I agree Docket.. IMO Davis has other attributes, to counter those he doesn't have, yet.

I remember many, & some of my friends, running Frawley's name ragged with "useless" tags for many years, before he hit his straps.. & then everyone wanted to ride on his back, & bandwagon...

See he fluked it into the best players again. Watch them go for Pederson or Gillies next week.

Wow such exciting names that have put there hand up for senior selection next week..

Every player has the same opportunity to put their hand up, so what does it tell you about those that didn't?

See he fluked it into the best players again. Watch them go for Pederson or Gillies next week.

He deserves a game, certainly been consistent over the last couple of seasons.

Difference is Taggert has the body and can play 'old dee'. Just needs the opportunity, Neeld had him playing as a forward. He's a mid.

Well Craig seems to offer deserving youngsters game time - so can anyone who has actually seen Taggert this year say whether he deserves a game, and if so where?

Well Craig seems to offer deserving youngsters game time - so can anyone who has actually seen Taggert this year say whether he deserves a game, and if so where?

I reckon he can play but he hasn't been consistent enough and part of this I think is because he is being played out of position.

Davis, who 'Dockett 32' has been pushing for does deserve a run. I know his kicking and decision making is not the best but he is not on his own there, he does attack the contest and he is a consistent performer at Casey.

I reckon he can play but he hasn't been consistent enough and part of this I think is because he is being played out of position.

Davis, who 'Dockett 32' has been pushing for does deserve a run. I know his kicking and decision making is not the best but he is not on his own there, he does attack the contest and he is a consistent performer at Casey.

Unfortunately that says it all IMO rjay, he just try's hard with a limited skill set

Unfortunately that says it all IMO rjay, he just try's hard with a limited skill set

I'd rather give Davis a go based on some decent Casey form than persist with Dunn who's has proven he'll only ever dish up mediocrity.

I think Clisby is an example that you don't have to star at VFL level to play a role in the Seniors.

Unfortunately that says it all IMO rjay, he just try's hard with a limited skill set

A bit like some of the posters on this board then OD, Davis is fine, you will find a lot on here wouldn't recognise him if he fell over them, seen him live about 20 times, has been steadily improving in all facets of this game, which is what you want to see, would be pleased to see him debut if Garland doesn't get up

A bit like some of the posters on this board then OD, Davis is fine, you will find a lot on here wouldn't recognise him if he fell over them, seen him live about 20 times, has been steadily improving in all facets of this game, which is what you want to see, would be pleased to see him debut if Garland doesn't get up

Did Davis play down back though?

The bit that upsets me about Davis is that he was tracking ok as a defender only to be moved forward to let Gillies, Pedersen and Sellar take key defensive jobs and now when we need a defender we either have to pick a spud or a guy who's been playing forward (who might also be a spud).

I worry about Davis' skills and defensive work holding up at AFL level but in a lot of ways he's earnt the shot over the others mentioned.

I'd rather give Davis a go based on some decent Casey form than persist with Dunn who's has proven he'll only ever dish up mediocrity.

I think Clisby is an example that you don't have to star at VFL level to play a role in the Seniors.

Clisby might not have been a star but he was having 20+ polished disposals and doing well defensively. He was in and around the bests consistently at Casey. You don't have to star at VFL but if you can't perform consistently you won't at AFL level either. I think that's what they are waiting for from Taggert, Tynan and Barry. See above for what I think is mismanagement of Davis.

Clisby might not have been a star but he was having 20+ polished disposals and doing well defensively. He was in and around the bests consistently at Casey. You don't have to star at VFL but if you can't perform consistently you won't at AFL level either. I think that's what they are waiting for from Taggert, Tynan and Barry. See above for what I think is mismanagement of Davis.

Agree with you. I'm not overly keen to see Tagger, Tynan & Barry play AFL. I think draft bio's and such things are giving Demonlanders false hope - Dean Kent being a prime example. Shows flashes but requires much more development at VFL level before he'll make the cut.

