Changes for next week...

[DeeSpencer 24,669]

Give Cross a rest.

We need him fit for 16-18 games....

Or, dare I say it - Byrne?

We've got a bye in 2 weeks and Cross is the best trainer and preparer at the club. Yeah he's got wear on his tyres but he's only 31 and played a fair bit of VFL last year which was probably a step down in intensity for him.

Like all our inside mids young and old (Jones, Vince, Viney, Tyson) he needs to be managed through the year but there's no reason at all to rest him. Especially not with 2 massive games coming up before the bye.

Plus we are playing the bulldogs. You think Cross wants a rest this week!

[Biffen 12,802]

Matt Jones was quiet.

Byrnes also.

Frawley injured.

Blease,Garland,Riley in.

Blease sub-Salem in starting 18.

[Moonshadow 17,456]

Matt Jones was quiet.

Byrnes also.

Frawley injured.

Blease,Garland,Riley in.

Blease sub-Salem in starting 18.

Has Blease done enough at Casey to warrant selection Biff?

[DeeZee 7,296]

Blease hasnt done enough at VFL level, and Matt Jones still got 21 touches, so he desrves to stay.

Id just bring in toumpas or Clisby for Byrnes,and Garland for whoever is not 100% out of Frawley and Georgiou.

If they are both not right then bring in Gawn too.

[rpfc 28,034]

Someone's getting grumpy because people keep suggesting Byrnes out.

Yet you're overlooking that whilst Cross and Jamar have been very good players in their prime and are performing their roles very well that Byrnes is neither of those things.

Byrnes was never a good player?

And how do you know he isn't performing his role very well?

His career at the Dees is 7 games old in my eyes and while he may be moved past very soon, the reason of 'he is not the future' is diabolical.

Of course he isn't the future - he is there so that those that may be ready to play AFL are confident, in form, and ready to play his role.

We always bemoan playing our youngsters too soon, and that we have to make them earn a game - and here is that situation and we bemoan the bloke making the kids earn their spot.

Matt Jones, Giorgiou, Pedersen, Bail, Cross, Jamar, Byrnes - they are all players that will most likely not be playing AFL footy past 2015. But are they important right now?

They are important for the reasons stated above. 26, 25, 27, 25, 31, 30, and 30 years old.

When we lose they are the first looking down the barrel (save for Cross) but who would be their replacements and who would play their role if they weren't there?

Over-exposed youngsters asked to do more than they can and more than they should be asked to do.

[PaulRB 6,297]

Experienced watches of pool rate a player not on their ease in potting balls, but where they leave the white after they pot them.

Same deal with rating player in footy, unless you know what role was assigned to a player by the coach its hard to truely rate their game or value to the team..

The value of older player is they are (in general) better able to implement for 4 quarters a specific role 0r multiple roles, while also being able to damage the other way.

Jones is learning to tag and break tags, Salem is simply learning to present and play a straight forward role...

So who was Byrnes playing on and how did he go?

[Little Richard 6,211]

Matt Jones was quiet.

Byrnes also.

Frawley injured.

Blease,Garland,Riley in.

Blease sub-Salem in starting 18.

Matt Jones may have been quiet by his recent standards (21 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles on Saturday) but dropping him would just be stupid.

He has had a great year so far and is steadily improving. His dash and line breaking is something we are already lacking so to drop him would be completely unwarranted.

[Webber 10,433]

Matt Jones was quiet.

Byrnes also.

Frawley injured.

Blease,Garland,Riley in.

Blease sub-Salem in starting 18.

Matt Jones is one of the core dozen selected every week. The coaches LOVE him, they have every reason to, he IS an AFL standard footballer now, as he was last year and hasn't hit his ceiling yet. The lack of insight into his value to this team on here is baffling.

[Fat Tony 5,068]

Byrnes’ Recent Stats:

vs Sydney 6 kicks and 6 handballs at 58% DE, 4 tackles, 1 goals, 55 SuperCoach points

vs Adelaide 2 kicks and 8 handballs at 90% DE, 4 tackles, 0 goals, 49 SuperCoach points

While our forward entries remain low, Byrnes is hardly setting the world on fire. We can do better.

[nutbean 8,838]

Nah, nah, nah. Cross is 31 yeah? Too old.

Jamar to be dropped too. Too god-damn old.

Potential future players - that's what it is all about.

Why play players on merit when you can have many different standards for players based on their age?

okay...I fess up .. I missed the syrupy sarcasm...

