Timmy just did the lead in teaser, and it looked like someone has gone down in a drill. No names mentioned, just ‘more details to come, later in sport’.
If Stewart is providing a physical presence, marking, kicking goals and being a lot more mobile than Stringer, and Smack is providing a strong focal point, marking, kicking goals, and providing ruck relief and Joe is benefitting from both these things happening, and playing well himself; we are back to our 2017 talls structure pre Stringer, except an improved version that allows Hooker to play back and Stewart and Smack to genuinely take the pressure off Joe and no opposition having any chance of containing 3 genuinely tall and mobile options.
The three smaller options would be Raz and Walla definitely and a competition between Bags, Guelfi and maybe Mozzie (at some stage at least) for 3 dangerous smalls, who provide good pressure.
This would be a real dilemma for Stringer, requiring him to be better form than at least one of the three tall options, or to find the fitness and form to spend time midfield the majority of the game.
This is a fantasy scenario, but it could come to pass if Stewart and Smack engage their beast mode consistently and Joe to get back to being 2017 Joe.
If everything clicks and we get both a strong midfield and forward line who run both ways with these players in form (and not forgetting our backline: Francis, Hooker, Hurley, Saad, McKenna and maybe Gleeson/Guelfi/Ridley/Redman) …