Cox - whats wrong with him?

[yeah-nah]

Walked through Lexus on the way to a day at the tennis last week. This kid caught my eye. Looks too good to be 3rd round rookie pick to me. So whats wrong with him? Cant find boo on him. Where is he from?

 

[Johnson#26]

From WA.

http://collingwoodfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=players&spg=playerprofile&personid=358894

 

[Lonie_from_50]

He is built like a brick I am guessing. Is he slow Johno?

 

[FIGJAM]

Wiz's report might provide a brief introduction to him:

Basically raw, needs coaching, but definite ability. Sounds a bit like an rawer Egan (if that's possible). Also wasn't tested and is a late starter.

--------------------

This year (2005) was shaky for him until about mid-year then he struck form and held it. Definitely worth a Rookie spot this year, despite maybe a need for extra mentoring.

What follows is his 2004 summary. I stick by that.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Shannon Cox (South Fremantle)

187/89 top-age right foot flanker/ "ruckrover".

*STYLE LIKE: ??

*HURT FACTOR (Offensive/Defensive/Negative):

- Medium-high / Low / Low.

*TRADEMARK:

- Clean-hands pick-up inside traffic then show excellent balance and traffic management to avoid being nailed, then a long accurate feed, possibly "over his shoulder" to a team mate goal-side. Whatever his trademark is, the description absolutely must refer to his excellent evasive ability.

*SUMMARY ASSESSMENT, RECOMMENDATION:

- Rapidly improving 6'1" physical, athletic utility who plays very tall (see below).

Even under the greatest of pressure, he routinely displays terrific evasive skills, vision and ability to spot a target by hand. Other than that, he is very early on the learning curve in terms of thinking like a footballer. He is very raw and hasn't had the same opportunities as most of his peers. He also doesn't work hard enough at this stage. He does however display very appealing athleticism and the ability to play much taller than his (barely) 187cm.

Had he been playing roles appropriate to his height and had he been through 3 years of (eg) the TAC system and was where he is now, I would not be interested. But he hasn't, so his potential is untested. You are not buying anything like a near-finished product. What you are buying is raw material that has just been sitting on the shelf until recently and you are in no position to confidently predict what the finished product will look like. The appeal is that there is a lot of the raw material to work with and various ways to fashion it. Ideal Rookie.

- Appearances are deceptive with Cox. Can look a bit junkyard doggish but is deceptively skilled and footy-smart in close. Doesn't yet have much body definition but is actually very athletic. A very good traffic manager.

He is not a natural footballer. He can however do as well as a natural in some aspects - traffic management / evasion, clean hands. He is smart under pressure but not so smart in knowing where to go around the ground and how to position himself when he is there. And he only pushes himself in bursts.

He plays very tall. In fact, his roles to date have been tall-man roles, mainly ruck (!), and he unfortunately has developed the habit of playing with the mentality of a traditional ruckman. He now needs to learn how a 6 footer plays too.

- I struggled to come up with a current AFL player with whom to compare his style. Someone 6'1" who can be aggressive but only sometimes intense, plays tall both around the ground and as a leading forward, and who has excellent traffic management but often plants himself just outside the traffic. I have found over the years that it is usually a bad sign re AFL potential if I can't find at least a reasonable comparison with a credentialed AFL player's style. There are some (not many) similarities AT THE SAME AGE with Cameron Ling. What is in Cox's favour is that he is very raw, improving all the time and gives the impression of having a fair bit of untapped potential once he is fit and if he can play a full game with the intensity that he currently shows only in bursts.

Most importantly, we have to cut him a lot of slack and think outside the square in imagining what he might become because of the following key factors re his development (especially as a mid-size player):-

1.This is his first year in "the big smoke". Moved to Perth from the country (about 200km out) and improved out of sight throughout '04. Was extremely overweight when he arrived and has lost a lot of weight since. Lifted his off-field work rate and showed genuine commitment to getting himself into shape as soon as the '04 season finished (and is doing '05 pre-season with an AFL club).

2. He is a 6'1" guy forced to play ruck (where his leap, reach and aggression saw him very competitive) changing at FF in WAFL Colts. Mainly similar roles for the under-sized WA team in the U18 Champs. We need to see what he can do in mid-size roles but he's only had such chance briefly on a stage (U18 Champs) that appeared to initially overwhelm him so soon after just starting a Colts stint, having only just arrived from the bush.

- 3 U18 Champs and 13 WAFL Colts games in '04. I've seen him "live" 3 times this year and also analysed tapes of those games and most of his Colts games. The more I've studied him, the more I've come to appreciate his underlying natural talent, athleticism and physicality ... and his potential for further development to AFL level.

Was very slow to find his feet in the Champs and seemed introverted, nervous, hesitant in games 1 and 2. Were it not for his hairstyle and a very special bit of "inside traffic" play that created the winning goal against Vic Metro, I doubt most casual observers who only saw those two games would even remember him playing in the Champs. Even then, you really needed to see the tape to fully appreciate how classy that one bit of play was. At Colts level, much lower standard not withstanding, his form was much more imposing than his U18 Champs form and he was much more composed and purposeful.

