I understand the hype about Gumby and the romance of playing him, but there are many important factors to consider.
In my mind the story is very similar to Courtney Johns - A guy who had a heap of upside and potential, and one who the club persisted with for many years despite very serious injuries. He nearly made it, too.
One of the regrets that Sheedy has was that once Johns finally got his body right, they brought him into the side too quickly, and his confidence copped a battering and never recovered. His career subsequently ended.
Now Gumby is a superstar prospect and the club has persisted with him. He finally looks like his injuries are under control and there is the real hope that the patience and persistence will pay off.
This is all the more reason to get the timing right - if he is to make it and be all that he can, the timing is crucial. He has been on the list for 6 years for a total of 22 games, none of which have been played since 2010. He has, by all accounts, performed well in his few VFL games so far this year and is tracking well.
But forwards don't impact on the premier competition overnight. To place him under the pressure and expectation of the supporters to be a match winner is unrealistic at this stage - he needs to ease into it, develop form and confidence. If he can't star at VFL level, what hope does he have in the seniors? He must build that confidence.
By all means, if he plays well tomorrow, bringing him in against Port on neutral territory may be a worthwhile risk, that's for the coaches to decide. But to expect him to come in against the Saints in front of a rabid and expectant crowd and take the game apart without much VFL form and match fitness would be a ridiculous risk.
Things aren't going that well at the club in certain respects - we need some quality mids, and we need players who can be matchwinners when the heat is really on. Jobe can't win the middle by himself. Trust the coaches to time Gumby's return properly for the longer-term, not the short.