James Worpel

James Worpel (born 24 January 1999) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

James Worpel
Worpel playing for Hawthorn in August 2018
Personal information
Nickname(s) Worpedo
Date of birth (1999-01-24) 24 January 1999
Original team(s) Geelong Falcons (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 45, 2017 national draft
Debut Round 6, 2018, Hawthorn vs. St Kilda, at University of Tasmania Stadium
Height 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Hawthorn
Number 5
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2018– Hawthorn 102 (39)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early career

One of nine siblings growing up in the regional town of Bannockburn near Geelong, James was the second youngest and grew up with three other football obsessed brothers. An early developer James was selected at centre half back in the 2014 U/15 All Australian team.[1] He also attended school at Western Heights College located in Geelong

Worpel spent two years developing his craft in the TAC with the Geelong Falcons. Worpel is a fierce competitor that goes in to win hard ball.[2]

A natural leader he was appointed co-captain of the Falcons for the 2017 year. He would later lead the side to the premiership. He was captain of the Victoria Country team in the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships and was later rewarded with being selected in the U/18 All-Australian team.[2]

AFL career

Worpel was drafted by Hawthorn with their first selection and forty-fifth overall in the 2017 AFL draft. He made his AFL debut in the thirty-five point win against St Kilda at the University of Tasmania Stadium in round six of the 2018 season.[3][4] He played three games before getting dropped. Back in the side for round 18 against Carlton, he put in an impressive four match performance for Worpel became Hawthorn’s second Rising Star nominee for the 2018 season.[5]

2019 season

During the 2019 pre-season Worpel was given the number 5 guernsey that had been vacated due to Ryan Burton having been traded to Port Adelaide.[6] Worpel wore number 38 for his debut season.[7]

Worpel was picked for round one, and managed to play every game for the season. He set a league record for most disposals for a player under twenty years of age. Ultimately he was voted the best player for Hawthorn for the season, collecting the Peter Crimmins Medal,[8] becoming the youngest winner of that record since Leigh Matthews won it in 1971.[9] Worpel is considered a protégé of Senior Coach and former Hawthorn player Sam Mitchell.[7][10]

In 2020 Worpel missed the last two games of the season when he injured of his right acromioclavicular (AC) joint against Western Bulldogs that required surgery to stabilise the joint.[11]

Statistics

Updated to the end of 2023.[12]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2018Hawthorn38 1155959819323430.50.58.68.917.52.13.90
2019Hawthorn5 2298309275584721070.40.414.012.526.53.34.910
2020[lower-alpha 1]Hawthorn5 152716712028739810.10.511.18.019.12.65.40
2021Hawthorn5 2010823219442654820.50.411.69.721.32.74.10
2022Hawthorn5 1132868316920240.30.27.87.515.41.82.20
2023Hawthorn5 2310928631460052920.40.412.413.726.12.34.011
Career 10239391175108422592604290.40.411.510.622.12.54.221

Notes

  1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

Team

Individual

References
  1. "Decorated U18 star does it by the numbers".
  2. "James Worpel".
  3. "Worpel's wait is over". hawthornfc.com.au. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  4. "James Worpel proves elusive". 28 April 2018.
  5. "Worpel, a future star".
  6. "Worpel signs on". Hawthorn Football Club. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  7. McClure, Sam (27 April 2019). "On the Worpel path: The master and the apprentice". The Age. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  8. "Worpel crowned Peter Crimmins Medallist".
  9. Black, Sarah (6 October 2019). "Youngest since 'Lethal': Tough midfielder named top Hawk". Australian Football League. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  10. "Complacency not a worry for Worps". Hawthorn Football Club. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  11. "Worps returns to Melbourne for surgery".
  12. "James Worpel". AFL Tables. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
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