You need to have either one of the extensive running or the physicality.
Too young, too weak and lack of skills/ tricks to win the physicality battles. I can understand that aspect lacking but for him to drop off a cliff with the lack of leading efforts and resetting to slowly beat his opponent with hard work has me stunned. Only his 2nd season at the club, Hooker moving to defence, Daniher injured early, Smack injured late… he’s had every opportunity to take this season on and make a name for himself. There must be more to it, an injury or private matter.
Here’s hoping he can put in a strong performance by the end of year to boost the confidence for next year.
He got first opportunity when we were garbage
Once we got our act together the Smack, Brown & Stringer trio was really working well. Especially given the k’s Brown covers & smart hit up leads to force his defender to be accountable.
Stewart hasn’t got a look in since including when Smack went down as we have valued extra midfielder over another tall fwd and just pushed Hooker fwd as needed in game.
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How many good games has he played in the seconds to warrant a promotion? I can only think of that high possession game which we just lost and he was inaccurate.
Not sure what’s going on, that game against Richmond may have been the worst individual performance I’ve seen from any of our players this year.
Maybe ive overrated his fitness and ability to play on a half decent backman. He doesn’t convert as well as he should either.
Id rather play a mid
12 possies over the weekend suggests he’s not doing enough.
When you look at Stewart’s physique compared to Brown, and see the type of impact both players have when contesting the ball, I think that says a lot about Stewart’s shortcomings as a player.
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Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane?
I have no idea what the plan is for him as it would be pure speculation to make a geuss.
He may well be the escape goat we need however.
Take it as you will
I knew we shouldn’t have shown the goats that Houdini movie!
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I think the Stewart situation is pretty simple, and not dissimilar to the Langford situation last year. He’s working on specific things in the VFL he’s been told he needs to do as a KPF, including his consistency, and making sure he forces contests inside F50.
I think he’s highly regarded internally, with the acknowledgement he’s got things he needs to keep developing, like a lot of young KPFs. Don’t forget he was one of our best improved players in the first part of this year.
Wouldn’t read much into a poor performance at Geelong either, was hardly the night for key forwards.
Also, on the physique stuff, can you guys move past AFL in the 90s? Do you see guys like Riewoldt, Hawkins, Brown or Franklin basing their game on physical strength to throw blokes in marking contests? It’s reading the ball in the air, work rate, leading patterns and pressure that are the critical skills forwards need to develop these days.
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I’d say from what I know he would currently be ranked below both McKernan and Brown at present. And it will take a real change of mindset to get back to being the preferred option. I hope he does, I like his athleticism, but I’m not holding my breath.
we’ve gotten rid of most of them anyway haven’t we
Should we trial Stewart during pre season as a backman ?
Liam Jones resurrected his career by transitioning to defence.
Perhaps Stewy can do the same.
Would he have the tank (or could he develop it) to run with a Gunston type, or a Darling ?
Seems a good physical/athletic match up for a Jack Riewoldt.
Worth trying it for at least the first half of next year.
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Stewart is waaaaay out of form. If he’s being told not to roam, it’s not working as he is gettiing murdered every week. Usually has the fullback plus the loose man next to him, is not taking contested marks at all.
If he’s lame then see Daniher.
So far he has done his best work in a mismatch 3rd tall type setup at AFL level.
He does not cope being a main man, and certainly not 2 vs 1. Not many do mind you.
Can he get there? Perhaps but will take time.
Could it be they want to become the power fwd? We have time on our side with Hooker and McKernan being that type. Daniher will never become that type, and Stringer is the better 3rd tall?
Is it as basic as that?
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Woosha has shown a preference for developing players so they can become more complete players so I don’t think this is far wrong.
I think people are giving up on Stewart far too easily.
He has shown that he can play at the level and has also shown a desire to work hard.
Another big preseason and I expect he will continue to improve and become a very good player.
He has too many strong AFL attributes not to become a good player. They just need to find the perfect role to capatalize on his strengths.
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More and more people are suggesting this. I really hope they give it a go next season
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Last season and early this season he operated best when he was the third tall. His strength wasn’t so much “power forward” attributes but his speed and agility. His marking was his weak point.
To respond to dons23 my main concern with his physicality was his tackling. I don’t him to be the beast that Hooker is, for instance, but when you ARE built like Tarzan you would expect him to use it to advantage.
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Ironically Smack overtaking him could be the making of him.
Smack has shown if you put the work in, you can keep getting better as a KPF past your mid 20’s, and Smacks improvement is also requiring Stewart to improve. .
JS can run over 15k’s in a game, is fast, good at ground level, and agile.
If he becomes a competitive beast in the air and can clunk more marks, he will be an awesome partner for JD and the other JS (Stringer).
It would also mean he would likely improve as a back up ruck which could be handy too.
Smack would become depth in this case.
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