SuperCoach: There’s plenty of Sydney star Josh Kennedy in young Gold Coast midfielder Will Brodie
In the lead-up to the launch of the AFL SuperCoach team-picker, The Phantom looks at five players who could breakout in 2020. Is the next JPK ready to breakout at the Suns?
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“Has had a slow start but he could become JPK one day.”
They are the words of Champion Data’s Fantasy Freako in the 2019 edition of the AFL Prospectus.
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PART 1: Chayce Jones - The Crow set for a midfield spike
PART 2: Hunter Clark - The Saint ready to make his run
PART 3: Andrew Brayshaw - The Docker exciting new coach Justin Longmuir
PART 4: Jordan Dawson - Is he Sydney’s new stat king?
The slow start Freako is referring to is Brodie’s underwhelming first three seasons in the competition, which saw the former Murray Bushranger make just 19 senior appearances after being drafted at pick No. 9 in 2016.
This is despite strong form in the NEAFL – Brodie rated elite for contested possessions, groundball-gets and SuperCoach points in 2018 – and the continued struggles of a Gold Coast side, which was crying out for inside ball-winners.
His lack exposure appeared to stem from the concern over what the 189cm midfielder did – or, more appropriately, didn’t do - off the ball, as well as his work in transition.
There’s never been a question mark over his ball-winning ability, however.
And that’s where the Josh P. Kennedy (JPK) reference comes in.
In his first three years at Gold Coast, just as he had done in a standout junior career, Brodie showed he had no trouble winning the ball – especially at the contest – at AFL level.
The 21-year-old finished with nine disposals in the first two matches of his career but tallied 20 or more in 11 of the following 16 non-injury affected games, between Round 3, 2017 and Round 19 last season.
Brodie recorded 24 disposals, 12 contested possessions and six clearances in his sixth career match, 27, 11 and five in his eighth appearance and another 27 disposals, 12 contested possessions and six clearances the following week.
And he shares a very similar stat line to Kennedy after the first 19 matches of their career.
Despite these impressive numbers, Suns coach Stuart Dew dropped Brodie on two occasions in 2018 and made him wait to Round 5 last season, before sending him back to the NEAFL two weeks later.
But the strong-bodied midfielder wasted little time in finally making his mark upon recall to the senior side in Round 12.
Going head-to-head with a North Melbourne engine room, led by Ben Cunnington, Brodie excelled, tallying 29 disposals, 10 contested possessions, nine tackles, nine marks, six clearances, one goal and 120 SuperCoach points.
In his final six games of the year – all consecutive – before injury prematurely ended his season, Brodie ranked first at the Suns for hardball-gets, second for tackles and handballs, third for disposals, fourth for clearances and fifth for contested possessions.
The most-productive stretch of his career – which also featured a very quiet performance against the Crows in Round 17 – produced four SuperCoach scores of 88 or more, including a second SuperCoach ton in the final round against the Blues.
If he has, indeed, convinced Dew, and holds his on-ball spot, despite the inclusion of Hugh Greenwood and top draft picks Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson, Brodie’s day in the sun might just eventuate – as Freako had predicted.
WILL BRODIE
2020 position: Midfielder
Estimated price: $440,000
The Phantom’s predicted 2020 average: 95
2019
Disposals: 22
SuperCoach: 80
2018
Disposals: 19
SuperCoach: 68
2017
Disposals: 14
SuperCoach: 43
CAN WE START HIM IN?
The Phantom has been a Brodie fan for a while now so I’d love to pick him. But, although I’m predicting big things in 2020, his price will be in a very awkward midfield bracket. Keep your mind open to the idea, though.
Originally published as SuperCoach: There’s plenty of Sydney star Josh Kennedy in young Gold Coast midfielder Will Brodie