Full time

Casey Scorpions 21.8.134

Frankston 8.10.58

Interesting game for Casey. Clearly not a strong opponent but many players were their own worst enemy making silly mistakes.

Backs: Warnock looked strong and if one of our talls go down he looks a good replacement. MacDonald looked good off the halfback but not good enough to put pressure on Tappy and Grimes.

Midfield: Petterd made mistakes but he looked a class above. Ran well and pressured the ball carrier. Nicholson is my new favourite rookie. Great disposal, backs himself well. Jetta and Maric played really well but a few mistakes. Howe looked a really good sort.

Forwards: This was meant to be the strong point but really didn’t look like it. Bate presented well and deserved some of his goals. Newton did ok and Fev is looked better as the game went on. Would have liked to see more out of our forwards but I think that was a coaching aspect.

It seemed that players were rotated throughout the ground so no one was really aloud to dominate. A good coaching strategy considering the lack of opposition.

Goals: Bate 6, Lawrence 3, Maric, Newton, Evans 2, Cook, Nicholson, Gent, Stockdale 1

Possessions: Bate 24, Maric 24, Jetta 22, Petterd 17, Nicholson ?, Howe 14, Newton 13

Pretty comprehensive victory for Casey and a good day all round.

Casey Scorpions 6.2.38 10.5.65 14.6.90 21.8.134

Frankston 3.1.19 5.3.33 6.6.36 8.10.58

Goals

Casey Scorpions Bate 6 Lawrence 3 Evans Maric Newton 2 Cook Fevola Nicholson Gent Howe Stockdale

Frankston Clark 4 McCallum 2 Douglas Miller

Best

Casey Scorpions Bate Maric Jetta Stockdale Evans Collins

Frankston Thoolen Potts Baguley Clements Clark Doria

Very selective appraisals there! Id hardly seen Cook until that passage of play. Newtons pressure on the defenders carrying the ball out of defence has been a highlight for mine, one lead directly to a goal for him and another a turnover. He's made one mistake that I can see so far! It seems people have already made their mind up about Newton and no matter how many 1%ers or team things he does he'll get criticised.

Firstly if that was the first time you noticed Cook it's because you weren't looking hard enough, as he played mostly down back.

Secondly when a player is 18, raw and skinny, I look for things like decision making, composure and kicking skills. When a player has been on our list for 7 years and is barely holding on, I can't get impressed anymore by anything less than dominant performances.

Yes Newton works hard and his pressure on the ball carrier is good, but he is simply a poorly skilled footballer. He makes ordinary decisions, his kicking and handballing is average and his marking is just OK for someone who is one of the biggest players on the ground. I understand the decision to keep him on the list as an insurance policy given the new sub rule, but I didn't even see him take any rucking contests, so how can we judge him on the role he's most likely to get called up for?

Bate, Petterd, Jetta and Maric will be in line for a recall. McDonald only a maybe. But nobody in that list of players actually blew me away with their intensity or their desire to get a game next week. They went through the motions and won out because they are simply much better than their opponent.

I thought the guys who won't get a game anytime soon like Howe, Cook, McDonald, Evan and Nicolson were all far more impressive.

Petterd looks a class above VFL level. Ive had both a Collingwood and Richmond mates text me asking why the hell he's not playing in the

Just a comment on Ricky. Yes he is good at finding the ball and marking. Its what he does with it then that bothers me. He doesn't always take the best option, he looks uncertain where to go and is not an accurate kick. Unfortunately he seems to undo a lot of good work.

What do you think?

edit:fat fingers

This doesn't surprise me there seems to be a culture at Melbourne where your card is stamped one way or the other, after a while, if it's negative, you are never going to get a game, if it's positive your time will come so why bust a gut.

Excellent observation RobbieF. It is sadly true.

In: Petterd, Cook, Jetta, Maric

Out: Morton, Dunn, Wonaeamirri, Bennell

I liked what I saw of Lawrence and Nicholson. I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the year they've debuted.

