HAWTHORN'S newest midfield bull James Worpel eyeballed Patrick Dangerfield at the first bounce on Saturday then produced arguably the best of his seven AFL games to date.
This was the type of big-time exposure the strong-bodied teenager's coach Alastair Clarkson raves about amid the game's greatest modern rivalry at the MCG cauldron.
The ex-Geelong Falcons co-captain's third-quarter clash with another midfield titan – Joel Selwood – was about embracing the moment as the Cats skipper went on the hunt for the loose Sherrin.
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Worpel instead charged into the frame, snatched the ball from Selwood's grasp, spun and dished a clever left-handed handball to Ryan Schoenmakers that set up a Jack Gunston goal.
By game's end, he had racked up 23 disposals (nine contested), laid eight tackles, amassed six score involvements, won four clearances and driven the ball inside 50 four times.
Worpel, 19, seems certain to deliver the Hawks consecutive Rising Star nominations on Monday, after Harry Morrison received the round 20 nod.
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"A couple of bulls going at each other there," was Clarkson's reaction to Worpel's tussle with Selwood.
"He's just another of our young fellas that's finding his way in the game and every bit of exposure he can get (is valuable).
"He's in the starting midfield this week and he looks across and Dangerfield and the two Selwoods (Joel and Scott) are there.
"It's just enormous value for those young guys and he held his own today and played quite well for us, young Worps."
WORPEDO FIRES PAST CATS CAPTAIN Five talking points
That Worpel slipped to No.45 in last year's NAB AFL Draft now looks like daylight robbery by the Hawks, with many recruiters put off by his efficiency issues rather than falling in love with his strengths.
They gave him a three-game taste of AFL football earlier in the season and he managed only a combined 30 touches, looked a tad off the pace and went back to the VFL.
A 34-possession effort for Box Hill earned him another go at senior level in round 18 against Carlton and he responded with a career-best 32 touches – and hasn't looked back.
WATCH Alastair Clarkson's full post-match media conference
Worpel also kicked what amounted to the match-winner against Essendon last week, after keeping his feet in a one-on-one contest with dual All Australian Michael Hurley.
"He had a little bit of a sniff at it early in the season and wasn't quite ready for it. He wasn't quite ready for the intensity or the demands of the game at that point in time," Clarkson said.
"But this little crack he's had at it the last four or five weeks, he's shown to us all that he's ready to make a really solid contribution.
"What you're always trying to search for with these young players is when can they get the belief that they can play back-to-back games and then back-to-back seasons.
"He's right in his first season, so he's yet to experience the back-to-back seasons, but … he's acquitting himself quite well and we've been really pleased with his progress."
