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

eth-dog

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Out of contract at the end of 2018.

Really hope we're already moving to re-sign him, has really bought in to the club culture.

Offers a great bit of depth and flexibility to our forward line.

Actually operates closer to a third tall despite his height.

I'd be more than comfortable in putting another two year deal under his nose.
Absolutely agree. There are quite a few behind him right now who are OOC, though a few may pull ahead by the end of the year (here's hoping Langford, Laverde and Begley in particular).
 

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BrunoV

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He's in a bit of a weird situation. Finished 2017 as well entrenched in the best 22 and a great addition to round out the forward-line.

I don't see any likely scenario in which he is not playing for us for the next few years (and beyond) but I reckon that both club and player would want a block of games to prove that the gains Stewart made last year are permanent (to be reflected in his contract).
 
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Pweter

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He's in a bit of a weird situation. Finished 2017 as well entrenched in the best 22 and a great addition to round out the forward-line.

I don't see any likely scenario in which he is not playing for us for the next few years (and beyond) but I reckon that both club and player would want a block of game to prove that the gains Stewart made last year are permanent (to be reflected in his contract).
His point of difference is a 3rd tall who plays as a 3rd small. If his hands can be slightly less concrete like I think he'll be without doubt best 22 going forward. He's a difficult matchup.
 

Jade

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His point of difference is a 3rd tall who plays as a 3rd small. If his hands can be slightly less concrete like I think he'll be without doubt best 22 going forward. He's a difficult matchup.
Precisely.

With Hooker in the forward line (and this BTW is why calls for him to return to defense are absurd), teams have ZERO choice but to put their best shut down defender on him. If you don't, Cale will clunk everything that comes forward and will take the game away from you.

Which in turn means you have no choice but to put your second, more mobile defender on Daniher. Now I've reached a point where I think the best any defender can hope for with Daniher is to break even, but you MUST matchup on him.

We have the luxury, because both Daniher AND Stewart are so mobile, of playing a third tall at his height. It's a nightmare matchup. How many sides can realistically play a defender tall enough to match up on Stewart and still maintain an offensive back half? The reality is, none really can - which means we inevitably have at least one tall in a very favourable matchup.

I'm already of the belief that Essendon has, hands down, the best forward line in the league (yes, better than Adelaide).

If we can form a midfield unit that can perform at a high level - we'll be extremely difficult to beat.
 

JayJ20

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Essendon without a doubt have the best forwardline heading into 2018 and that's mostly due to the amount of attacking options we have. Stewart was 5th for goals kicked with 22 and he only played 15 rounds :eek: Easily best 22 IMO.

Adelaide lost Cameron while we gained Stringer and possibly Smith as rotations.

Stewart is hard to match up on not only because of his height, but also because he is quick for his height. His mobility allows him to play further up the ground as well and he's a pretty good field kick.

He also had 21 disposals for a couple of games. If only he could take more contested marks (well marks in general).
 
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Essendon without a doubt have the best forwardline heading into 2018 and that's mostly due to the amount of attacking options we have. Stewart was 5th for goals kicked with 22 and he only played 15 rounds :eek: Easily best 22 IMO.

Adelaide lost Cameron while we gained Stringer and possibly Smith as rotations.

Stewart is hard to match up on not only because of his height, but also because he is quick for his height. His mobility allows him to play further up the ground as well and he's a pretty good field kick.

He also had 21 disposals for a couple of games. If only he could take more contested marks (well marks in general).
Yeah his set shots and marking the only 2 things he needs to work on.
 

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Agree with what people are saying and he should at least be offered a 2 year deal right now. Wouldnt surprise me if a side lacking a key forward would chuck him 3 years at 400k to move him.

The other good thing about Stewart that hasnt been mentioned is in the modern game if smaller forward lines become all the go and continue to bring success then he can play as the 2nd KPF and do the chop outs in the ruck allowing Hooker to go back and play Stringer/Laverde/Langford/Begley as the mobile 3rd tall forward. Whilst it also protects Joey from ruck duties.

He gives us great flexability and i hope a 2 year contract is offered fairly soon at the minimum. At worse he becomes a good depth player as key forward/ruck basically what Mckernan has been
 

Vander18

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Expect he starts as best 22 - 30 goal a year third falls don't grow on trees.

Imagine a few will fancy they can go past him - they'll need to work at it because based on website photos he's in unbelievable shape. Would be close to the most impressive physical specimen at the club.
 
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Expect he starts as best 22 - 30 goal a year third falls don't grow on trees.

Imagine a few will fancy they can go past him - they'll need to work at it because based on website photos he's in unbelievable shape. Would be close to the most impressive physical specimen at the club.
And Collingwood could have had him as a F/S tee hee.
 

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BrunoV

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This guy was super impressive against Geelong. Perfect link up forward who creates a mismatch whilst also being able to kick goals.

What a steal.



What I really liked is that he's picked up from where he left off last year.

That he was drawing the ball so well on the lead suggests that he's confident and that his team mates are also looking for him.