- Ankle injury late '04 and missed a month prior to Colts GF.

- He needs to make some changes to his mindset to have any chance of AFL. If he does, the raw material is probably there. He may be best suited to HBF, FP or HFF with bursts on-ball. I'm cutting him a fair bit of slack and he has a lot of improvement to make. He is no certainty but has such natural underlying athleticism, traffic management and evasive ability, coupled with a strong body and the ability to play tall that he is worth a punt as a Rookie, even though he is currently NQR for any specific AFL role. I normally avoid recommending someone for whom I don't have a clear picture of a specific AFL role but this kid is still very much a work in progress.

He doesn't push himself hard enough and I did have a concern re his off-field ethic. If he shows he can commit himself and if he develops at the rate I suspect he will in an AFL environment, you have a cheap buy for a kid who I think might have AFL potential. If he doesn't, as a Rookie you won't be locked into a 2nd year.

Hard to predict his readiness. Possibly year 3.

*DISPOSAL:

- Doesn't have a classic kicking action but rarely does a genuinely bad kick.

- Reliable set kick. Mixed bag on the run, where he is inclined not to balance up before kicking. I suspect that part of this is due to questionable fitness currently. I've seen him run 70m, evading 3 opponents along the way, but be stuffed by the time he went to kick.

- Reliable set shot for goal. Anything up to 50m or so.

- Good depth. Range possibly 60m (?) when he gets onto it.

- Kicking action can sometimes be a bit ugly.

- Very reliable by hand. High hurt factor. Quick hands, power, accuracy - even to a team mate well out of his line of vision.

*DECISION-MAKING, SMARTS:

(see above)

- Reads the ball OK but I'm not convinced he reads the play well around the ground. More accurately, he doesn't position himself well around the ground in general and when adjacent to the play in particular. He also often finds himself midway between one play and the next. Part of the solution is to push himself harder after each play but it may go beyond that. Although he is very competitive when he finds himself inside traffic, he is too often where the play ain't. He can drift in and out of a game. On face value I initially just put it down to fluctuating effort. Most of his possessions at Colts level have come from leads from FF/FP or from stop plays. I may have the wrong handle on his ability to read the play around the ground but I struggled to find evidence to refute my concern.

The best example of my point was possibly the SA Champs game when he played for some times as a forward on McMahon. Cox covered reasonable ground, mainly wide, when he was on McMahon but McMahon showed him no respect. The result was that McMahon was everywhere, collecting the ball at will, and Cox was rarely where the ball was. (FWIW, when it was clear that McMahon was not going to follow Cox around, I would have liked to have seen Cox instructed to play McMahon as a defender. As a side benefit, it may have reduced McMahon's effectiveness but, in particular, there is no better way of learning where to run than to run with a guy who reads the play so well that he will take you to the ball).

- Despite Cox's shape and less-than-ideal fitness, he actually displays excellent traffic management. Poise, balance, vision.

- Terrific sharp evasion inside traffic or on the run. Sells the dummy extremely well.

- Despite his terrific ability when inside traffic and despite often showing physicality, he doesn't often choose to charge into traffic, preferring to wait at the edges. When he finds himself inside, he is excellent. It would be a mistake though to label his natural style as "inside". At traffic, he is very much a Predator. And, although clean, he is not necessarily a good Predator because he is often not in best position. He doesn't present well for a feed option and often doesn't seem to let his team mates know he is handy for them.

If he is going to make AFL he must play much more inside and learn what is involved in playing smaller. Much of that is mindset stuff.

- Can have tunnel-vision when on the run but otherwise his decision-making when he has the ball, and his vision are very good and in that situation he will routinely look for and accurately find options by hand.

- Good awareness.

*HANDS:

- Usually clean, even under pressure. Very clean off the carpet.

*OVERHEAD MARKING:

- Very reliable on a strong lead where he can take the ball out in front.

- Not a good judge of flight unless the ball holds up. Timing and positioning for a contested (especially pack) mark are not great either, sometimes terrible, and he has a tendency to run under the ball on some other occasions. Is also inclined to run to the spot and jump straight up instead of protecting the ball (i.e. timing his approach so that he is not taking the ball directly above or behind his head which affords the opponent behind too much spoiling access). He mainly needs education. Usually a reliable mark when he doesn't have to run much to contest.

- Usually tries to play in front but, other than on a lead, he is more reliable from behind in a one-on-one genuine contest.

*ATHLETICISM:

(see above)

- I've seen all of his U18 Champs games and most of his Colts games but I still don't have a definite handle on his pace. He is not slow and at times his pace looks quite good. At other times he looks to be labouring in a chase. How much is due to his lack of fitness, I don't know. My gut feel is that he is possibly about a 3.10 (20m) guy at the moment but that he has speed improvements within, and is potentially at worst a 3.05 when fit. Pace could be lifted a little by improvements to running action (especially arm use).

