Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, James Worpel, pick #43 2017 - Peter Crimmins medalist 2019

[rei154]

Feels like he's been around a lot longer than 50 games, but then I remembered he debuted mid season and missed a fair few games at the back end of last season.
Really believe that this man is going to do wonders for us for another 8-10 years- the fact that he's already viewed as a leader and takes responsibility for the younger players is a testament to his contribution to the wider community within the club.

This weekend should be a cracker!

 

[H00t]

Gotta love worps. Never takes a backward step, natural leader, gives it all on the track and on the field.
I know he’s not the fittest footballer but he’s normally in the top 5 average moving speeds during the game. Meaning he’s working hard up and down the ground all game.
Crazy to think he’s only starting his 4th season.
Some growing pains with Mitch, JOM and worps in the middle, but I’ll back them to get through it. At the very least worps will leave no stone unturned in his effort to get better.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[The Kipster]

Well done to the Worpedo!

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Can't blame Worpel too much for it though. I don't think we've got the balance right with Worps, Titch and Jaeger yet. Titch especially seems to occupy a lot of the same space that Worpel would normally occupy, which is why I was just as concerned as I was happy when Titch got 17 in the third quarter on the weekend.

This is a very good point, all 3 as individuals are pretty good players, but as a midfield group the trio don't gel as well as you'd like.

 

[Hawk_francais]

Seems like the type to step up to his milestones. He’s accomplished a lot in a short career. Long may it continue!

 

[burger09]

This is a very good point, all 3 as individuals are pretty good players, but as a midfield group the trio don't gel as well as you'd like.

All to similar.
First ball hunters who don't have speed or elite kicking on the spread.

 

[Zack]

All to similar.
First ball hunters who don't have speed or elite kicking on the spread.

Agree totally they ain't individually to blame, its just extremely poor list management by our club. Add we have a few exact copies not even making it.

Anyway congrats 2 worpel making his 50th.

 

[Hawk_francais]

Agree totally they ain't individually to blame, its just extremely poor list management by our club. Add we have a few exact copies not even making it.

Anyway congrats 2 worpel making his 50th.

Sorry mate, gonna have to pull you up on this.

We're talking about three players who, over the past 4 years have all had multiple top-5 finishes in the B&F (including three wins). Added to that Mitchell has a brownlow. Two of them are vice-captains of the club, one is in the leadership group.

In what universe does it constitute 'extremely' poor list management? You have weird takes sometimes, which is fine... but what are you on about here?

 

[PenAndPaper]

Honestly think we could be playing him more up forward, in a deeper type of Dusty/DeGoey role and he would be fine.

Actually surprised we haven't tried that out more than we have.

 

[Hawk_francais]

Honestly think we could be playing him more up forward, in a deeper type of Dusty/DeGoey role and he would be fine.

Actually surprised we haven't tried that out more than we have.

Probably just misses that marking presence of Dusty/De Goey to be a full-time forward, but he knows where the goals are, that's for sure.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Sorry mate, gonna have to pull you up on this.

We're talking about three players who, over the past 4 years have all had multiple top-5 finishes in the B&F (including three wins). Added to that Mitchell has a brownlow. Two of them are vice-captains of the club, one is in the leadership group.

In what universe does it constitute 'extremely' poor list management? You have weird takes sometimes, which is fine... but what are you on about here?

Over the past 4 years though we haven't won a final and missed the 8 in 3 of the seasons including a bottom 4 finish, maybe he thinks we'd be better off trading one for a similar level player in a different position to help balance out the list better ?

I suppose the question we have moving forward is, can we develop into a premiership team with Mitchell, Jaeger and Worpel as our top 3 mids ?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Can we not do this in here.

 

[LMGjr]

Over the past 4 years though we haven't won a final and missed the 8 in 3 of the seasons including a bottom 4 finish, maybe he thinks we'd be better off trading one for a similar level player in a different position to help balance out the list better ?

I suppose the question we have moving forward is, can we develop into a premiership team with Mitchell, Jaeger and Worpel as our top 3 mids ?

Big YES - if we develop a forward line and Shiels is getting on which will lead to another player coming into the middle group over the next couple of years - but without a foward line nobody wins nothing.

Worpo is a ripper, only Lethal won PCM in his second year didn't he?

 

[PhatHQ]

PCM in your first 50 games is outstanding.

May end up captaining the side one day.

Well done Worps.

If there was ever a guy to be able to emulate a Luke Hodge type legacy as a captain it will be Worps.
You would think that in 5 years time he would have the C next to his name and a band of “soldiers” who will just love his uncompromising style of play and leadership.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

If there was ever a guy to be able to emulate a Luke Hodge type legacy as a captain it will be Worps.
You would think that in 5 years time he would have the C next to his name and a band of “soldiers” who will just love his uncompromising style of play and leadership.

I don't think we'll ever see that type of legacy emulated again in the near future.

But yeah Worpel does have some of the ingredients to be a future captain.

 

[almuz]

Kind of flies under the radar/is taken for granted as far as young talent goes IMO. Keen to see Worps add more strings to his bow - for example the 55m set shot bomb he scored last year??

More of that and perhaps more Neale-esq navigation of stoppages are what I reckon we will see before Worps hits 100 gamers

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Kind of flies under the radar/is taken for granted as far as young talent goes IMO. Keen to see Worps add more strings to his bow - for example the 55m set shot bomb he scored last year??

More of that and perhaps more Neale-esq navigation of stoppages are what I reckon we will see before Worps hits 100 gamers

He was right up there after his PCM season, but dropped back in terms of media attention throughout last season.

 

[B&GBlood]

He also has a dash of campaigner something we need just a bit more of in the side. Something I haven’t seen in Titch

 

[Fetnarr]

Kind of flies under the radar/is taken for granted as far as young talent goes IMO. Keen to see Worps add more strings to his bow - for example the 55m set shot bomb he scored last year??

More of that and perhaps more Neale-esq navigation of stoppages are what I reckon we will see before Worps hits 100 gamers

I reckon each of Titch, JOM and Worps all need to add another string. We should only have 2 of them in the guts at any given time. The other midfielder needs to be great at spreading from the stoppages. Chad can certainly do this, Cousins showed signs last year and I reckon Day could develop into an elite mid in time. It’s also what Magginess needs to improve so that he can get a game. I also reckon it’s exactly why we drafted guys like Saunders and Mitchell.

Anyway enough about that......Worps is an absolute gun. And like many have said a potential future captain. Well done on 50 games legend.


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[HODGEYROAD]

Another stinker sadly.

 

[burner1]

Really struggling.

Just seems currently pretty average in any role that is not just chasing the ball. And unless you are dusty or Cripps that’s not really a role.

He still has heaps of time on his side and club is working on him. If he hadn’t had his breakout 2019 he prob wouldn’t be a concern (he’d just be a young mid from a latish draft pick finding his way).

 

[TylerDurden]

Not a great 50th game for the poor bloke. Not sure where he's at right now.

 

[matey]

Worps looks chiseled and strong but plays a bit bruise free. He needs to show a lot more aggression and physicality at the contest. I want to see him with a stiff upper lip while rubbing someone’s face into the turf after a tackle but he seems a little too laid back.

 

[Slysh]

Being played out of position but i think we all understand why.

It is concerning because i personally just don't see him being a half forward. Fingers crossed it is just some growing pains and he will get the hang of it but jeez it is tough viewing at the moment.