2022 Player Reviews: #23 James Jordon

[Demonland 73,140]

Quietly went about his work in the midfield, on a wing or down back and his impact on the team effort was highly underestimated but evidenced by the fact that he was among the leaders in the club’s best and fairest when he lost his place in the starting 22 for the final round of the year and then suffered an injured foot which effectively ended his season.

"Jordan famously started as the medical sub in the Demons’ premiership win last year but didn’t get any game time. The young midfielder backed up his debut season, which came in his third year at the club, with 22 games in 2022, but will be looking to take another step forward with his game next season." - Herald Sun

Date of Birth: 20 December 2000
Height: 187cm
Weight: 82kg
 
Games MFC 2022: 22
Career Total: 47
 
Goals MFC 2022: 7
Career Total: 13
 
Games CDFC 2022: 1
Goals CDFC 2022:  1

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,939]

Played his best bulk of footy between rounds 11-15 which ironically coincided with our 3 game losing streak. Also played a ripper V's Port in the earlier season game.

I wonder if he was missed in the finals as we didn't really have a dedicated non Langdon winger.

I also wonder what the recruitment of Hunter will do for Jordon's chances for a game next year? Will Jordon keep his wing spot and Hunter plays on the HF and/or HB flank. Or will Hunter be our full time winger and JJ plays as a utility or at worst Casey. 

 

[DeeZone 10,117]

James Jordon is another one of our young guns that I hope will form part of the core of players that help maintain us at the top of the heap. JJ is one of our Utility type players that is happy to play any role for the team, fwd, mid or back but like BBP I am a bit concerned for him now that we have bought Hunter into the picture. JJ needs to have another big pre-season, get a bit stronger, faster and tougher and cement himself into the side.!!

[Ollie fan 3,475]

And he needs to learn to think quicker!!

[MrFreeze 1,995]

48 minutes ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Played his best bulk of footy between rounds 11-15 which ironically coincided with our 3 game losing streak. Also played a ripper V's Port in the earlier season game.

I wonder if he was missed in the finals as we didn't really have a dedicated non Langdon winger.

I also wonder what the recruitment of Hunter will do for Jordon's chances for a game next year? Will Jordon keep his wing spot and Hunter plays on the HF and/or HB flank. Or will Hunter be our full time winger and JJ plays as a utility or at worst Casey. 

 

If i got a silhouette of Jordon and Hunter i don't think you could tell the difference. I think Hunter takes most of the wing role and JJ is back to utility or Casey. 

[Demon17 5,203]

2 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Played his best bulk of footy between rounds 11-15 which ironically coincided with our 3 game losing streak. Also played a ripper V's Port in the earlier season game.

I wonder if he was missed in the finals as we didn't really have a dedicated non Langdon winger.

I also wonder what the recruitment of Hunter will do for Jordon's chances for a game next year? Will Jordon keep his wing spot and Hunter plays on the HF and/or HB flank. Or will Hunter be our full time winger and JJ plays as a utility or at worst Casey. 

 

Jordan's first game in the team in 2021 he was straight onto the middle and looked like he belonged from the start. Who is this kid we were saying?

That's where he goes back to in some way IMO.

[dazzledavey36 55,359]

In my opinion I reckon he's played some of his best football when he played as an inside midfielder like he did in 2021.

His tackling and intensity around the stoppages was pretty impressive at the time.

I think getting Hunter means Jordon goes back to playing this role similar to 2021.

[58er 6,565]

3 hours ago, Ollie fan said:

And he needs to learn to think quicker!!

Agree Ollie not just think but play on from a mark if possible 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

If Hunter gets the wing position, I would have Jordon ahead of Sparrow as part of the midfield rotations.

[jnrmac 20,187]

19 hours ago, 58er said:

Agree Ollie not just think but play on from a mark if possible 

He always stops and props. Completely destroys momentum.

 

So much so that I suspected he has been instructed to do this to allow the mids to move forward.

[58er 6,565]

20 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

He always stops and props. Completely destroys momentum.

 

So much so that I suspected he has been instructed to do this to allow the mids to move forward.

Yes Mac I think it's JJ not playing aggressively and our flow game plan and lack of movement that combines and completely destroys momentum.

Thats Goody's and the coaches job to solve that. Pretty simple really.

JJ is good enough to carry out this new plan of speed. 

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,909]

39 minutes ago, jnrmac said:

He always stops and props. Completely destroys momentum.

 

So much so that I suspected he has been instructed to do this to allow the mids to move forward.

That's how I see it. It's actually quite a skill to be able to delay delivery of the ball until another player is in a position to receive it. It means that the player with the ball has to have placed himself in open space or have good evasive skills. Pendlebury is as good a player as I've seen at this particular skill. Spargo isn't bad at it either, but just doesn't get the ball often enough.  

[JimmyGadson 3,455]

Limited player, plays a role. Hate him in a wing. Goes okay as a rotation through the middle but to be honest, I can't see any huge scope for improvement from him. 

