Retired #26: Cale Hooker - Has announced his retirement at season's end 🍷

[Lore]

Contract Status: Retiring at the end of Season 2021
Last Game Played: Round 19, 2021 (omit)
Injury Status: n/a

 

[Rack Watts]

This guy is probably my favourite Essendon man ever.

Consider this:

We tried to piss him off to WA for a handful of magic beans, and not only did he refuse to consider it - he bunkered down in his house and didnt answer the door. But he never held it against us.
We then pumped him full of crazy experimental Mexican love juice that probably made him infertile, and again - he never held it against us.
We also moved him from his AA defence position into the forward line because we had **** all other options, and not only did he not hold it against us, but he embraced the challenge like a ******* champion and became a 40+ goal kicker.

I petition we name both ends of Docklands stadium the Hooker end.

Exactly how I think of him. The ultimate club man, US college football fans might understand what I mean when I say that he's like Peppers at the Wolverines. Plays where the team needs to, and does it to great effect. Pure heart beat.

 

[BomberFan355]

****en loved that don't argue in the 1st quarter.

 

[jmoo wan]

And the best thing about it was that it was chest high and not in the throat, so shouldn’t have been a free kick against him like most of the others.

 

[owen87]

I love how he stops and just waits for it too, not a hint of doubt in his mind that he wasn’t going to just monster the bloke.

 

[Doss]

You know what this bloke is? Just a bloody good footballer. Yes he's better in the backline and ultimately I'm happy to see him back there but let us not forget how good he's been at times in the forward line also.

Just a gun.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Can’t wait for Ambrose to come back so hooker can reclaim his rightful place in the forward line

 

[Blind Turn]

I honestly think that he is the perfect swing man. I don’t think he needs to settle into his position to play well. He goes back, he has an immediate impact taking intercept marks and hitting packs. You send him forward, he senses the need to give the team a target and wills himself to lead up or clunk a big mark in the goalsquare.

I think we should be moving him back and forth a lot more depending on the need and to create mismatches. He is a genuine weapon and can be a bit wasted if he’s stuck and not involved as a forward.

 

[Sanj48]

The last two games against Port Adelaide highlight how important Cale Hooker is to us.
2017: Lighting first half, kicks five goals up forward and polls the three votes.
2018: Returns to the back half to give us much needed structure and airtight defence.

Just a hero.

 

[revival_mode]

with stringer adding another big aspect to the forward line and demanding opposition attention i'd be happy to see us using hooker as a swingman. such a good position to be in when we have a guy as good as he is able to play well at either end.
he needed to stay forward last year but with stewart emerging with a bit of confidence & the string now slotting in well it bodes well for us

 

[Old Stuckup]

And to think we wanted to trade him and Pick 19 off to the Gold Coast for Josh Caddy!

 

[revival_mode]

to be fair though early days his disposal was suuuuper suspect. he was basically instructed to either handball or kick down the line to a contest & that was it. classic case of kpp that took a while to develop.

 

[Vindicater]

Like him in the backline much more.

Allows Hurley to roam free and when Ambrose returns he will be the stopper.

My preferred backline going into the finals is

McGrath Hooker Saad
Gleeson Hurley Ambrose

McKenna starts on a wing and swaps with McGrath throughout the game to keep opponents guessing as to who is the ljnk up speedster.

 

[Loonerty]

Happy to have another game with the same setup I think.

Largely not convinced this is the best move, more because of my uncertainty with the forward line than with Hooker defending.

 

[calyam]

Like him in the backline much more.

Allows Hurley to roam free and when Ambrose returns he will be the stopper.

My preferred backline going into the finals is

McGrath Hooker Saad
Gleeson Hurley Ambrose

McKenna starts on a wing and swaps with McGrath throughout the game to keep opponents guessing as to who is the ljnk up speedster.

Keeping the lid on I see.

 

[Pweter]

And the best thing about it was that it was chest high and not in the throat, so shouldn’t have been a free kick against him like most of the others.

And his first thought after dishing it off is to law a shepherd for Hepp. Awesome play is awesome.

 

[Pweter]

Is it just me or does Hooker play with a different level of aggression when the ball hits the deck when he plays down back compared to up forward?

I seem to recall him being very aggressive hunting the ball on the deck when he was a permanent fixture in defence, something I didn't see nearly as often when he was in attack, but was noticeable yesterday.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Is it just me or does Hooker play with a different level of aggression when the ball hits the deck when he plays down back compared to up forward?

I seem to recall him being very aggressive hunting the ball on the deck when he was a permanent fixture in defence, something I didn't see nearly as often when he was in attack, but was noticeable yesterday.

Can’t say I’ve noticed that personally

 

[Vindicater]

Keeping the lid on I see.

Lid has been gone since preseason.

Finals is happening this season. Just need to get the mix right.

 

[DapperDon]

 

[Old Stuckup]

View attachment 483960

Woosha is four years behind everyone else.

 

[owen87]

View attachment 483960

Woosha is four years behind everyone else.

I reckon he might grow to become a solid defender, maybe not AA worthy, but enough to hold a spot in the best-22.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

We looked better in a whole lot of ways with Hooker. More steady,directing traffic, handball off to smaller faster teammates, the ball cleared better rather than pinging around forever. Will only get better as he takes more intercept marks.

Hurley could attack more, ball transitioned better from defence to attack, attack looked more fluid with one less tall. Way better.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

View attachment 483960

Everyone prefers a Hooker who likes it down back.

 

[maskmcgee]

Can’t wait for Ambrose to come back so hooker can reclaim his rightful place in the forward line

I'd rather he stay back and Amborse take the place of Brown and Hartley

 

[fishardansin]

This guy is probably my favourite Essendon man ever.

Consider this:

We tried to piss him off to WA for a handful of magic beans, and not only did he refuse to consider it - he bunkered down in his house and didnt answer the door. But he never held it against us.
We then pumped him full of crazy experimental Mexican love juice that probably made him infertile, and again - he never held it against us.
We also moved him from his AA defence position into the forward line because we had **** all other options, and not only did he not hold it against us, but he embraced the challenge like a ******* champion and became a 40+ goal kicker.

I petition we name both ends of Docklands stadium the Hooker end.

Absolutely. I reckon he should have been captain after the ASAGA. Heppell can be captain in a few years time. He was the first to sign in that dark year.