Clisby might not have been a star but he was having 20+ polished disposals and doing well defensively. He was in and around the bests consistently at Casey. You don't have to star at VFL but if you can't perform consistently you won't at AFL level either. I think that's what they are waiting for from Taggert, Tynan and Barry. See above for what I think is mismanagement of Davis.

Gee you astonish (for want of a better word) me sometimes, actually spoke to Davis the other week, has been absolutely loving playing forward, coaches are very happy with him as a defender, but versatility being the key these days, put him forward to add another string to his bow, help his development (not retard it)....his quote "great having somebody chase me around, instead of me chasing them" but also learning as well

A bit like some of the posters on this board then OD, Davis is fine, you will find a lot on here wouldn't recognise him if he fell over them, seen him live about 20 times, has been steadily improving in all facets of this game, which is what you want to see, would be pleased to see him debut if Garland doesn't get up

I think he's earned his spot 'Sat' and when I watched him a few weeks back his kicking to position had improved. At least size wise he would be a good match up for Tarrent or Black.

Agree with you. I'm not overly keen to see Tagger, Tynan & Barry play AFL. I think draft bio's and such things are giving Demonlanders false hope - Dean Kent being a prime example. Shows flashes but requires much more development at VFL level before he'll make the cut.

Tynan and Kent are third round selections so I don't have big expectations for them at present.

Hopefully they will blossom into serviceable players over the next couple of years.

Barry is a long term prospect, IMO he is way too skinny but lets see by 2015 how he pans out.

Taggert is however a second round pick with a lot more expectations on him.

So far he has suffered a lot with injury ( don't all our players ) and I am not sure we can judge at this stage.

2014 will be his third year lets hope he shows enough to extend his term.

Gee you astonish (for want of a better word) me sometimes, actually spoke to Davis the other week, has been absolutely loving playing forward, coaches are very happy with him as a defender, but versatility being the key these days, put him forward to add another string to his bow, help his development (not retard it)....his quote "great having somebody chase me around, instead of me chasing them" but also learning as well

What was he going to say to a supporter - Oh I hate playing forward.

Have you ever played football and been between the reserves and seniors? The one thing that frustrates more than anything is positional change. You have a young guy in his third year all set to get a crack as a defender in the AFL and he moves positions - do you really think that aids his development? Of course he needs some flexibility but you'd establish that when he's had a shot at AFL first. My argument can be summed up in 2 words - Jack Watts. Position change has done nothing for him.

You defend the club on bloody everything!

My simple question is if Davis was in line to come in to replace Garland this week would it have been better for him to have played the last month in VFL as a key defender practicing his defensive skills or as a key forward learning all new structures?

What was he going to say to a supporter - Oh I hate playing forward.

Have you ever played football and been between the reserves and seniors? The one thing that frustrates more than anything is positional change. You have a young guy in his third year all set to get a crack as a defender in the AFL and he moves positions - do you really think that aids his development? Of course he needs some flexibility but you'd establish that when he's had a shot at AFL first. My argument can be summed up in 2 words - Jack Watts. Position change has done nothing for him.

You defend the club on bloody everything!

My simple question is if Davis was in line to come in to replace Garland this week would it have been better for him to have played the last month in VFL as a key defender practicing his defensive skills or as a key forward learning all new structures?

It obviously shows you have very little idea about modern football, he is not going to 'forget' how to defend, he has become one of the most consistent players at VFL level for the last two years, but hey, let him stagnate.....if you can fill a key position at both ends......better to learn to do it at VFL level, then if you get your chance, the coach can use you both ends...............Lachie Henderson, Michael Hurley, Andrew Walker, Jake Carlisle ring any bells

Jack Watts is benefiting from all the positional changes, we are finally beginning to see what we get if we don't plonk him in the forward fifty and leave him there, I am expecting to see him in at some centre bounces soon as well

It obviously shows you have very little idea about modern football, he is not going to 'forget' how to defend, he has become one of the most consistent players at VFL level for the last two years, but hey, let him stagnate.....if you can fill a key position at both ends......better to learn to do it at VFL level, then if you get your chance, the coach can use you both ends...............Lachie Henderson, Michael Hurley, Andrew Walker, Jake Carlisle ring any bells

Jack Watts is benefiting from all the positional changes, we are finally beginning to see what we get if we don't plonk him in the forward fifty and leave him there, I am expecting to see him in at some centre bounces soon as well

I think we already have 'Sat', he has been doing some time in the ruck which has been great for his development.

