Massive step up in class
Hooker assesses leagues
Fresh off the best performance of his TSL career, Lauderdale forward Cam Hooker believes many outside the inner circle don’t understand the step up in standards to state league from local footy programs.
The former Dodges Ferry captain in the Southern Football League made his return to Lauderdale this season and was named best on ground in the Bombers’ 88-point win over Glenorchy, finishing with 17 disposals, nine marks and six goals.
With debate around what the makeup of Tasmanian football should look like beyond this season, Hooker said the difference between the two leagues was a bigger one than many thought but that he was enjoying the change in standards.
“It’s a massive step up,” Hooker said.
“I don’t think people understand what a step up it is in terms of training and the commitment, along with how much quicker (the game) is. There isn’t as much contested ball (as to the SFL). It’s a lot more freeflowing but I’ve really enjoyed the challenge and I’m starting to find my feet.”
Saturday’s performance – in which Hooker received three votes in the Player of the Year award – was the second impressive display from the talented tall after he collected 23 disposals and 10 marks in round 2 but finished with an inaccurate 3.4 against North Launceston.
After also kicking 1.2 to start the season, Hooker’s accuracy was on point against Glenorchy
North Launceston v North Hobart
3 Declen Chugg (NL) 2 Harry Bayles (NL) 1 Tyler McGinniss (NH) Glenorchy vs Lauderdale 3 Cambell Hooker (Laud) 2 Andrew Phillips (Laud) 1 Haydn Smith (Laud) Clarence vs Launceston 3 Josh Green (Clar)
2 Tom Cleary (Clar) 1 James Bealey (Clar)
with his 6.1 effort shifting his goal accuracy from 33 and 42 per cent in the opening two rounds to 85 in round 3.
“I think I’ve been lucky with some good space out there and some terrific delivery so I can’t put it all myself because the midfielders have been great working with ‘Flip’ (Andrew Phillips),” Hooker said.
“The next step was to be able to finish off my work so I dug in with the coaches during the week to get my routine down pat and it seemed to work on the weekend.”
Now sitting 1-2 heading into games against winless duo Launceston and North Hobart ahead of a bye, Hooker said the Bombers’ focus was to continue to stick to their systems no matter the opponent or the makeup of their own line up with plenty of top-end talent unavailable due to injury.
“Obviously the first win has come later than we would have liked but the first win is always a good confidence booster,” he said.
West Coast’s brilliant inform midfielder Elliot Yeo looks set to be cleared to take on Fremantle in this weekend’s Derby, while the Lions will challenge Charlie Cameron’s one-week rough conduct ban.
Yeo pinned both of Nick Vlastuin’s arms in a dumping tackle in the Eagles’ victory over Richmond and took him to ground in one continuous motion.
He did not lessen his grip or release one of the Richmond defender’s arms.
Under the MRO guidelines he risked a one-week ban for a medium-impact rough conduct charge given the excessive force. But in Yeo’s favour is the reverse angle of the incident showed Vlastuin’s head making only light contact with the ground. That means he is much more likely to escape suspension given it was not of excessive force.
If Yeo was suspended the Eagles would likely contest the charge on those grounds, and argue the contact was insufficient to sustain a report.
The league suspended 17 players in a row last year for similar tackles.
The MRO then adjusted its decision-making process when the tribunal let off Adam Cerra and Rory Laird and ruled they had let go of an arm of their opponent as they went to ground.
Yeo has thrown off several seasons of horrible luck with injury to be one of the prime movers in the Eagles midfield as Harley Reid also emerges as a bona fide star.
The Eagles would believe they can win back-to-back games if Yeo is available after their rousing comeback against Richmond.
Meanwhile Brisbane confirmed they will contest Charlie Cameron’s rough conduct charge that saw him suspended for a week.
The Lions will challenge the suspension given his importance to the team and the upcoming clash against the Cats.
He will miss the club’s clash with Geelong but he will argue he allowed opponent Jake Lever a free arm to break his fall in the Thursday night clash.