Here is a different take on Witts.
Prepared to say every player and circumstance is different, so it's hard to throw up a blanket proposal over everyone, that justifies or eliminates any player.
Witts: Year - age - H&A - games - SC ave
2019 - 27 - 22/99.7
2020 - 28 - 17/93.4
2021 - 29 - 3/87.3
2022 - 30 - 22/109.9
Hit a career high at age 30, that was 10.2 higher than his historic best.
List of players to hit a career high at:
the age of 29 or older
where it was both a 10+ jump on the previous career high
and took them over 100+.
P Burgoyne - 2007 - had a career high of 10/82 - aged 29 went 21/112 - following season 17/91
D Cox - 2011 - had a career high of 22/112 - aged 30 went 22/122 - following season 22/112
T Hickey - 2021 - had a career high of 13/89.5 - aged 30 went 20/103.2 - following season 13/84.6
That's it. Only 3 players have achieved what Witts did last season, and all fell back to their more historic numbers, rather than doing anything like continuing on with that new high level.
Other notable players to record career highs at the age of 29+, without it being a 10+ jump;
Goodwin - it was only the 2nd season of SC, but he went 107, then at 29 went 113, never went above 104 again.
Harvey went 112 at 29, 3 higher than his previous best. 4 of his following 8 seasons were 100+: 100, 101, 104, 108.
Johnson B - again only the 2nd season of SC he went 113 at age 29, followed by 106, 87, 89, 64
Johnson S had a high of 107 at age 27, went 116 at age 29, then fell back to 107, then 85, 88
Malceski at age 29 hit a new high of 105, 4 higher 101 scored at age 22. Then went 71, 72.
Mundy at age 29 hit 114, 6 higher than his previous best at age 25, At age 30+ his best season was 100.
Petrie at age 30 went 103, 7 higher than previous best. Never went 87+ again.
Simpson A aged 31 went 101, 8 higher than previous best, then fell back to his 92-93 level.
Simpson K aged 32 went 106, 6 higher than his best at 26. His following seasons went: 94, 105, 82, 74.
Tuck (Shane) went 115 at age 31, 3 higher than his historic high, then went 66.
That's it, as far as I know. It's not a random sample, it's every player that hit a career high of 100+ at age 29+, and then how they went the following year/s. The only player that gives you a glimmer of hope, that Witts might be able to back up last season is Kade Simpson.
Does it mean Witts can't do it? No.
Does the weight of history stack heavily against him? Yes!!!!