Junior footy is one thing, but AFL is actually physically “brutal” . I suspect some players do not actually have an appetite for it but gradually learn to deal with it. So this is the year he does a Newton John and gets physical, or he needs to find a new career.
In a year there was no U18s and no exposed form at all. It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
By that same logic shouldn’t the Hawks still be holding out hope of Denver Grainger-Barras coming good on his attributes? Nope he’s gone.
The Eagles with Brander? No he got sent packing after 4yrs of showing stuff all.
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I can see why you would say that, he hasn’t shown nearly enough for 2-3 years. He’s been significantly impacted by injury, I think he’s had only one uninterrupted preseason in his time at the club (?). This is hardly the recipe for development.
He showed plenty of attributes in his first season, in particular his first 6-7 games. Unfortunately he hasn’t been able to get fit and conditioned or find a position he can settle in and develop.
I think he’s a good example of a young player whose body isn’t up to the rigours of the game and a club unable to define and implement a development program that allows him to find a suitable role and grow.
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He’s a victim of his versatility and of a club that, at least previously, has overrated this trait. Compounding the situation is the fact that said club also happens to have been crap at developing talent.
He’s not a wingman. He’s not a backman. Might be a forward. Develop him primarily in this role for the remaining 2 years of his contract.
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The Covid first round picks were always going to be super high risk, due to the lack of exposed form for the entire draft cohort. Cox seemed like a win based on his “unicorn” first season, but things fell apart late in the first year and never got going again.
He probably would have slid a fair way down the order if given a full u18 season. There’s going to be absolute stars from the back end of that draft, far more randomly scattered than most draft year successes.
It sucks, it might have been predicted by another list manager, it might not. Personally I’m writing this one off mostly to the realities of COVID. If Perkins and Reid come good, I’m calling it a win as the downside risk for that draft was truly diabolical.
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Right now, we are a long way from that becoming our reality.
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As crazy as it sounds if the concussion stuff is real we should put him on the LTI list and give him the full year to recover and build size.
Sounds crazy but twelve months off playing while being paid is better than a early retirement
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Maybe he has done all the training but watchers have been looking for him from the wrong angle.
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Will be alright, another preseason for 2026 season…he will come on, talls take time.
That’s if he doesn’t retire early 
Nik’s OK at a bunch of things and good at one: being tall. And being tall is a great asset when the ball is in the air and being contested - ie punching, tapping and contested marking. But contested marking and tapping require strength as well as height.
He’s not a ruckman and we don’t need one. Sadly, nor is he a contested mark, averaging a measly 0.38 per game. (By comparison, Harrison Jones is 0.8 and Peter Wright is 1.4). He ain’t no forward.
Seems to me he has but one chance - as a spoiling back. Or at least as a reserve spoiling back for our other fragile tall backs.
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People bag his output which is fair but it’s mainly down to his constant run of injuries since his first year in my opinion. He’s shown enough talent in tiny bits to tell me there’s always been a player there, but the sad thing is you need high upside project players like him on the park actually “developing”.
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He is definitely a forward those numbers are heavily effected playing as a defender and on the wing.
He has shown he can play forward with three goals against the crows and the suns
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Breakout year
In the words of Robert Klein, “What is a mojo anyway?”
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He’s a massive bust. Won’t be on the list next year unless we see some type of miracle
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There is no chance he will be delisted at the end of the year.
The only way he isn’t on the list is if he retires or is traded
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Why?
Plenty of high draft picks get delisted and this will be his fifth season.
He’s long odds to be on an AFL list next year for me.
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Isn’t he contracted until 2026
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Ok thanks for clarifying. I thought it was until the end of 2026. If this is true then he will be off the list within two years - unless there is some miracle turnaround in form and commitment. Very disappointed in this guy. I don’t think he has that fierce desire and I don’t think he has done everything he can fitness and conditioning wise
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i hope you are wrong and i dont know how you could know his lack of desire? it would be really tough on a kid to be in rehab all the time. you dont get through all that rehab without desire.
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