Sorry for the lowbrow title… I am a delinquent.
I’m also not the world’s biggest Mason Cox fan.
I would be lying to say I am a fan, at all.
That said, opportunity knocks for a club who are struggling with their ruck division to add an experienced player, whose upside when playing forward can make him something that many other big men just don’t provide – a threat.
There are those who argue that Cox does not do enough. They’ll tell you that he has ridden one excellent finals game to a ten-year career in the league. Others, still, compare him to centres in the NBA back in the 90s – in the league because they’re big, and little more.
I am not here to dispute their claims, as I am sure they wouldn’t listen if I tried. What I am here to do is sell the opportunity for several clubs to take a punt on the former Magpie, even if it is for just one season, as they get players back from injury, or look to recruit long-term prospects in the role.
Before we jump into the teams that could benefit from his presence, we need to put aside personal opinion on the man, himself. I understand that some, for their own reasons, just don’t like Mason. Again, I am not here to argue against you. Go nuts.
However, when we look at his output, even at 34 years of age, we find a player that can be a forward target, a “get out of jail” marking option, and a tough matchup at ruck contests around the ground, and this is something that several “back up” rucks simply don’t do.
Cox has a great pair of hands. This past season is the first time he has averaged under one contested mark per game. His career average sits right at 1.75 per game.
Let’s compare that to some other bigs in the game from 2025.
Max Gawn, as expected, was the best of the rucks, at 2.3 per contest – there is a very good reason he is the perennial All-Australian ruck. However, other than him, the only other ruckman to average more than Cox’s 1.75 was Sam Draper in his limited 2025 campaign. He was at 1.8.
People may point to Cox’s hit out stats falling, as well. Again, another point I won’t argue. However, it is important to note that he is playing as back up to a man who attended 78% of the Pies’ centre bounces, and rarely rested forward, Darcy Cameron.
Cox was asked to get in there, contest, and then retreat to the forward fifty.
It is not a role conducive to big numbers. Factor in that he was subbed out of three of the ten games he played in 2025… and you can see how the numbers may not truly indicate his potential value to a team.
Righto, have I convinced you he is not a lost cause? Time to get into the teams that could use him, and what he would offer them.
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