Review 5 - James Worpel (2020)

[Dixie Flatline]

James Worpel

Games: 15
Goals: 2
Yabby Medal votes: 19 (fifth)

Averages

Kicks: 11.1 per game
Handballs: 8.0 per game
Disposals: 19.1 per game
Marks: 2.6 per game
Tackles: 5.4 per game

Milestones

Ranked 13th in the AFL for total tackles
Ranked eighth in the AFL for tackles per game

Standout

Round 14, 2020 (versus Essendon): This game was the third in a streak of games where Worpel set the standard for the workrate required in the Hawthorn midfield. He finished the game with 23 disposals and six games as he lifted for the occasion against Hawthorn's rival. It was ultimately fruitless as the Bombers overran the Hawks in the second half, but it was a welcome reminder of Worpel's talent and appetite for the contest.

Shocker

Round 3, 2020 (versus Richmond): The Hawks upset the Tigers but with limited contribution from Worpel, who had 17 disposals but gave away five free kicks and had 10 clangers for the game.

5 - James Worpel (2019)
38 - James Worpel (2018)

 

[Billyc]

Victim of the remarkably high standard he set himself in his second season. Everyone would otherwise be very happy with the output of a third year player.

The midfield lacked cohesion and variety with Worpel, O'Meara, Mitchell and Shiels in it. Worpel played his best footy when O'Meara wasn't there.

He's a good inside midfielder who tackles hard. He has a lot of scope for improvement and development and the right attitude to achieve that. He needs to damage more by foot and go to ground less but he's one of the few quality building blocks we have for the next 7-8 years.

 

[MrPremiership]

With ball magnet Mitchell back, it looked like he was set to focus on the defensive side of his game. His tackle numbers were good and his ball wining declined as a result.

Think it was a good year for his development. Just needs more time to gel with Mitchell as they seemed to get in eachothers way early in the year.

 

[Davo-27]

Probably the best user of the footy in our midfield, which is weird to say, but our engine room is struggling to be damaging by foot, as well as losing the contested footy and being beaten to the spread by most teams, our mids need to improve substantially on not only winning the footy but using the footy and learning to spread quickly as well as team defence, you cant win every contest, but don't lose the vast majority of them.

 

[H00t]

Probably the best user of the footy in our midfield, which is weird to say, but our engine room is struggling to be damaging by foot, as well as losing the contested footy and being beaten to the spread by most teams, our mids need to improve substantially on not only winning the footy but using the footy and learning to spread quickly as well as team defence, you cant win every contest, but don't lose the vast majority of them.

Worpel seems to be a bit of an enigma by foot. Sometimes he’s super damaging by foot hitting leading targets lace out. And when he goes back on the mark he is fantastic at recognising space for the forwards to move in to and kicking to their advantage.
Yet other days he struggles to even get the ball to spin correctly or hit a target.

 

[Dragz]

I look at Worps as a Sewell type.

Will be able to rely on him to get the ball , add pressure and bang it long, but won’t be a particularly creative or skilful disposer of the footy.

And that’s fine (IMO). Just need to get the class and polish in there around him.


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[Strapping Young Lad]

I look at Worps as a Sewell type.

Will be able to rely on him to get the ball , add pressure and bang it long, but won’t be a particularly creative or skilful disposer of the footy.

And that’s fine (IMO). Just need to get the class and polish in there around him.


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He's already far better by foot than Sewell.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Worpel seems to be a bit of an enigma by foot. Sometimes he’s super damaging by foot hitting leading targets lace out. And when he goes back on the mark he is fantastic at recognising space for the forwards to move in to and kicking to their advantage.
Yet other days he struggles to even get the ball to spin correctly or hit a target.

I have noticed this as well.

He either hits them sweet as apple pie or shanks them.

Part of the reason is I think he sometimes panics when disposing of the footy and he needs to recognize when he has more time than he thinks to execute his kick

 

[cryptor]

Worpel seems to be a bit of an enigma by foot. Sometimes he’s super damaging by foot hitting leading targets lace out. And when he goes back on the mark he is fantastic at recognising space for the forwards to move in to and kicking to their advantage.
Yet other days he struggles to even get the ball to spin correctly or hit a target.

Probably confidence and feeling like he doesn't have time and ends up rushing things. I'm sure Sam Mitchell is helping him with that consistency.

 

[Dragz]

He's already far better by foot than Sewell.

From FootyWire Stats:

Sewell	Worpel
2010 DE% 74.3	2018 DE% 68.9
2011 DE% 74.7	2019 DE% 66.1
2012 DE% 69.8	2020 DE% 68.8
2013 DE% 66.7
2014 DE% 76.3

He *might* be better by foot, but if he is, he's a lot worse by hand according to the above.

Not that i'm having a go at Worps at all, just that at this stage of his career, i see him as a Sewell type. Basic career stats are fairly much the same for both of them (Although how accurate that is ... ) And i'm very happy with have him

 

[H00t]

From FootyWire Stats:

Sewell	Worpel
2010 DE% 74.3	2018 DE% 68.9
2011 DE% 74.7	2019 DE% 66.1
2012 DE% 69.8	2020 DE% 68.8
2013 DE% 66.7
2014 DE% 76.3

He *might* be better by foot, but if he is, he's a lot worse by hand according to the above.

Not that i'm having a go at Worps at all, just that at this stage of his career, i see him as a Sewell type. Basic career stats are fairly much the same for both of them (Although how accurate that is ... ) And i'm very happy with have him

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel disposal efficiency is very in effective at judging how good a kick is.

In the game against Carlton in his first year he had 3 GA from 12 kicks and just looked on. And other times to where he’s hit players lace it in a way Sewell never could. It’s just about his belief and not rushing himself. He’s a way better kick than Sewell just needs to work on his consistency.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

From FootyWire Stats:

Sewell	Worpel
2010 DE% 74.3	2018 DE% 68.9
2011 DE% 74.7	2019 DE% 66.1
2012 DE% 69.8	2020 DE% 68.8
2013 DE% 66.7
2014 DE% 76.3

He *might* be better by foot, but if he is, he's a lot worse by hand according to the above.

Not that i'm having a go at Worps at all, just that at this stage of his career, i see him as a Sewell type. Basic career stats are fairly much the same for both of them (Although how accurate that is ... ) And i'm very happy with have him

Nothing wrong with a Brad Sewell Mark II in my books , a bloody good player was Sewell, neve gave it less than 100% just like Worps.

I do kind of understand the perception though that I have seen Worps hit some lovely lace up passes to leading forwards inside 50 (can't recall Brad ever making many of those).

Sewelly was more the kind of grab the ball from the bottom of the pack, burst 5 meters and hoik it long down the line. And I actually didn't mind having a player who did that, it was a point of difference from our other mids like Mitch and Lewis who preferred to hit the sharp, short pass.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

I really hope Worpel is capable of ironing out his weaknesses and becomes one of the top mids in the competition.