Maric looked slow. (Cue people saying I hate Maric). Newton chased well, but still lacks the requisite skill. Bate looks like he's lost weight but I'm not convinced he's anything different to what he was last year. Howe looked OK too.

I liked what I saw of Lawrence and Nicholson. I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the year they've debuted.

Maric looked slow. (Cue people saying I hate Maric). Newton chased well, but still lacks the requisite skill. Bate looks like he's lost weight but I'm not convinced he's anything different to what he was last year. Howe looked OK too.

Both are rookies and would have o be elevated to play so we need a couple of long term injuries or one of them to elevated after the half way mark of the year.

Full time

Casey Scorpions 21.8.134

Frankston 8.10.58

Interesting game for Casey ...

Pretty good summary Deelicious.

Frankston were a really undermanned relatively short side with a lack of leg fitness.

Casey with the MFC contingent should have blown them away after qtr time. They didn't.

The game was a relatively poor standard with critical errors by both sides. On paper Bate looks like he really dominant but against a classless short backline he did what he had to do without being dominant. Maric and Jetta flashed in and out of the player but did not really hurt the opposition with the pill. They gather possessions without much pressure at ground level. Spencer and Gawn were too big for the Frankston rucks.

I like the look of Cook as a player and I think he will develop well for MFC.

McDonald did little and Blease was invisible. Blease has a long way to go. Newton really good at VFL level but just has too many brain fades.

Fevola...as fat as Plugger in a Toyota commercial with absolutely zero fitness and too much fat. He is not up to VFL 1st standard. He would not have the basic fitness for Ammos club XVIII.

anyone know what Petterd went off with? Commentators suggested dislocated knee (he was knocking his own knee from the outside).....perhaps someone with more medical knowledge than me can explain if a knee dislocation and coming back on are mutually exclusive or not...

It was mentioned earlier, but from previous experience it will flare up and swell, but after a few hours. It does hurt, but you'll be able to come back on - it just depends on if you've done anything else to your knee. I strained a ligament as well as dislocating it so it felt wobbly and awkward. Luckily I didn't have to hit it, it just popped back in itself

I'm just wary of the posters who will probably not watch the game but will come on later to say "oh man (insert player's name here) shud totes com in 'cos he got 30 tuchez n wud b so beta dan da deez playaz."

Obviously I'm not saying that players can't play well in a big win (if indeed that's how this turns out - which it very well may not) but I just think people should be tempered in their measure and understand that it's a better team with AFL listed players at home against a stand alone club.

Not really sure what the hell your saying?

In: Petterd, Cook, Jetta, Maric

Out: Morton, Dunn, Wonaeamirri, Bennell

Just gone over the tape RI. None of those suggested ins did enough to warrant selection for Melbourne.

The only ones you'd consider were

Bate, not so much for the 6 goals but for the work he did up the ground

Warnock - Crows have some tall timber up forward. Don't want to see Grimes spotting about 10cm again.

Of the others

Maric - ok second half

Nev - uses it reasonably but just doesn't get the pill enough

Petterd - shite kick & only pressures the opposition when he feels like it. Front runner

Younger blokes were ok.

Cook - just looks & moves like a footballer. Promising

Nicholson - terrific 1st half in particular, Quick, good user

McDonald - composed, backs himself.

Lawrence - again, not a lot of ball but found it in dangerous places. Nice kick

Howe - goes the hanger but like his recovery & chasing as well

Blease - sadly, was pox today. He's better than that but needs to be on the wing. Not a defenders backside

According to Sam Blease's Twitter (being stuck at home on a Saturday night is leading me down some very lame paths! ), he had to go to hospital after the game to get scans and 'can't remember playing'.

I assume he was concussed a few moments after Ricky came off with what looked like a knee dislocation. Might explain his crappy game.

Not really sure what the hell your saying?

Not really a big shock.