the bonus if he does will be his ability to play on a range of sizes other than the quick small forwards. The height factor would not be an issue. He is certainly not competing with Reid for a spot. He does not have the body strength to play that role yet or maybe never.

 

[Squeaky]

If he plays back he needs to be less laconic and more rip shit or bust...
Otherwise he plays 2s.

He is slow with and without the footy.