Not sure I agree with that. Think we should start by building our ends of the ground around the best players in the best positions. Hooker and Hurley at CHB/FB are the first step you'd make there. I think Stewart will be given every opportunity to succeed. He has a great athletic ability and whilst his hands seem to be a weaker part of his game I think he could work well with Joe who is obviously a natural aerialist with a good aerobic capacity himself. Don't think the Hooker fwd experiment is "over" just because we recruited Stewart but I wouldn't be putting him up there unless we get to Rd 8 and JS has only kicked a couple of goals and is simply not working.
Iām the exact opposite.
Iād be training him there every second I could, and playing him there all through pre-season and into the regular season.
Then, if we get to round 8 and he has only kicked a couple of goals (which is not going to happen) then try our next best option, which may or may not be JS.
So we get Stewart so Hooker can play back, but the early reports are that he wants to play forward. Carlisle in reverse? Elsilrac?
As far as Iām concerned Stewart starts the pre-season as depth, Hooker is forward and the defence is covered by Hurls/Hartley/Ambrose/Francis/Brown
I would like Francis to start forward and play like Jake Stinger.
In the VFL?
Donāt forget the 3 small forwards (Green, Raz and Walla), Langford and Laverde plus Zaka, Trav and Jobe resting. Gunna be crowded up there. And donāt forget TBell.
My personal preference would be Hooker, Joe Dan, Raz, Walla with Lav and Franga. Others midfielding as required.
Not sure I agree with that. Think we should start by building our ends of the ground around the best players in the best positions. Hooker and Hurley at CHB/FB are the first step you'd make there. I think Stewart will be given every opportunity to succeed. He has a great athletic ability and whilst his hands seem to be a weaker part of his game I think he could work well with Joe who is obviously a natural aerialist with a good aerobic capacity himself. Don't think the Hooker fwd experiment is "over" just because we recruited Stewart but I wouldn't be putting him up there unless we get to Rd 8 and JS has only kicked a couple of goals and is simply not working.
From what Iāve seen of them, Hartley is a much better defender than Stewart is a forward. And Hooker is in a different league when compared to Stewart as a forward. Stewart wonāt be anywhere near the seniors unless he knocks the door down in the twos, which is as it should be.
The most interesting component for me is actually the T-Bell factor. If heās injury free and can get back into form, I genuinely think that he could be a huge asset for us up forward.
Has a solid leap, can crash a pack, has good hands and is a decent kick. Obviously not as mobile as someone like Hooker, but I wouldnāt be writing him off as another tall option to help out Joe.
The most interesting component for me is actually the T-Bell factor. If he's injury free and can get back into form, I genuinely think that he could be a huge asset for us up forward.
Has a solid leap, can crash a pack, has good hands and is a decent kick. Obviously not as mobile as someone like Hooker, but I wouldnāt be writing him off as another tall option to help out Joe.
Could work really well IMO. Perhaps even have Francis in place of Langford as that third tall.
Point being, I think the return of T-Bell could certainly shake things up a bit re our forward structure.
Bellchambers needs to learn leading patterns before he is played as a permanent forward option. He also needs to bust a gut in contesting everything that comes inside forward 50. Conceding that your job is finished because you didnāt take a mark is a cop out. The fullforward needs to harass, scrap, scrag, smash & pressure the defenders so the ball comes to ground. I donāt think he can do it.
TBC is no chance of playing as a perm forward and I would be very surprised if we play him as a second rick. Hooker is the man to go with first up, Hooker and Joe and then you can play around with the rest of the line up but they will be the anchors. if Hooker really struggles or Stewart really fires then you may see a change.
For the first time in a very long time we have some really exciting options to go through the forward line but they need to be underpinned by Hooker and Joe IMO.
TBC is no chance of playing as a perm forward and I would be very surprised if we play him as a second rick. Hooker is the man to go with first up, Hooker and Joe and then you can play around with the rest of the line up but they will be the anchors. if Hooker really struggles or Stewart really fires then you may see a change.
For the first time in a very long time we have some really exciting options to go through the forward line but they need to be underpinned by Hooker and Joe IMO.
So we get Stewart so Hooker can play back, but the early reports are that he wants to play forward. Carlisle in reverse? Elsilrac?
As far as Iām concerned Stewart starts the pre-season as depth, Hooker is forward and the defence is covered by Hurls/Hartley/Ambrose/Francis/Brown
I would like Francis to start forward and play like Jake Stinger.
In the VFL?
Donāt forget the 3 small forwards (Green, Raz and Walla), Langford and Laverde plus Zaka, Trav and Jobe resting. Gunna be crowded up there. And donāt forget TBell.
My personal preference would be Hooker, Joe Dan, Raz, Walla with Lav and Franga. Others midfielding as required.
Wont be crowded if they all rotate through there. Iām sick of us getting the ball forward for ā ā ā ā all reward because we donāt have enough players that can kick goals.
TBC is no chance of playing as a perm forward and I would be very surprised if we play him as a second rick. Hooker is the man to go with first up, Hooker and Joe and then you can play around with the rest of the line up but they will be the anchors. if Hooker really struggles or Stewart really fires then you may see a change.
For the first time in a very long time we have some really exciting options to go through the forward line but they need to be underpinned by Hooker and Joe IMO.