Football
30 September, 2024
Pope's breakout season
Horsham forward/midfielder Brody Pope had a standout season in 2024 in the Wimmera Football Netball League.
He played 17 games for the improved Demons this year, kicking nine goals and being the best player on 13 occasions.
He also won the best under-21 player in the Toohey medal, polling 15 votes, finishing sixth in the count, 11 votes behind winner Tom Williamson.
Pope's improvements this year came from his kicking, better finding the football, and elevating his offensive game, which saw him hit the scoreboard more through the midfield.
At 20 years of age, Pope still has a lot of improvement to come and could turn into one of the most dangerous players in the competition. He is happy with how everything went this season.
"With the talent that has come into the team from elsewhere, it's helped my game out a lot," Pope said.
"I was getting a lot of cleaner entries and finding it much easier to find the ball, so it's been good."
"This season, I was chopping and changing through the midfield and forward a lot, compared to last year when I was running around in the midfield, and it's been good, and I think it helps my game."
Pope praised Jordyn Burke for helping him improve his game.
"It's been great to have Burkey back in the mix, as he always seems to find a way to push us along and get us over the line," Pope said.
"Compared to last year, the structure hasn't changed too much.
"The vibe around the club is fantastic, and making the finals this season has helped with everyone's confidence, and we are looking forward to what we can achieve next year."
Burke said Pope's improvement has been massive.
"He is so young, and what he has taken on his shoulders over the last three years, being out of his age bracket and weight division, is amazing. How he has grown into himself as a footballer," Burke said.
"His clearance work is second to none, and he is getting more dangerous. He is a tough, inside mid, and as he can hit the scoreboard more often now, it's exciting to see how far he will come over the next few years."