I think they've put him there to learn about 2nd & 3rd efforts. I think they've put him there to learn to tackle and provide some defensive pressure. I think they've put him there to learn to hold his feet in the contest. I think they've also put him there to attempt to build some endurance into him. These are all things he'll need if he's to survive as a 3rd tall forward in the current AFL environment. Think Tom Lynch (Crows version). If he's able to have an effect at the stoppages in the front half then all the better. There's no place for SOSOS in a midfield containing Cripps & Kennedy. Just my thoughts though.
You'd stick a player on the wing for those reasons, not give him a job in the thick of the stoppage, especially at VFL where it only flips back and forth between being a rolling maul and an express service between the two 50m arcs. The incentive to cover ground is pretty minimal, as demonstrated by Graham's capacity in such matters.
Jack will never be anything like Lynch, but what I think he can be, is the guy who rotates with Kennedy and Cripps, through the forward line. In fact, I think out of all of them, Kennedy will be the one who plays predominantly as a forward, as he isn't great off the burst, has average agility, but can get up to a good speed and is a great contested mark for a medium player.
Think Caddy and Townsend, except an actual midfield contribution at AFL level, though I'm now feeling like we overpaid for him when Balta, Spargo, Daniels, Petruccelle and McCartin were in that range. Kennedy really does need to find some explosiveness in his play.
Polson must have been impressive with those 4 frees against to get 2nd bog.
Going to take a stab and suggest he was our only outside player forward of half back who contributed anything resembling the required effort.