A big impact in a short period of time, is how Assistant Coach Rohan Smith described Stewart Crameri’s influence on the playing group since arriving at the kennel.

Speaking to nearly 1500 guests at Monday night’s EJ Whitten Social Club Christmas Event, Smith said that Crameri had been firmly in the Club’s sights.

“We wanted to target Stew and get him at our footy club, and we’ve successfully done that,” said Smith.

“It was just terrific that we were able to get him over the line, we were all rapt as coaching staff and when it came through, the work that Jason McCartney did, and Simon Dalrymple, to get Stew over to our footy club.”

After a two week altitude training camp in Colorado with a select group of teammates, Crameri’s impact on the training track has been noticeable, taking out last week’s two kilometre time trial ahead of Matthew Boyd.

Setting the standards on the training track, Smith is also confident of the influence Crameri will have on the Club’s emerging key forwards.

“He’s going to be great for some of our younger forwards, taking a little bit of heat off those guys, but the way that Stew comes with his attitude everyday towards training is sensational and second to none,”Smith said.

Speaking to the members assembled at the EJ Whitten Social Club event, Crameri said he’d settled in well at his new footballing home.

“I think I’ve fitted in pretty well, everyone’s given me a pretty good warm reception here so I appreciate it and I’ve had a good couple of weeks training with the guys.”

While a role in the forward line likely awaits Crameri, the recruit didn’t rule out spending time further up the field.

“Obviously mainly playing forward [is the role the coaches have in mind], so doing that most of the time, and hopefully have a bit of a go in the midfield or backline, wherever Macca thinks I can fit into the team.”