Delisted #17: James Stewart - Will be delisted despite having a year on his contract - 24/8

[Lore]

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent 2024 Delisted 2023
My Boy Draft 2023: Claim here

 

[Lore]

If he doesn't get back at all this year I'd be surprised if they didn't do the same thing they did with Smith, and cut short his contract and pay him out.

Probably depends on how much we need the list spot versus a mature body for key positions. As it stands he's been injured so often that we've either traded in a mature body (fwd) or the young players have matured into those roles (def), so you'd think he'd be in a little bit of danger. Depth players aren't useful when injured.

That said, plantar fascia injuries don't usually recur I don't think, it's just a matter of getting it right. And if there's anything else to be said for James Stewart, he appears to train and rehab himself to the best of his ability. I remember when he came back from chronic OP and looked like a million bucks, and I don't think that particular injury has recurred despite having a high rate of recurrence. I think he did have a hamstring injury at one point also, which is a more concerning one given it's soft tissue and he's 29.

When healthy though he's strong, agile and quick enough, kicks straight and capable of playing at both ends. Played almost every game in 2021 (when we were half good for a hot minute). It's just the 'when healthy' part that's a problem.

Maybe he's the one we trade to Geelong for peanuts and ends up playing there for the next decade

 

[frodos gardener]

Speaking of OP, remember when it used to be really prevalent? Seemed every club had a player or two suffering from it. I’m sure it’s still a thing but geez the science must’ve improved around strength, conditioning, treatment, recovery etc.

 

[ant555]

Speaking of OP, remember when it used to be really prevalent? Seemed every club had a player or two suffering from it. I’m sure it’s still a thing but geez the science must’ve improved around strength, conditioning, treatment, recovery etc.

Modified training programs for blokes with groin soreness

 

[ghostdog]

Probably depends on how much we need the list spot versus a mature body for key positions. As it stands he's been injured so often that we've either traded in a mature body (fwd) or the young players have matured into those roles (def), so you'd think he'd be in a little bit of danger. Depth players aren't useful when injured.

That said, plantar fascia injuries don't usually recur I don't think, it's just a matter of getting it right. And if there's anything else to be said for James Stewart, he appears to train and rehab himself to the best of his ability. I remember when he came back from chronic OP and looked like a million bucks, and I don't think that particular injury has recurred despite having a high rate of recurrence. I think he did have a hamstring injury at one point also, which is a more concerning one given it's soft tissue and he's 29.

When healthy though he's strong, agile and quick enough, kicks straight and capable of playing at both ends. Played almost every game in 2021 (when we were half good for a hot minute). It's just the 'when healthy' part that's a problem.

Maybe he's the one we trade to Geelong for peanuts and ends up playing there for the next decade

Looking after Stewie's wellbeing and getting him right is probably the priority. Then we probably let him go.

 

[Lore]

Interesting discussion about treating Fyfe's plantar fascia injury. No idea if it's the same as what Stewart is dealing with but probably at least a little bit relevant.

 

[eth-dog]

Plantar fasciitis is really painful. The best solution I've seen was JJK injecting local anaesthetic in his feet and doing repeat sprints to break it

 

[Pweter]

Plantar fasciitis is really painful. The best solution I've seen was JJK injecting local anaesthetic in his feet and doing repeat sprints to break it

Or the Robert Harvey method, jump off a chair putting all the weight through the sore foot until it breaks

 

[dank420_]

Or the Robert Harvey method, jump off a chair putting all the weight through the sore foot until it breaks

Madman

 

[eth-dog]

Or the Robert Harvey method, jump off a chair putting all the weight through the sore foot until it breaks

Not recommended that one

 

[Lore]

Listed as 5 weeks:


And training:

 

[Don Won]

Listed as 5 weeks:
View attachment 1707326

And training:

Get him ready for Round 18 vs Hawkins, then can announce retirement the following day.

 

[Lore]

Father of Stuz;



edit: club has put up something as well

 

[Ambrosia]

Is it just me or does a fully fit Stewart walk easily back our best side.

 

[Pweter]

Is it just me or does a fully fit Stewart walk easily back our best side.

Not easily but would be instantly in the frame for discussion. A fair bit hangs on whether a fully fit Stewart shows the same form in defence now as he did in 2021 (since his 2022 was mostly a write off with no continuity).

 

[cAsEy_18]

Is it just me or does a fully fit Stewart walk easily back our best side.

Ah, without wanting to speak for everyone... that's a definite no from me haha.

Zerk's struggling and I'm not a massive fan, but is still better.
I'd like Baldwin to be playing, I like what I've seen.
Reid is nearly back, so in a month or so we might want to get a look at him.

Combine that with Stewart just not being overly good himself (Never forget - )

Take contracts out of it, Stewart is 2nd in line to be delisted in a lot of people's books - mine included.

 

[Vander18]

Stewart showed a reasonable level of competence as a key defender.

If fully fit, I would have him as our best option to play on Hawkins, Dixon, Lynch et al.

 

[Pweter]

Ah, without wanting to speak for everyone... that's a definite no from me haha.

Zerk's struggling and I'm not a massive fan, but is still better.
I'd like Baldwin to be playing, I like what I've seen.
Reid is nearly back, so in a month or so we might want to get a look at him.

Combine that with Stewart just not being overly good himself (Never forget - )

Take contracts out of it, Stewart is 2nd in line to be delisted in a lot of people's books - mine included.

Your post is why I'd say he's instantly in the frame.

We don't know what Reid will turn out like if he can stay on the park. Baldwin looks good in the VFL, was ok in the AFL, so will it continue to translate?

