Player Watch #17: James Stewart - Groin injury, not running yet. couple of weeks once he starts running - 23/4

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calyam

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It was disappointing that he missed a few opportunities to kick easy goals but I honestly couldn't be happier with his progress this season. We basically got him for nothing and he's given us 13 touches and 1.3 goals per game.

He's the same age as Daniher - quite literally to the day - and he likely has a lot of growth left in his game. With his mobility I could easily see him becoming a third-tall type that can average 15 touches a game and kick 30 - 40 goals in a season. I also think that we could confidently play him in a forward line with Daniher, Hooker and one of Langford / Laverde without being concerned that we are too tall / immobile.
 

Orange Agent

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I think he made a great move in picking Essendon as the fit to get more senior football was right for him rather than picking Carlton just to get guaranteed games and Worsfold did it right in making him earn the spot. Can see his confidence is still building and starting to believe in himself. The best part about his season to date is the Collingwood supporters who bagged shit out of him during trade period last year.
 

blitzer

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I think he made a great move in picking Essendon as the fit to get more senior football was right for him rather than picking Carlton just to get guaranteed games and Worsfold did it right in making him earn the spot. Can see his confidence is still building and starting to believe in himself. The best part about his season to date is the Collingwood supporters who bagged shit out of him during trade period last year.
Stewart seems to have settled in really well for us now. I think with the benefit of hindsight we did the right thing in really making him earn his spot. He was very good in the VFL for many weeks before he broke into the seniors team. I can understand why he left the Giants because it would have been insanely tough to get ahead of either Cameron or Patton and then Lobb there as a FWD/RUCK option is too valuable to give up.

His game as it is right now is ideally suited to that 3rd tall role. He's also fortunate that our number 1 forward is also our FWD/RUC option so he doesn't have to play that role and it also means during games he gets time as being one of our primary targets. Yes, we all enjoyed him showing Collingwood what they were missing last week - especially knowing what their forward stocks are like.
 

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BrunoV

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It was disappointing that he missed a few opportunities to kick easy goals but I honestly couldn't be happier with his progress this season. We basically got him for nothing and he's given us 13 touches and 1.3 goals per game.

He's the same age as Daniher - quite literally to the day - and he likely has a lot of growth left in his game. With his mobility I could easily see him becoming a third-tall type that can average 15 touches a game and kick 30 - 40 goals in a season. I also think that we could confidently play him in a forward line with Daniher, Hooker and one of Langford / Laverde Green without being concerned that we are too tall / immobile.
 

BrunoV

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Stewart has become one of those perfect role players. Everyone one of his strengths compliments the forward line to make it very well balanced.

We've seen Stewart play as what is essentially a hard working half forward/mid-sized player hitting up at the ball, crumbing and laying 5 tackles a match (putting on genuine ground level pressure). He can play deep forward and will either draw a quality defender from Daniher or an opponent will risk a miss-match which Stewart is now starting to take advantage of. His hands above head are getting cleaner and he's looking more confident under the high ball (though odds are certainly stacked against him becoming Hooker-like but, then, Hooker wishes that he could move like Stewart).

The best way to sum Stewart up is that if he was 188cm instead of 198cm he'd still be on an AFL list and playing as a hard running wingman/half forward - that's how good his ground level game is. There are not many 198cm+ guys who you could shorten by 10cm and who would still be good enough to play AFL. That he's 198cm and a pseudo-key forward is all underpants profit.
 

Eleven 38

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Forgetting his age he's a key forward who's played less than 30 games. If we look at how much daniher has improved since reaching 70 games we are still a couple of years away from him really starting to play consistent good footy. Which is great to think about.
 

Great8

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Was very happy when we picked him and even happier now. Getting better by the week and plays such a important role in our forward line. Gets up the ground and loves a tackle. Missed a couple last night but still involved in 10 scoring chances and that kick to Trav was just class
 
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