A disappointing 2021 season has placed some reservations around the form of Gold Coast Suns midfielder Matt Rowell.
The 20-year-old exploded onto the scene in 2020 with nine Brownlow Medal votes in his first four games before missing the rest of the season due to a shoulder reconstruction.
Touted as a future star at the start of his career, Rowell spent most of 2021 noticeably out of sorts.
That has rasied questions from Kane Cornes who wonders if Rowell possesses any weapons and whether he can recapture his previous form.
“I’m worried about Matt Rowell, I’m not sure what his weapon is going to be,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
Cornes has previously alluded to his concerns for Rowell.
“I don’t see any great speed or explosiveness away from the stoppage,” he said last year.
“I don’t see a lot of penetration in his kick or a lot of depth, or an accuracy with his kicking, I don’t think that’s ever been his strength.
“At the moment he is struggling to get the ball in tight and break away from those stoppages like the biggest and best, most powerful midfielders of a similar size, say an Ollie Wines.”
On the other hand, Kangaroos great David King holds no doubts, predicting the former number 1 draft pick to rediscover the form he showed in his first four senior games and entire junior career.
“He played banged up last year after getting injured in 2020, Matt Rowell was best on ground in his second, third and fourth AFL game, we’re talking about Fyfe taking 21 games, Martin taking 26 and Danger taking 43, this kid did it in his second, third and fourth game,” King said.
“He’s a clearance beast.
“He played injured last year, it was almost unfair what he had to do last year.”
Rowell has averaged just 14.1 disposals since his debut, a significant fall from his 2020 return of 21.3 disposals and more than a goal a game across his first four full appearances.