Oh Jesse, you are a glimmer of hope, a nugget of pure gold floating in a puddle of horse crap.

Please stay awesome forever and don't let Melbourne infect you with incompetency. It's contagious!

Oh Jesse, you are a glimmer of hope, a nugget of pure gold floating in a puddle of horse crap.

Please stay awesome forever and don't let Melbourne infect you with incompetency. It's contagious!

Will be wasted if we don't get a midfield that can get the ball past the centre line

Oh Jesse, you are a glimmer of hope, a nugget of pure gold floating in a puddle of horse crap.

Please stay awesome forever and don't let Melbourne infect you with incompetency. It's contagious!

Honestly I am wondering if we should get in the way of such a promising career! This club shows no signs of offering him a future.

Will be wasted if we don't get a midfield that can get the ball past the centre line

Honestly I am wondering if we should get in the way of such a promising career! This club shows no signs of offering him a future.

I think the first thread here is a forerunner as to whether Hulk will stay or move on after contract expires.

This club would be in serious danger of folding in the next few years without the massive AFL lifebuoy that's already been thrown and we're pretty much AFL governed and funded anyway.

Hurts to say but any young potential stars serious about their footy career won't be hanging around our parts for too long unless there's some sort of miracle turnaround next year, and the mid field problem is without doubt our biggest issue right now. Our stocks are woeful. At the same time how the hell does Choco continue to get a gig and survive the carnage??? The coaching staff and executive must somehow still be impressed. I've certainly yet to see anything positive in this part of our game.

Will be wasted if we don't get a midfield that can get the ball past the centre line

TWO inside 50s in Melbourne's first quarter today !!!!! ;-(((((((

Just how could a forward line even made up of Carey, Lockett and TGNWS kick a winning score with that garbage stat?

Did any of our Casey mids do anything worthwhile today?

Magner, Strauss, Taggert and Jetta named in best. Tynan had 25 touches also.

Love seeing Hogan, Strauss and Taggert in the bests.

Time for Strauss to play out the rest of the year. In afl (forward pocket)

Taggert to start playing more midfield games for Casey.

Hogan will be close to useless if we cant get the ball to him. Watts, Dawes, Howel, Clark (when fit), and Hogan, it would not matter if this was the best forword line in the history of the game, if we cant get our hands on the ball, and get some sort of foward entry that is not kick and hope or mis kick ,our forwards line wil remain redundant. As a forward why would you stay at a team than does not give you any opportunity. It goes without saying, but if we can't get quality ready to go mid-feilders this off season, that can step up next season, we will lose what looks like our great hope..... our forwards. We are a good chance to lose Watts seasons end regardless, although this would break my heart, at least we could trade for an A Grade Mid. We should try and keep Watts at all costs, because he will become a champion, but if he chooses to leave all is not lost. We can't afford to lose any others, we must spend all our picks on mids........... ready made mids. Simply our survival depends on it.

Must've been windy for 3.5 from 11 shots on goal.

Magner, Strauss, Taggert and Jetta named in best. Tynan had 25 touches also.

Time for Taggert to have a run.

In -

Taggert

Magner

Strauss
Jetta

Garland

Out -

Howe

Blease

Davey

Pedersen

Kent

In -

Taggert

Magner

Strauss

Jetta

Garland

Out -

Howe

Blease

Davey

Pedersen

Kent

Taggert is just not ready and Jetta has had 1 good game.

Can we even still play Magner?

I don't know about Howe and Blease although I agree with the other changes.

Taggert is just not ready and Jetta has had 1 good game.

Can we even still play Magner?

I don't know about Howe and Blease although I agree with the other changes.

...not sure about that 'Young Dee', he's had 3 good games now. He does have the size and class to play AFL, I would rather see him than putting up the usual suspects who have let us down in the past. Tynan is another who should be looked at, he will give everything he has, a gutsy kid that one.

With clark out for the rest of the year that should mean we could play Magner if we wanted to.

I'd be reluctant to give Taggert a game because I'm not sure that is the best thing for his development. But if we did he couldn't do much worse than Kent.

...not sure about that 'Young Dee', he's had 3 good games now. He does have the size and class to play AFL, I would rather see him than putting up the usual suspects who have let us down in the past. Tynan is another who should be looked at, he will give everything he has, a gutsy kid that one.

I don't disagree with you - he has size and class but I think he is like Kent (a midfielder playing forward because he doesn't have the tank).

We need midfielders so let's develop mids and to do that I think both Kent and Taggert would be best at vfl (also to gain confidence).

This is assuming the comments i have read regarding taggerts fitness are correct (hasn't had a preseason yet).

Don't get me wrong tho I have high hopes for him - he is just what we need a tall and strong mid.

First time I ever watched Casey live - enjoyed the afternoon. I predominately focused on Hogan and he was clearly a class above vfl. Not as tall as I thought but strong and works really hard. Lots to like - obviously. Magner and maybe McKenzie was the only other listed player who would make a difference in the firsts based on yesterday IMHO.

RESURRECTED by KC from Casey

The Casey Scorpions have resurrected their hopes of a top two finish and home ground advantage in the first week of the finals with a narrow eight point victory over Collingwood at Victoria Park.

With five rounds to go before the finals, it might have been a trifle early to go with thoughts of top two or final four finishes but, after some poor recent form and injuries restricting the number of AFL listed players to single figures (OK, ten if you count a certain unlisted Demon teenager whose presence in the team is never insignificant), things were threatening to unravel somewhat for the Scorpions. And it didn't help that the Magpies welcomed a few big names like Didak, Krakouer and Lynch to their formidable list or that about four other teams were breathing down Casey's neck for its spot near the top of the table.

