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

 

[Darealrath]

For someone who looks so slow he manages to take (and drop) a surprising amount of marks on the lead.

His hands are unbelievably strong.

His arms don't move once they are set. Looks so mechanical, in general, but I find him our most exciting to watch. Makes no sense.

 

[Shane Heard]

Hates getting beaten in a contest or dropping marks. The seething rage that builds up is wonderful to watch. He’s no Scotty Lucas down there but he’s a forward now and has the aggressive mindset required. Big season coming for the beast.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Hates getting beaten in a contest or dropping marks. The seething rage that builds up is wonderful to watch. He’s no Scotty Lucas down there but he’s a forward now and has the aggressive mindset required. Big season coming for the beast.

And beats his chest like an ape.

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

Also, another insightful comment from Damien Barrett

ESSENDON
If
we were in charge of this team ...

then
Hooker would be played down back. Every. Single. Week.

If
I was in charge of a column on the official AFL website...

Then
I'd put more effort in than filling a ******* spreadsheet with incoherent clauses every week

 

[Ants]

That wasn’t the handball where he took a mark and didn’t move off his line and somehow Sloane who was right behind him knocked his arm? Thought that should’ve been 50.

Four contested marks inside fwd 50 and was in top 5 in the League last season, he’s become a terrific and very dangerous forward. Match up nightmare and huge help to Stewart and Daniher.

Can't believe the Umpired missed that. It was a clear 50

It wasn’t a 50. If you’re on the mark, you can impede. Hooker needed to take one step behind the mark to give himself space. But you can’t fault his desire to quickly give it to runners. He did similar earlier and I think it led to a goal.

 

[quotemokc]

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

It wasn’t a 50. If you’re on the mark, you can impede. Hooker needed to take one step behind the mark to give himself space. But you can’t fault his desire to quickly give it to runners. He did similar earlier and I think it led to a goal.

Sloane was behind Hooker ie behind the mark

 

[Ambrosia]

It wasn’t a 50. If you’re on the mark, you can impede. Hooker needed to take one step behind the mark to give himself space. But you can’t fault his desire to quickly give it to runners. He did similar earlier and I think it led to a goal.

Disagree Sloane came over the Mark clear 50 .

 

[fishardansin]

Hey baby Cale. You're no Paddy, but lets make this work. Use your big magic hands all over me. I don't mind the front or the back. Lets go babe!!

 

[JayJ20]

Needs to go back permanently. Our defence looks much more settled with him there. At the moment, we're completely lost defensively

 

[Tassieboy]

On paper, Hooker has done well as a forward. In practice, I’m not sure our forward line functions well enough with Daniher, Hooker, and Stewart down there. Hurley doesn’t do enough defending as he plays a high risk high reward game. Hooker down back would free him up as we look panicky at the moment (although they were bombarded).

Every time we win I convince myself that Hooker forward is OK and working, but doubts always return when he has a Hooker moment or we lose. I’m just never going to be fully convinced, I suppose.

 

[Highly Evolved]

Hooksy back. Daniher, Stringer and Stewart forward.

Offers more back than forward at this particular point in time.

 

[Rack Watts]

Looked like an AA CHB for half a quarter there.
Oh.

 

[jmoo wan]

okay Hooker back. now what do we do with our pissweak, lazy midfield that refuses to defend and run?

 

[Rack Watts]

okay Hooker back. now what do we do with our pissweak, lazy midfield that refuses to defend and run?

And can't take a mark.

 

[yodellinhank]

okay Hooker back. now what do we do with our pissweak, lazy midfield that refuses to defend and run?

Delist

 

[calyam]

I've been more than happy with Hooker as a forward. I think he has good instincts, is a great mark and even though he isn't a good kick for goal he works within his limitations. Nevertheless, the team would likely be better served by him playing in defence. We have a range of very capable tall and medium-sized forwards but we have poor defensive depth.

Daniher, Stewart and Stringer is a nice collection of tall up forward. Hurley, Hooker and Hartley would be more than serviceable down back.

 

[fishardansin]

Wanting Hooker back is not a slight on him forward, it is what our team needs. We're too tall up forward and Stringer is not a mid. I'd also like to see Stringer given an elongated run as a forward with Daniher there and Stewart hitting up the ball. Two small forwards and a mid.

Hooker back also means that Hurley takes a man. Hurley is a more effective player beating a man and getting 15 possessions than he is playing loose and getting 25+ touches. Then we play one intercept marker (Gleeson or Francis if he miraculously turns it around), two small defenders plus a midfielder.

 

[HirdyLannister]

I've been pro hooker forward but with Stewart shining brightly and stringer in the team now. I would like to see him back in defence.

 

[Rack Watts]

He's Ambrose and Gleeson in one player.

 

[fishardansin]

Doss can I get mod powers for this thread? I would like to delete the accounts of anyone who says anything slightly negative about Cale. Does this mean I need to comb threads all over BigFooty and get all keyboard warrior on anyone speaking harshly of the great man?

 

[Rack Watts]

Doss can I get mod powers for this thread? I would like to delete the accounts of anyone who says anything slightly negative about Cale. Does this mean I need to comb threads all over BigFooty and get all keyboard warrior on anyone speaking harshly of the great man?

Who's said something negative about him? It's always about the coaches.

 

[quotemokc]

Has to go back, he just has to.

If a forward line of Daniher, Stewart, Stringer, Fantasia, Tipungwuti + other can't function without Hooker then there are bigger problems.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Has to go back, he just has to.

If a forward line of Daniher, Stewart, Stringer, Fantasia, Tipungwuti + other can't function without Hooker then there are bigger problems.

Hooker is a consted mark beast he would chop off so many forward 50 entries in a 1v1 also it will release Hurley to play that sweeping role.

 

[TDay]

Sounds like bigfooty consensus. Hooker back. No slight on his skills as a fwd, more a slight on Stringer as a mid and us being too tall when String rests fwd with JD, Stew and Hooker all there already. Plus our backline has been rubbish lately.
Blood kids in the mids