What are your thoughts on how these kids are developing?

Strauss has had four years in the system if I am correct and still appears to be struggling to make it into our best 22. Development issues?

Tappie's aggression is always entertaining and I really always feel he is just one game from a break out but the breakout just hasn't happened after a season and a half.

Any opinions on how Rory is going?

What are your thoughts on how these kids are developing?

Strauss has had four years in the system if I am correct and still appears to be struggling to make it into our best 22. Development issues?

Tappie's aggression is always entertaining and I really always feel he is just one game from a break out but the breakout just hasn't happened after a season and a half.

Any opinions on how Rory is going?

They start fresh now.

Hard to develop when Neeld is your coach.

After backing him for years I have finally given up on Strauss.

I was stoked when we called out Tapscotts name but have my doubts now.

Hopefully the new coach will start developing players to individual plans rather than try and force every player to be an endurance runner.

I dunno, maybe except that Sammy Blease may never be an full time mid and start playing him on where he can use his bursts of speed? Maybe put Tapscott in a role where he can out muscle his opponant instead of trying to make him run his guts out each week?

They will all improve, they are much better than they've shown to date and under a decent coach with encouragement and proper development they will thrive. It has to be enjoyable to go to work and I can't imagine they way it's been for the players over the last 18 months, and for that matter the last 6 or 7 years.

These players were amongst the best in Australia in their u18 year and there is no reason they can't fulfil their promise.

Isn't it also a mystery that Tynan got a game Rnd 1 last season, and has virtually been unsighted since.

I presume injury would have to be a major reason for this?

I don't reckon Strauss is up to it, tbh. Got drafted on the back of being a good kick but he really hasn't shown anything at all in 5 seasons now. You can blame Neeld for many things but not this one, this is one can be lumped on Prendergast. A poor pick at 19.

Tapscott and Taggert are still every chance to make it.

Edited June 23, 201312 yr by Sylvia Saint

What are your thoughts on how these kids are developing?

Strauss has had four years in the system if I am correct and still appears to be struggling to make it into our best 22. Development issues?

Tappie's aggression is always entertaining and I really always feel he is just one game from a break out but the breakout just hasn't happened after a season and a half.

Any opinions on how Rory is going?

More like shoulder reconstruction and broken leg issue.

Mind you I was about to say that's why he is behind others drafted in the same year and then I remembered that included Watts, Blease, Bail, Bennell and Jetta who haven't really developed or set the world on fire.

Strauss gets a hall pass for one more preseason. Hasn't been able to build up physically as much as he has needed to because of his leg so will be good see what he can do next year.

My two cents:-

Strauss will not make it. Unable to compete in a one on one contest which leaves no hope of being a reliable player in the back half. I believe Tapscott will be a good player with good coaching and can't comment on Taggert.

Not sure if it's our development or recruiting to blame, but the inability of some of our players to compete in a one on one contest is staggering. I can understand how players like Strauss and Nicholson may have been noticed leading to being given a chance at AFL level (i.e. for their attacking skills), but these guys have very little ability to compete when push comes to shove. This is an instinctive thing to a degree, but can also be coached to a degree.

Recruiting in general moved away from 'footballers' to 'athletes' for a while, but for most other clubs it has moved back towards pure footballers. The reality probably is that the way to get noticed in the U18's is to have heaps of possessions and kick heaps of goals. The defensive aspects aren't as 'sexy' and won't get you noticed as much if these are your strengths. It then becomes important for the AFL clubs to teach and develop these skills as soon as these guys walk in the door. I'm sure we have been poor on this front. The body positioning of our defenders, and our midfielders at stoppages, is often so bad that we get opened up like the opposition are running a training drill. You can see it about to happen. I'm sure this will improve with better coaching and development (if we can convince a decent coach to come on board), but it's probably too late for some players.

With Strauss and Nicholson I often sit up in the Southern Stand and wonder to myself 'what the hell are these blokes doing with their 40+ hours at our footy club each week?'. I often walk past Gosh's paddock during my lunch break and have only once seen our players out there training over the last 2 years. Now I know it's around lunch time and they are probably eating themselves, but gee with all that time every week and over the preseason I hope guys like these two are spending hour after hour competing with each other and learning how to win contests. A simplistic view I know, but hey, it really couldn't hurt our players to hone their one on one skills a bit more I wouldn't have thought!

All three have started their careers with big serious injuries so I have cut them some slack.