I think we already have 'Sat', he has been doing some time in the ruck which has been great for his development.

Actually I meant doing what Roughead is doing now as well, he sits in on some of the mids work at training, I think what Clarkson has done with Roughie has made a few clubs wonder if they have somebody in the team that can do the same, Watts is still growing so maybe next season when he has another few kilos on him, Goodes does the same thing

It obviously shows you have very little idea about modern football, he is not going to 'forget' how to defend, he has become one of the most consistent players at VFL level for the last two years, but hey, let him stagnate.....if you can fill a key position at both ends......better to learn to do it at VFL level, then if you get your chance, the coach can use you both ends...............Lachie Henderson, Michael Hurley, Andrew Walker, Jake Carlisle ring any bells

Jack Watts is benefiting from all the positional changes, we are finally beginning to see what we get if we don't plonk him in the forward fifty and leave him there, I am expecting to see him in at some centre bounces soon as well

Please. What a croc. Watts benefiting from the positional changes is a laugh. He was drafted as a key forward, he would be benefited if we'd let him develop there for 4 years instead of confusing the lad. He's changed 3 times this season. The above players you mention if anything show the contrary to your point. Hurley is a defender and Essendons persistence with him being a forward is ruining his career. Henderson is a poor forward and a worse defender. Walker is a natural midfielder, lining up on a back flank doesn't make him a defender. Loosest man marking I've ever seen. As for Carlisle, Hard admitted he'd never seen Jake forward before throwing him forward the other week. There was no adding to his bow.

Melbourne have made terrible development decisions and trying to over coach will be another. The following players have changed positions this year: Sellar, Pederson, Nicholson, Watts, Dunn. Add trying to change Byrnes to be a midfielder, playing Kent as a mid in the VFL and a forward pocket in the AFL and it gets pretty clear to me. Instead of switching deck chairs, either pursue them in their best position or move them on for not being good enough. Neeld made a mockery with his Rivers going forward and the likes. He is now proven to be a pathetic coach, so let's move forward. Franklin doesn't try and be a backman, Frawley a forward.

You've been sucked in for too long Sat, just because the players tell you trainings great and positional changes are good doesn't mean it's the case. 5 wins in 3 years show us it's the case. Think for yourself we won't judge you.

Please. What a croc. Watts benefiting from the positional changes is a laugh. He was drafted as a key forward, he would be benefited if we'd let him develop there for 4 years instead of confusing the lad. He's changed 3 times this season. The above players you mention if anything show the contrary to your point. Hurley is a defender and Essendons persistence with him being a forward is ruining his career. Henderson is a poor forward and a worse defender. Walker is a natural midfielder, lining up on a back flank doesn't make him a defender. Loosest man marking I've ever seen. As for Carlisle, Hard admitted he'd never seen Jake forward before throwing him forward the other week. There was no adding to his bow.

Melbourne have made terrible development decisions and trying to over coach will be another. The following players have changed positions this year: Sellar, Pederson, Nicholson, Watts, Dunn. Add trying to change Byrnes to be a midfielder, playing Kent as a mid in the VFL and a forward pocket in the AFL and it gets pretty clear to me. Instead of switching deck chairs, either pursue them in their best position or move them on for not being good enough. Neeld made a mockery with his Rivers going forward and the likes. He is now proven to be a pathetic coach, so let's move forward. Franklin doesn't try and be a backman, Frawley a forward.