Physically he doesn't excite, he's not quick and his skills are pretty average if he's not kicking long. 

Will be interesting to see where he goes from here but will almost always be a backup to our starting inside bulls imo. Swear to God if he's on a Wing next year, I will not watch us. 

[Lord Travis 10,763]

Played some good footy this season, but also doesn't have a standout attribute IMO.

Hunter will likely take the opposing wing to Langdon, which means Jordon likely needs to find another role. His best footy came as an inside mid, but we're stocked in that area, so he might need to reinvent himself as a half forward or half back. He's consistent and talented enough to make it long term, but he'd need to lock down a new role to do so.

[monoccular 17,574]

On 10/25/2022 at 2:32 PM, jnrmac said:

He always stops and props. Completely destroys momentum.

 

So much so that I suspected he has been instructed to do this to allow the mids to move forward.

… an instruction that may change if our forward delivery tactics change to a more targeted (rather than long bomb) approach. 

[NeveroddoreveN 1,034]

So many seem to think he alone is the momentum killer.

It is our gameplan guys...we all flood back and often we have zero options forward of wing.

He should be pushing either Harmes or Sparrow out of the team as he is better than both currently + more flexible to play other roles.

Highly doubt he plays many/any games for Casey next year.

If Oliver ever is to get injured, would be one of our 1st picked mids.

Criminally underrated player imo....will only get better.

[Billy 2,544]

Thought he was bloody good this year and can’t understand why posters are so quick to write him off and think that Hunter is the answer for 2023

Hope he keeps Hunter out out of the side, I’ve always thought he was a head ducking receiver at the Buldogs

 

[At Least I Saw a Flag 5,274]

Have he and Jordan Jones ever been seen together?

[poita 3,902]

He's just a middling player in my mind. Does most things reasonably well, without having the standout quality that he needs to be a top player. 

He's the sort of player you're happy to have as a sub or as depth, because he can fill plenty of gaps, but I'm not sure that he's a best 18 player in a top team as we tried to make out this year.

[Orion 332]

Has to play bit roles in the team but he's not a wingman

[DeeZone 10,117]

56 minutes ago, poita said:

He's just a middling player in my mind. Does most things reasonably well, without having the standout quality that he needs to be a top player. 

He's the sort of player you're happy to have as a sub or as depth, because he can fill plenty of gaps, but I'm not sure that he's a best 18 player in a top team as we tried to make out this year.

Maybe poita but he was polling very well in the B&F prior to injury/ loss of form, so obviously highly regarded by those voting.??

[Bay Riffin 1,480]

On 10/27/2022 at 8:35 PM, Billy said:

Thought he was bloody good this year and can’t understand why posters are so quick to write him off and think that Hunter is the answer for 2023

Hope he keeps Hunter out out of the side, I’ve always thought he was a head ducking receiver at the Buldogs

 

Agreed. I think people are underestimating him because he isn't as flashy as some players. He had his first year at AFL level last year averaging 14 disposals. This year he averaged 20 and polled well in the B and F. He may not have the highest ceiling but thats extremely good improvement. He and Sparrow are developing nicely. 

Edited October 31, 2022 by Bay Riffin

[jnrmac 20,187]

2 hours ago, Bay Riffin said:

Agreed. I think people are underestimating him because he isn't as flashy as some players. He had his first year at AFL level last year averaging 14 disposals. This year he averaged 20 and polled well in the B and F. He may not have the highest ceiling but thats extremely good improvement. He and Sparrow are developing nicely. 

At the risk of stating the obvious its got nothing to do with how many disposals a players has.

It's what he does with them, how he plays to teams structures and how he competes against him opponent.

[Great Sage 127]

In 2021 I remember reading and club interview that he was one of our best at spreading to make position. An important attribute for momentum and maintaining possession.

[Deemania since 56 6,718]

On 10/24/2022 at 6:10 PM, 58er said:

Agree Ollie not just think but play on from a mark if possible 

I still reckon that play-on from the mark was not an option, neither was 'thinking quicker'. Due to the way our forwards play, there is not a great deal of leading or anticipating driving/receiving efforts coming into our forward line - and thus providing targets (other than those readied yet ignored from Spargo). A little like ANB, some plays had to be seen across seconds and so a delay was imposed to get the full picture of options. This is one of cruelling features of the fwd-pocket assault. It has to go, and Jordan (and ANB most likely, as well) have both been developing instincts for the strike zones that will improve and be more rapid when the options are created up-field. We now have two recruits in addition to our stocks of stone pillars who could assist in this regard as a generator of creating opportunities, enhancing our forward delivery speeds and creating sensible shots from marks taken just outside or within the hot zone of 50m, not having to find a single forward/resting ruck to take the 'pack' mark without fail. Jordan will have benefitted from this onfield analysis within his games so far. We all know that he kept possession, was forced to take some time and must have been very frustrated that the 'team' failed to initiate innovation for the hard work.