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

I reckon he’s cooked tbh

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When your pinging hammies and calves in your 30s in pre season, it’s not a great sign for your longevity

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yep - it makes it very tough. Hopefully Cale and the fitness staff can get him fit to play out a good and key part of the season.

Our backline without cale is screwed. We don’t have anyone apart from Francis who can intercept mark down there with any kind of regularity

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I’m thinking possibly yesterday.
Lucky it’s only a strain. I tore my calf in mid December and was out 6-8 weeks. Was the fkn worst couldn’t walk for two weeks. Glad his is a strain and not a tear

This has never occurred to me but i’ve got to say i don’t hate the idea. He can take a good grab, is fit and moves quickly. To be honest my only major criticism of him is his set shots. His field kicking is good. Might be a good replacement for Hooker in the long term.

Probably true but you just never know how quickly a young sapling like Zerk will adapt. He is fast, courageous and reads it will. Look what Naughton did last year at the dogs. I’d put Zerk in this week and see what happens.

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Gone.

Could have been anything.

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I think Ambrose is the best match up we have for Cameron, that doesn’t necessarily make him a great match up. He was serviceable on him last year but suspect Cameron’s inaccuracy flattered Ambrose a bit.

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We have a rookie spot open after Lavender retiring. I wonder if Dodo is scouring the state leagues for a backup? I think the new rules allow for recruiting until mid March?

Season over.

Cameron was soooo good on Saturday night. The thought of Ambrose playing on him scares me a bit.

Ambrose is a decent player. He’s not Hooker, but he is a descent stopper with elite endurance. I think he is being very harshly dismissed as an able replacement. James Stewart is a LONG way behind Ambrose in any sort of pecking order for senior selection.

EDIT: And I agree that Zerk could also be considered. We need to be bolder with some of our selection decisions this year.

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Can’t wait to see Hartley constantly giving away free kicks to oposidtion forwards haha

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Why can’t hurley and Francis be the KPds with Ridley being the third tall.

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B | Saad Brown Ambrose

HB | Francis Hurley McKenna

C | Ridley Shiel Merrett

this is how I would like our team in the back end to set up.

Ideally you would have Ridley helping out the defence playing from the wing

Also if its a 6 week injury and it happened on the 4th than his first game back would be against Nth Melbourne in round 5.

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Certainly not ideal given the injuries currently to our defensive stocks. Hooker, Dea (not a pure KPD but a solid and reliable player), Gleeson (still working his way back after missing the entire 2018 season), Redman (injured again pre-season). You want a settled back six so they can work as a cohesive unit and know how each other plays and what everyone’s role is in the team. You have a couple of changes to that or guys continually in and out it messes up the chemistry.

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Michael Hartley is not only inept but a liability. Surely Ambrose as the shutdown role and Francis can fill the hooker void for now while Hurley just continues to does his thing.

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I’ve turn the lid on a little bit tighter

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