He went through a bad patch with the team.
That's no excuse to pretend Mitch Brown is a key forward.
I think the problem with Stewart is that club stuffed up thinking he was a power forward in the making. What made him a good player through 2017 was having Daniher and Hooker in the forward line allowing him to work up the ground. He should not have hit the gym so hard before 2018. Just because he's 198cm does not make him a power forward.
I personally think that it was the first time I can remember than Essendon had a player who was tall enough to be a marking option who ran and ran. This ensured we had an option all the time. Essendon will be a much better side when Worsfold works out that we will be best served with Steward playing as a very oversized forward flanker (a very mobile marking target for our defenders), Daniher as a traditional CHF leading up at the ball from 50m to 80m from goal and a strong bodied marking option deep with the two dangerous small forwards working off that. With the height of our capable KPDs (Hartley going backwards since 2016 is disappointing), we need Hooker down back, but he would have been my prefered option with that. Despite being undersized for that role Stringer is a good option because he can add a tiny bit to midfield rotations.
For our 6th forward I would prefer we have Laverde on a flank as a young guy who can take a mark but also expected to run like a mid to potentially increase his time in the midfield. This gives us a good look at Laverde with consistent games in the 1s, pinch-hitting in the middle. If he doesn't grab the opportunity, then we have to let him go.
So, I think to have Stewart as the running third tall increases the mobility of our whole forward line. I believe he was our barometer in 2017. When he was getting a lot of the ball it meant we were moving the ball quickly and usually ended up kicking a big score, regardless of how many times he hit the scoreboard. I also think that Laverde can add to that, and increase his running capacity, plus add some size around the ball. I think Daniher leading up at the ball alongside Stewart leading even more than Daniher means that if they get some chemistry they should split the zoning intercept markers from the opposition. This will lead to quick ball movement. Stringer, Tippa and Fantasia are very good at taking advantage of the chaos caused to opposing defence when we have a few channels to move the ball quickly through.
These channels are the two tall half forwards as well as the blistering run McKenna and Saad provide. I also think it helps our defence. Leaving room for these guys to lead into pulls the opposition's forward press back, it also means our midfield can fold back further.
I think this is how Stewart can best serve our side. I was saying this last year when he came out of preseason with what looked like an extra 5kg of muscle. I hope the club haven't stuffed him.