You've been sucked in for too long Sat, just because the players tell you trainings great and positional changes are good doesn't mean it's the case. 5 wins in 3 years show us it's the case. Think for yourself we won't judge you.

So Lachie Henderson was a dud on Friday was he, sort of shoots down your argument wouldn't you say. Carlisle played forward in his junior days, so it is not foreign, and tell me where Walker played last year?

It is the old die hards on here who can't move on, forget the Key Positions, you may still get them in defense ie the fullback a la Frawley, but the rest is finished, see how some of the television lines them up these days, three backs, three forwards and the rest in the midfield.........

don't watch if you don't like it.....I thought MFC couldn't develop or are we now just developing wrongly.......let's have a whinge about everything...thought this post was gonna be another good one about Davis

Edited July 22, 201312 yr by Satyriconhome

Davis is as hard as a cats head and will never die wondering. Sure his disposal needs work but then he not on his own. Next to fitzy he has been the obvious elevation from the casey this year and has deserved a chance. I think if Garland is out this week then Davis is an obvious replacement. The kid has a good pair of mitts on him too.

So Lachie Henderson was a dud on Friday was he, sort of shoots down your argument wouldn't you say. Carlisle played forward in his junior days, so it is not foreign, and tell me where Walker played last year?

It is the old die hards on here who can't move on, forget the Key Positions, you may still get them in defense ie the fullback a la Frawley, but the rest is finished, see how some of the television lines them up these days, three backs, three forwards and the rest in the midfield.........

don't watch if you don't like it.....I thought MFC couldn't develop or are we now just developing wrongly.......let's have a whinge about everything...thought this post was gonna be another good one about Davis

I kicked 14 in a game once. Tom Lynch kicked 10 this year. Fitzy kicked 4 this week... 3 goals doesn't make you a good footballer especially given the opportunities he has been given.

Andrew Walker is a great footballer yes he's done well in 2 positions but the whole argument that because some have done it well that we'll load up on a team of hybrids is stupid. We're not even competitive when everyone plays their best position let alone the one they're learning.

I appreciate that I sound like an old die hard, but sadly my eyes are young enough to have seen enough finals to count on my two hands. Ones I actually remember, just my left hand will do. Still playing, I understand better than any the requirement of modern day footy. Troy Davis could be a good defender.. Currently he can't get a spot as a defender, and frankly that's great. It should force him to keep playing well to knock the door down.

I cannot fathom why we waste our time playing him forward?

Few questions: Is he closer to getting selected playing down forward? Who's spot did he take down forward? If he plays AFL next week where does he play? Is this a short term or long term move?

As you mentioned with Carlisle, all his forward line work was done as a junior.. Did troy play there as a kid? Is that simply enough to get by.. It was for Jake.

I'm not whinging about everything but like both you and I if we don't perform at work, questions get asked. For the coaches down at AAMI Park, enormous questions can be directed their way. Whatever relation you have with them may blind you into a state of comfort with our direction, but in the last 10 years there hasn't been a worse non expansion side in the league. I make no apologies for questioning every decision they make. Had they done the same we may not be in the position we are right now.

HEAD SCRATCHERS by Ice Station

The cold biting north wind coming in directly from the snowfields bode ill for the Casey Scorpions who fell to their second loss in a row and had fans scratching their heads about the team's dramatic fall from grace since their bye.

Before the break, the Scorpions won five games on end in dominating fashion handing out a succession of beltings including a 15 goal win over next week's opponent Collingwood. Earlier on, they beat the Bombers at Windy Hill by 14 goals but, for the second week in a row, things were amiss at Scorpionland.

As happened in the loss to Werribee, Casey was quick out of the blocks and scored the first three goals of the game. The first to Neville Jetta took less than a minute. The Scorps also kept the Bombers goalless for the opening term but, in reality, they hadn't done enough with first use of the wind.

