#26 Cale "Thank You Mr" Hooker - rejects a brown paper bag from FCFC

Im in two worlds about this now. i would love to see what he can bring to the forward line (i think that his 2 first games there were great), but i wanna see how well Stewart goes in his position too. I feel like Stewarts a bit more agile than Hooksy as well

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Stewart brings a different athletic profile to the deep forward line and high HF.

Hooker will always be a clunking forward 20-30 metres out or moving up on the wings.

Stewart will play as a leading player which I think compliments hooker well.

I really love him forward, but I feel down back we are lacking an intercept marker. I just think for one game we should bring stewart into the forward line, and move hooksy back. We are lacking a player like him down back, they dont grow on trees.

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Sure we are, but thatā€™s a reason to play Francis down there. Or wait until Ridley is ready. Or wait until next off season and target someone we think can play that role.

Stewart is similar to Daniher, not Hooker. Our forward line looks better because Joe can roam up the ground and there is still a strong threat closer to goal, not just because there is someone helping him (although that helps with avoiding double teams). If Stewart came in youā€™d simply have two KPF who look more comfortable up the ground than wrestling in the F50, which if you havenā€™t watched our forward line for the last few years is something we need as much as an intercept mark.

Unless you bring Francis in as a power forward so Hooker can go back, but Iā€™m not sold on that. And even if he does end up forward I think heā€™d be able to play as a floating 3rd defender much sooner.

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Whilst I agree with you there, where does Stewart fit into the equation? Do we just not play him, he came to us for more opportunities, and is clearly a talent.

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One thing I noticed last night is that Cale needs to stop pointing where he wants the ball kicked (whilst standing still). Get on your bike and make people kick it to where youā€™re leading. If he increases his work rate heā€™ll get into games easier. I wouldā€™ve loved the coaches to give him a 5 minute spell on Tex to watch his leading patterns and work rate. I think there is something to work with here but itā€™s going to take a long time with Cale.

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Cale Hooker needs to play defence to understand how to play fwd? Heā€™s an AA back man with ten years experience under his belt. He should have all the knowledge he needs.

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Well said mate, All Australian backman being wasted up forward

Hardly. Heā€™s played important roles in both our wins and was much better in Q3 against Adelaide. Like most of the returning players heā€™s rusty, which would be the same if he played in defence.

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We seem to have a functioning forward line for the first time in 5 years - We only need to tweak the forward line.

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Hooker is being seriously under-rated. He has taken nearly twice as many contested marks as any other player in the side and is mostly being double teamed. He is just starting to develop match fitness and as he does he will get to more contests down field. Be prepared for a breakout game in the next couple of weeks.

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TBH Iā€™m fine with his start to the year. Coming back from a year outI thought he contested well the first two matches, the wet in the Fark Carlton match wasnā€™t mad for him and he wasnā€™t great against Adelaide but worked into it slowly and we were slaughtered in the middle anyway so not a great game to judge him on.

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Was good in the first few games. Needs to keep that big frame of his in front, too many times he is looking for a long kick over the back. Iā€™m confident he will Play well this week.

He has been ok.

Picked up his marking in the second half against Adelaide. Could see him kicking 4 on Tuesday.

How he didnā€™t give away two 50m penalties in the first quarter is an absolute mystery.

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Will kick the odd goal, but shows pretty much no skill/craft as a forward what so ever.
Iā€™d really like to send him back and try Stewart as the second tall forward for a couple of weeks.

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Amen. Have been saying it since before round 1. Still could use him as a swing/pinch hitter at times but perm forward just not worth it considering how much we miss him in the backline.

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I just hope they try it before the season is shot. I think Benny Howletts days are numbered too unfortunately. Out with vanilla plodders and in with the new generation.

To me itā€™s figuring out whether we get more value from Hooker forward and Brown/Hartley back or Hooker back and Stewart forward. And we need to be getting more from Hooker up forward than ā€œwarm body who takes a defenderā€ for it to favour him up forward.

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Just move him back.

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