That clip you posted of Stewart is like posting the Langford running past the ball to the bench, I bet it'll never happen again.

Stewart's may not be a world beater but he's not crap. For that reason and if he were fit (and by that I mean match fit after a block of VFL games) he'd certainly be up for discussion. As I said though, it depends on replicating reasonable form showed in 2021.

 

[Ambrosia]

Not easily but would be instantly in the frame for discussion. A fair bit hangs on whether a fully fit Stewart shows the same form in defence now as he did in 2021 (since his 2022 was mostly a write off with no continuity).

Yeah I have him ahead of Laverde and BZT as big bodied KPDs and it wouldn’t take much for him to jump Weideman as our best option as a foil to Wright.

Ah, without wanting to speak for everyone... that's a definite no from me haha.

Zerk's struggling and I'm not a massive fan, but is still better.
I'd like Baldwin to be playing, I like what I've seen.
Reid is nearly back, so in a month or so we might want to get a look at him.

Combine that with Stewart just not being overly good himself (Never forget - )

Take contracts out of it, Stewart is 2nd in line to be delisted in a lot of people's books - mine included.

Agree Baldwin should be playing now imo.

Am hopeful Reid also comes back and forces his way into the side.

He won’t be delisted as he’s contracted till 2024.

 

[eth-dog]

Stewart as a CHF maybe ahead of Weid
Stewart as a defender? Nope.

 

[ant555]

Will certainly need VFL time.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Yeah I have him ahead of Laverde and BZT as big bodied KPDs and it wouldn’t take much for him to jump Weideman as our best option as a foil to Wright.



Agree Baldwin should be playing now imo.

Am hopeful Reid also comes back and forces his way into the side.

He won’t be delisted as he’s contracted till 2024.

I'm not sure this will matter. He's certainly in line to receive the Dev Smith treatment.

When we start to look at list changes, Lord is the only obvious one that won't be here in 2024.

Assuming Redman and Parish stay...
There's a question to be asked on Tippa
There's obviously a question to be asked on Heppell - he's gone from almost definitely his last year to I don't think anyone would be upset if he hung around for one more.
Bryan might leave for more opportunity. Baldwin theoretically too. Voss?

But if we're talking about genuinely delisting 3... after Lord, Stewart's in that discussion.

 

[Lore]

Stewart showed a reasonable level of competence as a key defender.

If fully fit, I would have him as our best option to play on Hawkins, Dixon, Lynch et al.

I think the problem is that he's just not fit enough often enough.

His whole Essendon career he's had two seasons where he was fully fit all year, and the most recent one was 2018.

Since then he's missed 30 games with OP, 6 with a hamstring, 7 with a calf and 17 weeks with two (different?) foot injuries.

So 60 games missed with injury, 35 AFL games played since 2018. Also 2 scratch matches and 3-4 VFL games. And that's without factoring in the 2020 season that was delayed due to covid, enabling him to recover without missing games, or that he'll miss a few more games this year with his current injury before he can play.

If anything playing 35/100 odd games since 2018 could easily have been 30/110 in a few weeks if a 1 in 100 year pandemic hadn't hit in the middle of his OP recovery.

If he's not first picked for some role on ground then I don't see a point in keeping him as depth, coz he's never available when others are injured, and he's 29 so that situation isn't likely to improve.


At best he gets back to full fitness and plays 10 games next year covering either Weideman or Reid, and then probably gets delisted anyway. You weigh that up against the opportunities for development time of existing players (in the 22), development time for a draftee if you use his spot to draft someone, or using the spot to bring in a salary dump and a pick, or to acquire a free agent.

It sucks for him but if he was out of contract it would be a foregone conclusion. The only thing that brings it into question is that he does have a signed bit of paper at home somewhere saying they can't do it without paying him out.

 

[Ambrosia]

Doubt we’ll push Stewart out if gets fit in the back half of the year.

Our list changes are obvious. Out: Lord, Heppell and Tippa

Also expect Voss gets cut from the rookie list.

 

[fairbump_playon]

I think the problem is that he's just not fit enough often enough.

His whole Essendon career he's had two seasons where he was fully fit all year, and the most recent one was 2018.

Since then he's missed 30 games with OP, 6 with a hamstring, 7 with a calf and 17 weeks with two (different?) foot injuries.

So 60 games missed with injury, 35 AFL games played since 2018. Also 2 scratch matches and 3-4 VFL games. And that's without factoring in the 2020 season that was delayed due to covid, enabling him to recover without missing games, or that he'll miss a few more games this year with his current injury before he can play.

If anything playing 35/100 odd games since 2018 could easily have been 30/110 in a few weeks if a 1 in 100 year pandemic hadn't hit in the middle of his OP recovery.

If he's not first picked for some role on ground then I don't see a point in keeping him as depth, coz he's never available when others are injured, and he's 29 so that situation isn't likely to improve.


At best he gets back to full fitness and plays 10 games next year covering either Weideman or Reid, and then probably gets delisted anyway. You weigh that up against the opportunities for development time of existing players (in the 22), development time for a draftee if you use his spot to draft someone, or using the spot to bring in a salary dump and a pick, or to acquire a free agent.

It sucks for him but if he was out of contract it would be a foregone conclusion. The only thing that brings it into question is that he does have a signed bit of paper at home somewhere saying they can't do it without paying him out.

win now

 

[Lore]

Doubt we’ll push Stewart out if gets fit in the back half of the year.

Our list changes are obvious. Out: Lord, Heppell and Tippa

Also expect Voss gets cut from the rookie list.

We're most likely going to need more than three open spots on the main list.