Essendon did all the attacking in the second quarter but it wasn't until the 26 minute mark until the lead was wrested away with a goal to former Territorian and Gippsland Power player Anthony Tipungwuti who trained with Casey early in the pre season. After another Bomber goal, the Scorpions managed their only score for the term, a goal to Luke Tapscott, his second, after an exciting run down the wing from Dom Barry. The deficit was just 3 points at the main break.

Like the last goal of the first half, the next was scored against the breeze to give the Bombers a 9 point lead. Rory Taggert produced a magic goal evading tackles, then Jake Best put Casey in front with his second before skipper Evan Panozza, playing his 100th game, drifted down for a goal. The game was lost in the next 15 minutes when the Scorps' surge stalled. They added just one goal to go into orange time with a lead of only 13 points which was never going to be enough.

The Bombers took the lead 8 minutes into the final term and, despite a couple of attempts to surge back into the game, it was the opposition who showed the greater composure and discipline to hold on for an 11 point win.

Casey was well served by Panozza in defence (26 possessions), James Magner as always was tough in the midfield and picked up 25 touches and James Sellar and Troy Davis put their hands up for AFL selection. Dan Nicholson picked up 21 disposals while Jake Spencer, returning from suspension, had 30 hit outs.

The team wore pink guernseys in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and should be commended for its support of some great causes for the general community.

HOW THE DEMONS FARED

Dom Barry 5 kicks 11 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles

Troy Davis 7 kicks 12 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 1 behind

Tom Gillies 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks

Jesse Hogan 3 kicks 5 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 1 hit out 1 goal

Neville Jetta 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 1 goal

Joel Macdonald did not play

Jordie McKenzie 5 kicks 12 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles

James Magner 14 kicks 11 handballs 25 disposals 1 mark 10 tackles 1 hit out

Daniel Nicholson 8 kicks 13 handballs 21 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles

James Sellar 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 2 hitouts

Jake Spencer 2 kicks 7 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 30 hitouts

James Strauss 9 kicks 13 handballs 22 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles

Rory Taggert 10 kicks 11 handballs 21 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 1 goal

Luke Tapscott 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 2 goals

Josh Tynan 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles

Casey Scorpions 3.3.21 4.3.27 8.3.51 9.4.58

Essendon0.1.1 4.6.30 5.9.39 9.15.69

Goals

Casey Scorpions Best Tapscott 2 Hogan Hughes Jetta Panozza Taggert

Essendon Davey Hille 2 Brown Daniher Duscher Firman Tipungwuti

Best

Casey Scorpions Panozza Nicholson Sellar Davis Magner Tapscott

Essendon Firman Hille Steinberg Kavanagh O'Brien Coghlan

The Casey Scorpions Development League team posted a famous victory and secured their place in the top six after holding Sandringham scoreless in the first half and goalless until the final term

Casey Scorpions 4.1.25 7.5.47 11.11.77 12.13.85

Sandringham0.0.0 0.0.0 0.1.1 2.4.16

Goals

Casey Scorpions Fowler Page Riseley 3 Anderson Lang Rosier Sandringham McKay Rist

Best

Casey Scorpions Pollard Boland Riseley Rosier Roberts Page

Sandringham Maley Weikhardt Williams Beech Hodges McKay

Rory Taggert: Rory was one player who was not overly impacted by the conditions and his effectiveness by foot was a real positive. He also backed himself more. He was a solid performer after a dominant display in the Development League game the week prior.

Because he can kick, can play and should be played in the midfield.

I'm concerned Rory could end up like Dane Rampe who spent a few years at the Dogs, let go and is now ripping it up at the Swans.

The quote in the post above came from ROUND 14 VFL PLAYER REVIEW

This one's about Troy Davis:

Given the extreme wind, Troy was used as a forward when we had the breeze and did his best, given the lack of quality inside 50s. Defensively, Troy was very good in our backline. He took four intercept marks and finished with 19 disposals for the game. He is playing very consistent football.