If you add the terrible period at the MFC they have all had to endure then it is hardly surprising they have been less than wonderful.

Having said that, none of them give me much confidence for the future.

IMO they are all bit players

2014 promises big changes so we will have to hold on for another year ( that sounds familiar ).

Strauss will be a bust I think unfortunately. He suffered shocking injuries which obviously rattled his confidence, not to mention development time, but 4-5 years on and he can't even get a game. He was drafted for having a great kick and good speed, but he has rarely if ever shown these traits at AFL level. Such as shame as we could have taken Zaharakis at this pick, and he's already won a B&F and won games off his own boot.

I was stoked when we landed Tapscott in the draft, but he has not developed. Drafted for his booming kick, his big body and aggression, and his willingness to involved teammates in the game. We all love his aggression and physicality, but he just isn't impacting games of football. He doesn't lay enough tackles, doesn't get enough ball, and isn't damaging when he does get it. He's probably got another year to prove he can make the grade.

Taggert still has time. I hope we see him debut sometime in the next few months. By all reports he has shown glimpses at Casey, but is still inconsistent. I hold hope he can make it as a good player for us, but he isn't off to a good start.

Taggert it's too early to be overly concerned. Next year is a big year for him.

Morton, Grimes, Maric

Watts, Blease, Strauss, Bennell, Jetta

Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Tapscott

This is our 07 to 09 draft. These are the guys who are meant to be starting to make an impact this year and be our rebuild after 07. Half of them are out the door. The recruiting wasn't great but most of these guys would've been picked somewhere in the draft with most going around the rounds they were taken.

Something has gone horribly wrong with how these guys were developed under Bailey and Neeld.

I have some belief in Strauss I think he just needs a coach to train him in physical defending and to give him confidence with the ball. He was much better this year than he has been at times and then let himself down in the Hawthorn game with defending after two weeks before not getting enough of the ball when his defending was great. A coach who provides him clear focus on defending and some belief will make him a player.

Tapscott I'm more concerned about because I just don't see how he impacts the play up forward. He's too short to take strong grabs, too slow or lacks fitness to get out in space and his decision making isn't great either. He also seems to lack midfield ability or they just don't have faith in him in the midfield. I'd like to see him play Casey midfield for the next month or so.

My two cents:-

I still hold out a lot of hope for Strauss and Tappy. Haven't seen enough of Taggert to decide.

Strauss has had a lot of disruption due to injury but we are still crying out for good delivery skills which he promises to provide if given a decent run in the team.

Tappy seems to have the goods off the ball, but when it's been his turn to go with the ball, up till now it seems to have mostly ended up in disappointment somehow.

Hopefully the new coach and culture will make the difference for all these guys.

But rufus you make a great point re our poor performance in 1 on 1 contests - worth well more than 2 cents I think.

Edited June 23, 201312 yr by bjDee

Strauss is a great kick when he has time to set it up, but he needs to get more ball. If you draft a guy to be a distributor then he has to get 20-30 touches a game to use his skills. He's lucky to get high teens. If he can't increase his output then he gets the chop.

Tapscott needs to be used as a half forward with a license to go for goal. We need to see if he can be damaging on the scoreboard. He's another one who is supposed to be very damaging by foot, but so far we haven't seen much evidence of it. His long kicking is rarely in evidence and he has a terrible record on set shots. His defensive game is ok, but he's a little hamstrung by lack of pace. Needs get more ball and has to be damaging with his kicking.

Taggert I haven't seen play. I hear many good things about him, and he has had a few really good games for Casey. Given the number of injuries he has had I'd be willing to give him another year to see if he can get his act together, but I think that's all the charity he will get. Has to get himself into the senior side and have some sort of impact.

All three have started their careers with big serious injuries so I have cut them some slack.

If you add the terrible period at the MFC they have all had to endure then it is hardly surprising they have been less than wonderful.

Having said that, none of them give me much confidence for the future.

IMO they are all bit players

2014 promises big changes so we will have to hold on for another year ( that sounds familiar ).

This seems to be ritual for every new draftee OD!

My two cents, like a few here I don't think Strauss will make the grade. Too many injuries and just hasn't made any kind of impact. He really struggles to find the footy and with only good disposal on his side, doesn't have a lot to offer.

Tapscott can get there with the right support and coaching I reckon. He seems a real confidence player. Taggert will be a good player, just developing slowly. This isn't necessarily a bad thing as he seems to be doing well at Casey and this should ensure that he comes into the senior side full of confidence when he is really ready.