- They didn't record his reach at DC but he has very long arms and a high shoulder line so I have no doubt that he has a significant reach advantage over the average player of his height. I have no recorded figure to go on but I am confident his reach advantage is very significant, possibly even around the 10cm mark.

Couple that with a huge natural leap and it is obvious why he can play tall and why he does much of the ruck work, and competitively, for South Fremantle Colts despite being just under 187cm. As an example of his ability to play much taller than his height, he beat Meesen on merit for a few ball-up hitouts and a throw-in in the U18 Champs, despite Meesen being 13cm taller.

- Not fit in '04. Fairly skinny legs and his body shape doesn't appear to have much definition.

*INTENSITY, ETHIC:

(see above)

- Intensity fluctuates but overall needs to lift a lot. Is very physical and determined when he goes for it but he is inclined to stop after the initial action (eg after contesting mark/HO or after feeding off). He has got into the habit of playing like a traditional "hitout then spectate" ruck. Needs instead to see himself as a medium-size in-waiting, and play with the constant urgency we expect of a medium-size. Also does too much walking at this stage but I suspect that has been a fitness issue as much as mindset. Is prepared to chase over a long distance on occasions.

- When he is serious about running into opponents, they don't get up in a hurry. He is sometimes a fierce tackler. On some other occasions though, he reaches with his arms when he should lay a body-to-body tackle.

- Is a team player.

*CONSISTENCY:

(see above)

*AFL VERSATILITY:

(see above)

- Hard to say at this stage. Needs to show more intensity and better ability in reading the play if he is to become a regular "ruckrover" but he has a number of attributes that suit such role.

- Is very good on a hard lead from the FF line and is quite a reliable set shot for goal so FP would suit.

- Initially I would like to see him play HBF and learn through having to track an opponent. That may even be his best role long-term.

- Overall though, depending on how well he develops, he could finish up anywhere between two extremes - very competently versatile or "jack of all trades but ...".

*SCI (SCOPE FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT):

(see above)

- Higher than normal, despite being top-age. Coming from a long way out of Perth and presenting in very poor shape and not having the chance to learn in roles appropriate to his height, he hasn't had the development of most of his peers.

*QUERY:

- Ethic, especially off-field.

- Intensity.

- Needs to be more inside.

- Reading the play / positioning.

- Endurance? (I'm not concerned. Looks likely to have good endurance when he gets fit)

*SOME STATS:

- Colts '04:

Averaged 12.9 TD in 12* games including 8.9 kicks, 4.0 handballs. 3.8 marks. 2.4 tackles/smothers. 12.5 hitouts. Total 23g 15b. (* injured early round 21 so stats for that game excluded)

- Stats summary '04 U18 Champs:

Averaged 8 disposals and 2.0 marks in his 3 games. (Best TD 11).

Kicks to feeds: 10-13 (1:1.3).

Kicks long vs short: 5-4 (1.3:1).

Kicking accuracy: 1/10 ineffective incl 1 clangers.

Handball accuracy: 3/13 ineffective incl 0 clangers.

Total accuracy: 4/23 ineffective incl 1 clangers.

Gets own ball?: 6/23TD were HR. 5 HBG.

S.P. clearances: 1 incl 0 BU incl 0 CBC.

Tackles: 1

Marking: 2 of 6 were contested.

*OTHER STUFF:

- Colts '04.

- 11 votes, polled in 4 games, in Clarke Medal (for WAFL Colts B&F).

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Averaged 12.5 hitouts in 12 games !!!

 

[FIGJAM]

Averaged 12.5 hitouts in 12 games !!!

Should we nickname him Stunning??

 

[Coin_Toss]

I didn't find much wrong with him either. Exciting prospect with a bucket load of potential.

 

[bucksisbest]

Bad haircut , too square and flouncy.

 

[Johnson#26]

He is built like a brick I am guessing. Is he slow Johno?

Far from it. He is fairly light, and moves very quickly. Ran down plenty of players as a small foward, and loves a tackle.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Should we nickname him Stunning??

Why not!

Thanks Johno!

 

[hotpie]

I'm very disappointed FIGJAM failed to make a Cox/Fanny joke.

 

[Hard Yakka]

Should we nickname him Stunning??

Stunning???? Show me another 190cm player who can average 12+ hitouts per game...

Unless of course you mean it in a literal as opposed to figurative sense.

 

[Hard Yakka]

Should we nickname him Stunning??

Stunning???? Show me another 190cm player who can average 12+ hitouts per game...

Unless of course you mean it in a literal as opposed to figurative sense.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Bad haircut , too square and flouncy.

I agree. The haircut is probably the main reason he was passed over so many times.

Teams were gagging over his talent and potential, but couldn't get passed his ridiculously 90's haircut.

Hopefully he can overcome the issue though... Perhaps meet Rhyce Shaw's hairdresser...

 

[MOTELSPECIAL]

Who knows he hasn't played a game yet.