Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn : Calsher Dear! Rising star nom!

[Hodgey 15]

Disappointing news but not the end of the world.
Got plenty of other things to look forward to.

On SM-S906E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[The Chad and I]

Sic and Dimma fwd now, are locks.

I've been saying...
Sicily is the Ace in the pack for us.
Hopefully Scaife gets a run too.
I don't think we will skip a beat tbh.
We're stacked in defence and have good options to play forward.

Dear's injury is not the end of the world.
Young, tall players can often develop stress fractures in the back when they've done a bit too much work.
Dear has had a tough 18 months, so it will do him good to take it easy for a while.

 

[Stratton_Gun]

So is this back for Round 1, mid year type injury or what's the outlook?

No one has really said much for timeframe.

Surely 3 months would be enough to get tit right

 

[moginie]

It's not great news but we have the depth not only just to cover him, but to allow the best possible recovery time for him.

I wish him all the very best.

 

[Nugett]

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1264058

Disappointing for the young fella. Rest up and get back out there soon

The good news is that he signed on for another season.

 

[Roddy]

Seriously, key forward is the position we could least afford to lose someone from.

 

[The Chad and I]

Seriously, key forward is the position we could least afford to lose someone from.

Weddle, Battle, Sicily, Scaife, Serong, Ramsden
We will be fine.

 

[burger09]

Merry efffing Christmas everyone.

 

[TazHawk15]

Bugger.

 

[Roddy]

Weddle, Battle, Sicily, Scaife, Serong, Ramsden
We will be fine.

Every one of those is less proven as an AFL key forward than a one-season teenager….

 

[Sixpence]

Weddle, Battle, Sicily, Scaife, Serong, Ramsden
We will be fine.

4 defenders, a ruck and an unproven MSD pick. Yeh, we're rolling in KPF depth ...

 

[Blackhawk42]

So is this back for Round 1, mid year type injury or what's the outlook?

No one has really said much for timeframe.

Surely 3 months would be enough to get tit right

They scan him again in a month's time. If it's progressing well and healing they can work on a return-to-training plan.

He's young, so they'll be conservative.

Best case is that it's healing well come February and he can slowly start his pre-season then, likely with an eye on playing again come the first month of the season.

Worst case is that it isn't getting any better and his return is TBC at a later date.

 

[The Chad and I]

4 defenders, a ruck and an unproven MSD pick. Yeh, we're rolling in KPF depth ...

lol we will be fine.

 

[peetoo]

Without wanting to mozz, Chol Gunston and Sicily will be enough of a handful for most defences

Rotate taller mids through there and of course all the small options

Will miss seeing dear do his stuff for as long as it takes though

 

[Argy]

Damn

 

[Yardie]

Well that just fell like.....

 

[fairdinks]

Every one of those is less proven as an AFL key forward than a one-season teenager….

4 defenders, a ruck and an unproven MSD pick. Yeh, we're rolling in KPF depth ...

Weddle, Battle, Sicily, Scaife, Serong, Ramsden
We will be fine.

I don't want to be too pessimistic, but i am not sure Scaife has the game to translate at AFL level. He was a MSP for a reason as does not have enough tricks, despite his prodigious kicking. Hope I am wrong.

Ramma is still unproven, and the rest are defenders who may not be consistent forwards. Weddle needs to be in the play and not at FF, perhaps a roving CHF.

Serong is a third forward type if a forward at all. I Know he was a forward as a junior, but we didn't play him there over the last two years when we were searching for forwards. Sicily would be wasted as a permanent FF. He is extremely valuable pinch hitting there but more valuable up the field IMO and we didn't get Battle as a forward.

We will be relying on Chol again and our band of super smalls a lot I feel.

I do reckon Ramma gets first dibs as he can also chop out in the ruck and is tall enough and fast enough to warrant close checking

Potentially having our two best key forwards out for much of the early season is a real blow and we can't afford another key forward option injury.

 

[hfc70]

Dear will be back in plenty of time for the Grand Final

 

[The Chad and I]

I don't want to be too pessimistic, but i am not sure Scaife has the game to translate at AFL level. He was a MSP for a reason as does not have enough tricks, despite his prodigious kicking. Hope I am wrong.

Ramma is still unproven, and the rest are defenders who may not be consistent forwards. Weddle needs to be in the play and not at FF, perhaps a roving CHF.

Serong is a third forward type if a forward at all. I Know he was a forward as a junior, but we didn't play him there over the last two years when we were searching for forwards. Sicily would be wasted as a permanent FF. He is extremely valuable pinch hitting there but more valuable up the field IMO and we didn't get Battle as a forward.

We will be relying on Chol again and our band of super smalls a lot I feel.

I do reckon Ramma gets first dibs as he can also chop out in the ruck and is tall enough and fast enough to warrant close checking

Potentially having our two best key forwards out for much of the early season is a real blow and we can't afford another key forward option injury.

Honestly, if you can't see that we have options to cover Dear, you're being overly pessimistic.
I'd happily play Sicily KPF.
Battle and Weddle can rotate through the forward line as needed.

The rest of the players I named need to earn it through BH form.
Yes, we know they are unproven.
Obvious innit?

 

[burger09]

Didn't McCabe have the same issue last pre season /season?

 

[Roddy]

Dear will be back in plenty of time for the Grand Final

Give him the Normie now…

 

[SSSSSS]

Disappointing but not the end of the world. Rest up young fella.

If it's on the minor side I'd be pretty hopeful to see him out there Round 1 but he will be behind the 8ball fitness wise.

If it's similar in severity to McCabe it might be a 12 week layoff and almost certainly a delayed start to the season. McCabe's was picked up around February. Better to have it picked up now.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Big difference between a stress fracture and just stress

Catching it early before it progresses is big

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

The second scan in January 2025 will be interesting and tell us a lot.

Dear has a good training base, it is possible he could still impact in 2025. It is not over yet !

McCabe and Ramsden look good fitness wise maybe it is there turn to stand up in 2025.

 

[HoldingThe Ball]

I don't want to be too pessimistic, but i am not sure Scaife has the game to translate at AFL level. He was a MSP for a reason as does not have enough tricks, despite his prodigious kicking. Hope I am wrong.

Ramma is still unproven, and the rest are defenders who may not be consistent forwards. Weddle needs to be in the play and not at FF, perhaps a roving CHF.

Serong is a third forward type if a forward at all. I Know he was a forward as a junior, but we didn't play him there over the last two years when we were searching for forwards. Sicily would be wasted as a permanent FF. He is extremely valuable pinch hitting there but more valuable up the field IMO and we didn't get Battle as a forward.

We will be relying on Chol again and our band of super smalls a lot I feel.

I do reckon Ramma gets first dibs as he can also chop out in the ruck and is tall enough and fast enough to warrant close checking

Potentially having our two best key forwards out for much of the early season is a real blow and we can't afford another key forward option injury.

I'm not sure when you got to see Jasper play, but I've watched him at the VFL games 3 times now, and I can honestly say he's a lot better than you are suggesting.

He needs to work on his running patterns - especially laterally - and needs more 'forward craft' to play against experienced players.

But - but - this will be his first professional pre-season (I refuse to include the WAFL) and he is by all accounts showing more than a bit.

He's big, strong, quick off the mark, and good grab and has a monster kick.

He now needs to learn the 'craft' - which he will, and quickly.

If Dear doesn't get up for the start of the season, I have no doubt that Jasper will be, at the very least, under consideration.

The kid can play.