Collingwood won the toss and kicked to the Sherrin Stand end and the hosts were up for the challenge early, bursting out of the blocks with the first goal of the game. After a few tentative moves forward, Casey finally managed to answer through the agency of a mark and goal to Jesse Hogan. The Scorpions had much of the play for the remainder of the quarter but sprayed their shots for goal and inevitably, it was the home side that capitalised to take a four point lead into the first break.

Despite Jake Spencer's dominance in the ruck, the Pies had much of the play and kicked the first of the second term after an early miss from Hogan before Best replied but the home side soon answered to regain a nine point lead.

It was at this point that Hogan stepped up to the plate and took control of the game with his awesome presence and powerful marking. He gave off a couple to teammates, kicked a couple and missed one or two and when the dust settled his team held a 19 point half time lead.

After the break, the game rarely hit any great heights with the tricky wind playing havoc with both sides. Collingwood went defensive on Hogan but, despite the double tagging, he continued to be a presence on the ground to finish with 25 possessions, 12 marks and three goals. The Scorpions maintained a 15 point three quarter time lead and virtually iced the game with the first two goals of the final term although a late Magpie fightback caused a few flutters.

Nick Lang capped off a fine debut with two goals and 23rd player, Josh Scott from the Gippsland Power, would also be happy with a goal on debut. It was also pleasing to see former skipper Kyle Matthews burrowing away in the senior team as only he can do. Current captain Evan Panozza was steady as a rock in defence as usual.

James Magner was given a tagging role on Magpie Kyle Martin (perhaps in anticipation of promotion from the rookie list) and kept him well in check for most of the game while picking up plenty of touches for himself. James Strauss (27 possessions), Josh Tynan (25) and Rory Taggert (2 goals) also did no harm to their chances for promotion particularly in view of the carnage that took place at Etihad Stadium an hour or so later.

Next week sees the Scorpions playing in the match of the round against ladder leader Geelong at Casey Fields.

Casey Scorpions 1.4.10 8.6.54 10.11.7113.12.90

Collingwood 2.2.14 5.5.35 8.8.56 12.10.82

Goals

Casey Scorpions Hogan 3 Best Lang Spencer Taggert 2 Gent Scott

Collingwood Boland Paine 3 Brett Broomhead Hellier Lynch Martin Mooney

Best

Casey Scorpions Hogan Magner Strauss Taggert Panozza Jetta

Collingwood Didak Lynch Ramsay Oxley Allan Yagmoor

Picture gallery:

https://picasaweb.google.com/m/viewer#album/dave.savell/5905166748088302257

First time I ever watched Casey live - enjoyed the afternoon. I predominately focused on Hogan and he was clearly a class above vfl. Not as tall as I thought but strong and works really hard. Lots to like - obviously. Magner and maybe McKenzie was the only other listed player who would make a difference in the firsts based on yesterday IMHO.

He's 195 cm, so I suppose it depends on whether you think that's tall. With Patton, Boyd, Daniher, and Hawkins all taller you really can't be much shorter than 195 cm these days as a key forward, unless you're quick and agile in the Jeremy Cameron mould. And he's 196. Hogan is quick, agile and strong, so I reckon he's the perfect size. Daniher will grow into his body and become elite, but at the moment he's a fair way off AFL level.

Here's a link to photos that was posted elsewhere.

https://picasaweb.google.com/dave.savell/VFLCollingwoodVsCasey20130727?authuser=0&feat=directlink

He's 195 cm, so I suppose it depends on whether you think that's tall. With Patton, Boyd, Daniher, and Hawkins all taller you really can't be much shorter than 195 cm these days as a key forward, unless you're quick and agile in the Jeremy Cameron mould. And he's 196. Hogan is quick, agile and strong, so I reckon he's the perfect size. Daniher will grow into his body and become elite, but at the moment he's a fair way off AFL level.

Hogan may still grow a cm or two as well.

Some people grow until they are 20.

https://picasaweb.google.com/dave.savell/VFLCollingwoodVsCasey20130727?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Hogan may still grow a cm or two as well.

Some people grow until they are 20.

He may, but he doesn't need to.

I don't quite understand what happened with the inclusion of Luke Tapscott when Terlich came out with his injury. I thought Nicholson was supposed to be the first emergency given that he was selected to play in the ressies today. Surely, in those circumstances, Nicho would have been picked to play for Casey?

Hogan may have to play the high half forward towards wing role where the team plays through him. He seems to have the speed and agility to do this although KC who sees him week in and week out would be best to comment on whether Hogan could play further up the ground.

Contradiction: I want to see Casey do very well but wouldn't mind if Hogan was put in mothballs until next year. Perhaps I'm being overly precious of our savior.

TWO inside 50s in Melbourne's first quarter today !!!!! ;-(((((((

Just how could a forward line even made up of Carey, Lockett and TGNWS kick a winning score with that garbage stat?

Did any of our Casey mids do anything worthwhile today?

Or looking at it another way, no inside 50s for 26 minutes of the first quarter!

I don't quite understand what happened with the inclusion of Luke Tapscott when Terlich came out with his injury. I thought Nicholson was supposed to be the first emergency given that he was selected to play in the ressies today. Surely, in those circumstances, Nicho would have been picked to play for Casey?

They would have known well before that Terlich wouldn't play and Tappy would have known he was in. Nicholson was for the "surprise" injury.