He did have a huge direct effect; he made the defenders ■■■■ themselves when going for the mark. I’m not sure who’s a better contested mark than him but there must be a very few.
Out of the next five games, there is only one dangerous key forward off the top of my head: Bulldogs’ Naughton. So we don’t need Hooker back in the remaining games. Time to leave him forward and watch our other forwards fire up.
Half our key position players are injured and we’re still concerned about how we’re going to fit all the remaining ones in the side. Our depth is ridiculous at the moment.
I would argue that Green didn’t put as much defensive pressure on as Stringer does lately. The big hole in our defensive pressure right now is probably an injured Raz. With him at full speed, I think Hooker, Smack, Brown, Stringer, Walla, Raz looks pretty dangerous
This thread is just an endless feedback loop.
He will play fwd and back as deemed needed in the circumstance.
The fkng end. Deal with it.
It just looks too tall to me. Raz makes any forward line look better, but I still think it’s slow.
I think it can work; our forward line looks a whole lot more organised when Hooker is stationed at FF and taking the no1 defender. Putting McKernan at CHF on the 2nd defender will make his job far easier and also gets his clucking up the ground without taking a marking target out of the 50. Provided they are getting separation it also prevents double/triple-teaming, something McKernan struggles with especially.
Only works because Brown and Stringer don’t really play a proper key position style and both provide a decent amount of pressure. Both are also difficult matchups if they are taking the 3rd and 4th defenders.
Look at how dangerous Stringer looked when he was on Adelaide’s 3rd tall or medium defender. Having him play as the medium forward/4th tall also frees him up to play more midfield minutes.
Brown and Stringer playing on the oppos third and fourth defenders… sheesh, that gives me half a rajah just thinking about it.
Both aerobically fit those two… tough match up
Wait… did you just bundle Brown and Stringer in the same aerobically fit category?
Hooker forward is the missing piece of the puzzle. The fact that our game plan is to bomb it in at every opportunity, you need a Hooker type to create a contest.
With Joe in, Hooker goes back, but right now we need him forward.
It’s simple, we lack key forward targets but have a surplus of tall defenders - one of which is a very good forward target.
I was worried without Hurls and Hooker forward but Hartley was great. If he can keep that form he’ll get another contract.
I think Gleeson back in the squad is huge. And obviously Ambrose.
And Rutten’s gameplan seems to be having a big factor in our team defence, which is making the backlines job a lot easier.
He’s got what 2 more years max? Providing his body holds up. I’d be playing him as a forward for the remainder of his career
The backline is stacked
Hurley
Ambrose
Hartley
Francis
Zerk - Thatcher
Exactly, pressure up the ground is making life a lot easier on backline.
Jobe said it a few week back - Cale has the attitude and personality required to be a successful forward - he doesn’t take a backward step and is always looking to get the ball in his mitts
I’m not sure I really believe this myself. but you could make an argument that the team is better off with Hooker as the target forward than Joe. His greatest attribute is that he gets to every marking contest and gives you a real contest each time, which, for all his natural ability and flair and occasionally spectacular marking, Joe doesn’t.
I still have hopes that Joe will mature into the rounded strong key forward he could be, but Hooker, with nowhere near the natural athletic gifts of Joe, gives you a very good target.
If Hooker is out of position he is very very good at making sure the opposition don’t mark it. Joe is terrible at that
Just keep in mind when we last saw Joe Daniher play without injury, and what age he was.
Hooker is great, but he spent his career in the backline for a reason. You are comparing him to our best forward since Lloyd and Lucas.
They do get a free kick though.
Wasn’t Hooker forward when Joe played his best football?