HIGH-flyer Jeremy Howe says it remains to be seen whether he will remain a backman or return to his more familiar position up forward in 2015.
The 24-year-old said it was yet to be determined if he would “play next to big Jesse Hogan” in the forward line in 2015. And Howe said he isn’t sure himself what the best option is for him and the team at the moment.
“It’s a tough question, because I almost feel like it wasn’t working for me in the forward line because my work rate wasn’t up to standard,” he told Dee TV.
“Now that I’ve played on forwards and I know the required work rate, I almost feel like I can take that as a mentality challenge and take that back into the forward line.”
Howe said it was a big change moving to the backline, but he added that it produced his most consistent form.
“The first couple of weeks [of the season], it wasn’t working for me as a forward,” he said.
“I struggled especially early and we made the change from the last quarter of the West Coast game to the backline. I’ve enjoyed my time down there, especially working with the guys down there like Garlo (Colin Garland) and Dunny (Lynden Dunn). They’ve helped me with my craft in that backline position.
“My aerial stuff went away a little bit, as the consequences are pretty high if you drop them in the defensive 50. I still feel if I’ve got an opportunity to go for my marks, I still do and I’ve got the confidence from the coaches to do so.
“I found it was the most consistent I’ve been.”
Howe, who made his AFL debut in round 11, 2011, has been incredibly durable in his time in the game so far. He has missed just one match since his first appearance for the Demons, but he attributed it to several reasons.
“The only game I’ve missed since I’ve been here was the Gold Coast game [in round 20, 2013]. I was out [with a calf injury] for that one game,” he said.
“There is a bit of luck genetics wise, but we all try to be the best that we can and I’m just fortunate enough that I can get my body right to be able to play every weekend.
“Probably even through my whole career and back playing local and senior footy back in Tassie, I rarely missed a game, so it’s hard to put it down to just one or two certain things. Luck would be a little bit, but I think it’s the way I prepare as well.”
Having been a regular since mid-2011, Howe has also experienced some tough times. But he said playing in just 15 wins from 78 matches hadn’t scarred him and he remained upbeat.
“I just look towards how much sweeter it’s going to be when we start getting it right and it’s going to make it all worthwhile,” he said.
“I just feel that’s what is getting me through ... and right now, I feel we’ve got the right people, especially from the top with the coaches, CEO and president.
“I think finally we are heading in the right direction.”