I thought that he might take a while to work back into form because he was building his game week to week in 2017 but that doesn't look like it will be a factor.
 

blitzer

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I think Stewart gets undersold a bit still. I don't think his potential is just to be a third tall. I think we are already seeing signs that he's getting better at using his body in marking contests. I could see him developing into a fine second key forward that can play right alongside Daniher. Maybe he won't ever be an elite AA type but I think he'll be more than handy.

He certainly is an impressive looking player. Lets see where he's at after he's played 50 games.

We got an absolute bargain from GWS.
 

owen87

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I think Stewart gets undersold a bit still. I don't think his potential is just to be a third tall. I think we are already seeing signs that he's getting better at using his body in marking contests. I could see him developing into a fine second key forward that can play right alongside Daniher. Maybe he won't ever be an elite AA type but I think he'll be more than handy.

He certainly is an impressive looking player. Lets see where he's at after he's played 50 games.

We got an absolute bargain from GWS.
If he can keep getting stronger and become a genuine FF long-term that would be ideal; Stewart at FF with Daniher at CHF while Stringer is our '3rd tall' player is a pretty nice forward structure of < 25 year olds.

We just really lack that contested marking beast down forward without Hooker there at the moment.
 

BrunoV

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If he can keep getting stronger and become a genuine FF long-term that would be ideal; Stewart at FF with Daniher at CHF while Stringer is our '3rd tall' player is a pretty nice forward structure of < 25 year olds.

We just really lack that contested marking beast down forward without Hooker there at the moment.

The best thing about Stewart is that he fits in along side two key forwards and compliments them.

The 'he's 6'5 but plays small' comment has been made in hope about so many players (including many who are a lot smaller) but Stewart is one of the few who it applies to based on his deeds as opposed to a theory based on his athleticism. The first half of his AFL season was primarily played as a defensive half forward.

When I think of the better 'third talls' in the AFL, players like Adelaide's Tom Lynch and Gunston, they're 6'3 to 6'4 and have games built on working their arses off both presenting up to the wings and also defensively. Stewart has shown all of that and looks to be building a game as a genuine key forward (which is really just a bonus) primarily because he's a bit of a physical freak.

I don't think we've ever seen Stringer play as a third tall in the structurally significant sense of the word. When he was an All Australian he was essentially a massive small forward playing 'out of the square'. I describe him as a small forward because it seems like most of his goals were kicked in play as opposed to being the result of marks he took (his overhead marking is a weakness).

If our three talls are Stringer, Stewart and Daniher I'd say that Stringer is best suited to playing as the full forward but I don't like that because he's not a marking target. The beauty of Hooker (or a player like him) is that way that he brings other players into the game being an effective target for a long high ball (with draws attention away from other players).
 
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owen87

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The best thing about Stewart is that he fits in along side two key forwards and compliments them.

The 'he's 6'5 but plays small' comment has been made in hope about so many players (including many who are a lot smaller) but Stewart is one of the few who it applies to based on his deeds as opposed to a theory based on his athleticism. The first half of his AFL season was primarily played as a defensive half forward.

When I think of the better 'third talls' in the AFL, players like Adelaide's Tom Lynch and Gunston, they're 6'3 to 6'4 and have games built on working their arses off both presenting up to the wings and also defensively. Stewart has shown all of that and looks to be building a game as a genuine key forward (which is really just a bonus) primarily because he's a bit of a physical freak.

I don't think we've ever seen Stringer play as a third tall in the structurally significant sense of the word. When he was an All Australian he was essentially a massive small forward playing 'out of the square'. I describe him as a small forward because it seems like most of his goals were kicked in play as opposed to being the result of marks he took (his overhead marking is a weakness).

If our three talls are Stringer, Stewart and Daniher I'd say that Stringer is best suited to playing as the full forward but I don't like that because he's not a marking target. The beauty of Hooker (or a player like him) is that way that he brings other players into the game being an effective target for a long high ball (with draws attention away from other players).
Yeah; when I say FF I mean in the contested marking target sense the way Hooker is - I think Stringer is as dangerous as anyone in the forward 50 but his lack of contested marking means he's likely to be better roving the packs with a player like Hooker able to create a contest and bring it to ground.

Stringer is an oversized small, he's at his best on the ground when he can use that strength and explosive running. Stewart is an aerobic beast for his size, and if he can become a marking target it's going to allow us to have Daniher and Stringer working to their own strengths.

If you're playing Daniher as a marking target he has to have space to work in; the best thing for any defender would be getting Daniher tied up in a wrestling contest under a high ball as it takes away all his major advantages. This will be the challenge for our forward line when Hooker is no longer there.

Ideally Stewart can add the contested marking side to his game, but regardless I think thus far he's been a great trade for us, and he looks to be willing to do the work to keep on improving which is fantastic.
 

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Yeah his set shots and marking the only 2 things he needs to work on.
Think his set shots will be all right. He had a bit of a poor patch towards the end of the season but generally he is a good set shot. Does need to clunk a few more marks but in saying that his ground work and being mobile enough to put on some tackling pressure does make him more of a big / small forward.
 

CBombers17

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Is already a good forward and is still improving. He is overtaking other forwards in the comp now he is marking better.

Will be an important signing this year hopefully.
 
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