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

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Nov 5, 2014
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One of my posts was quoted on the West Coast board (hence I was notified) in reference to their not selecting Worpel at pick 32 or pick 38 in 2017.
The post they took was a quote from Worpel himself saying that he butchered the ball at times (pre-draft) The West Coast supportered were looking for a reason why their recruiters have not recruited an inside midfielder.

Adelaide’s head of recruitment, in a chat on AFL draft radio, also singled out Worpel as the player that was a draft steal... he also mentioned Mitch Lewis.

Worps has been enormous in the last few games, and frankly for the whole year, and everyone envies the Hawks that we have him
 
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Worpel himself saying that he butchered the ball at times (pre-draft)
There's lots of reasons a young mid can be wayward with their disposal, one of the key things this year is that Worps has learnt very quickly to create time and space to assess his options and execute better what his mind wants to achieve. Sammy is a big part of that development, but don't underestimate Chad's influence too.
 

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Is anyone else optimistic our new look midfield could even shade that of our threepeat team?

Particularly if tmitch, cogs and fin get inserted next season.
Our Midfield was easily our weakest area, I think our outside will be significantly weaker but Mitchell, Cogs, Wingard, Worpel, JOM, Shiels in the guts is very mouth watering. I can't believe I'm saying it but Jaeger could possibly be our 5th best mid next year.
 
There's lots of reasons a young mid can be wayward with their disposal, one of the key things this year is that Worps has learnt very quickly to create time and space to assess his options and execute better what his mind wants to achieve. Sammy is a big part of that development, but don't underestimate Chad's influence too.
Beat me to it!
Was going to say Chad coming in and finding form will have let Worps play with much more freedom
 
Nov 5, 2014
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Is anyone else optimistic our new look midfield could even shade that of our threepeat team?

Particularly if tmitch, cogs and fin get inserted next season.
2015: S Mitchell, Shiels, Hill, Lewis, Smith, Hodge, with cameo’s from Burgoyne and Cyril
Vs
2020: T Mitchell, Shiels, Scully, JOM, Smith, Worpel, & Cogs, with cameo’s from Wingard.

If Tommy gets back to his best and the, “& Cog” happens, .... YES.

But unlike the 3Peat years, we still have issues with our spine.

Fin McGinness (who we all know will come to the Hawks) will / should play at Box Hill for a season or two.

One thing that is certain, James Worpel has quickly become worth putting in the comparison of the games best players.
 
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Is anyone else optimistic our new look midfield could even shade that of our threepeat team?

Particularly if tmitch, cogs and fin get inserted next season.
Mitchell, Worpel, O’Meara, Coniglio, Shiels, Wingard is a very talented, dynamic and deep midfield already without thinking about those outside the senior team.

There’s a starting centre trio for every occasion with those six. Whether we’d want to hold it up with strong defense; or win the ball cleanly and move it smartly via outside options; or if we need some X-factor to burst out of the middle and make something happen quickly.

It definitely has the potential to be better than the threepeat midfields. But arguably that was the weakest area of our threepeat sides. It was the forward line where we were stacked with talent, and the back line was a well oiled machine that was a champion team within a champion team.
 
Is anyone else optimistic our new look midfield could even shade that of our threepeat team?

Particularly if tmitch, cogs and fin get inserted next season.
Think about who we put in the guts in finals when the games needed to be won, and how they could play roles elsewhere when not needed.

Lewis and Mitchell could carry the midfield or play other roles. Hodge could have been a Brownlow medal level mid but we mostly used him behind the ball.
Silk was break glass in emergency.
We rolled Cyril, rough, Poppy, Breust and occasionally Smith through there with Shiels always playing his role.
Then we had Smith and Hill on the wing or Gunston.
That's without guys like Sewell who was a mainstay for so long.

Our new guys have a long way to go but some of them have the talent, gotta see if they have the leadership and big game drive
 
Think about who we put in the guts in finals when the games needed to be won, and how they could play roles elsewhere when not needed.

Lewis and Mitchell could carry the midfield or play other roles. Hodge could have been a Brownlow medal level mid but we mostly used him behind the ball.
Silk was break glass in emergency.
We rolled Cyril, rough, Poppy, Breust and occasionally Smith through there with Shiels always playing his role.
Then we had Smith and Hill on the wing or Gunston.
That's without guys like Sewell who was a mainstay for so long.

Our new guys have a long way to go but some of them have the talent, gotta see if they have the leadership and big game drive

We may have better positional players again, but we'll never match the versatility we had.
 

Pessimistic

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30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
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We might never match that forward line, particularly the smalls, but mids spending time as forwards might be more of a feature.
A lot of people are suspecting that TMitch might return in more of a Burgoyne type role, at least till he gets back into it (using the precedent of players with major leg breaks taking time afterwards)

Versatilty may be a neccessity not a strategy
 

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Pessimistic

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30k Posts 10k Posts HBF's Milk Crate - 70k Posts TheBrownDog
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True. I don't think there's a repeat threepeat, but my main point is theres good reason to be optimistic

A record breaking brownlow medalist
A virtual rising star with rare numbers as a rookie
A player who looks versatile between inside/outside
A player providing a revelation on switch from small forward to Mid
A better than average Ruckman who can run all day

and potentially a star free agent and a f/s pick who looks like a top 18 pick

Not to mention 3-6 players who can be wingmen or speedy flankers

(Apologies to three time premiership player Liam Shiels who is a genuine blue collar workhorse)

I keep adding. Coached by Sam Mitchell arguably Hawthorns greatest centreman, who made himself into that from a fat(ish) slow reserves player
And Ruck whisperer Damien Monkhorst
 
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One of these players is Tim Kelly - a brownlow favourite and will net Geelong 2 1st rounders at the trade table. The other is James Worpel who has stagnated:

731344
 

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