[drdrake 3,114]

In Toumpas, Garland

Out Georgiou, Frawley(if injured) or Byrnes

Saturday night will be slippery, Toumpas can play well in these conditions he has been in the best for Casey most games since heading back there. He is quality and hopefully has built his confidence up enough to back himself. Once he does this he will become a regular good AFL player.

[nutbean 8,838]

Matt Jones may have been quiet by his recent standards (21 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles on Saturday) but dropping him would just be stupid.

He has had a great year so far and is steadily improving. His dash and line breaking is something we are already lacking so to drop him would be completely unwarranted.

It appears that Roos is not so much looking at Stats and more at what your role is and how you have played it. Its looks like he is prepared to forgive a quiet game if you doing what he expects of you and I think we are reaping the benefits. I thought Pederson was just ok the first couple of weeks or so but Roos said he was "Happy with what we have asked him to do". His last three weeks have been very good - Pederson has benefitted from being given an extended run.

Matt Jones I thought was good but not a prolific but hard to see Roos dropping him after one quieter game.

[P-man 13,366]

You don't speak ill of Matt Jones if Webber is around.

His kicking still lets him down. 62% on the weekend, so assuming his handballs were effective, less than half his kicks hit a target.

He is one of a select group whose poor kicking under pressure stands out in a developing team - Terlich, T Mac, M Jones, Grimes (improving).

JKH already looks superior. That is the calibre of player we need in the midfield we are assembling if we're being genuine.

He won't be dropped and nor should he be, but he wouldn't get within cooee of selection at teams like Port or Hawthorn.

[binman 41,906]

Matt Jones is one of the core dozen selected every week. The coaches LOVE him, they have every reason to, he IS an AFL standard footballer now, as he was last year and hasn't hit his ceiling yet. The lack of insight into his value to this team on here is baffling.

The same goes for Terlich in my book, in much the same way that it used to for Dunn and more recently Bail (who by the by has proven why it would have been folly to drop him and why a coach would not drop him). Jones, Terlich and Bail are all best 22 and will not be dropped. They play their role, gut run both ways and are fierce competitors.

Byrnes is the other one some people are calling to be dropped but as others have noted players are judged by Roos on their capacity to play their assigned role and i'm assuming Byrnes is doing that. he stays.

Roos has also said that players will only come up from the twos when they are absolutely banging the door down and have played 5-6 weeks of good to great footy (eg Jetta). From the reports from Casey there doesn't appear to be many in that category.

[bing181 8,874]

Garland, maybe one of Gawn or Fitzpatrick in for Frawley (inj.?) and Giorgio.

Toumpas, Clisby, Blease as Emergencies, one in if Viney goes, perhaps one in to replace Byrnes.

Riley, Kent not doing enough - or consistently enough - at Casey level.

[Undeeterred 3,033]

Nah, nah, nah. Cross is 31 yeah? Too old.

Jamar to be dropped too. Too god-damn old.

Potential future players - that's what it is all about.

Why play players on merit when you can have many different standards for players based on their age?

Can't believe they didn't pick up your irony!

[Undeeterred 3,033]

You don't speak ill of Matt Jones if Webber is around.

His kicking still lets him down. 62% on the weekend, so assuming his handballs were effective, less than half his kicks hit a target.

He is one of a select group whose poor kicking under pressure stands out in a developing team - Terlich, T Mac, M Jones, Grimes (improving).

JKH already looks superior. That is the calibre of player we need in the midfield we are assembling if we're being genuine.

He won't be dropped and nor should he be, but he wouldn't get within cooee of selection at teams like Port or Hawthorn.

But we're not Port or Hawthorn and, for now, he's in our best 10 or so players.

[jazza 1,323]

id drop viney.

[P-man 13,366]

But we're not Port or Hawthorn and, for now, he's in our best 10 or so players.

For now, he's in our best 22, yes.

Best 10 off the top of my head are N Jones, Tyson, Dawes, Vince, Frawley, Viney, Garland, Howe, Cross, Grimes.

If JKH plays like that again next week I'll be tempted to slot him into my top ten. He was sublime.

[Undeeterred 3,033]

For now, he's in our best 22, yes.

Best 10 off the top of my head are N Jones, Tyson, Dawes, Vince, Frawley, Viney, Garland, Howe, Cross, Grimes.

If JKH plays like that again next week I'll be tempted to slot him into my top ten. He was sublime.

Correct. He gets his hands free and has really clean disposal in traffic. An utter steal.

[Young Dee 1,303]

id drop viney.

Yer that kid makes Morton look tough

[chook fowler 19,248]

Riley would be the obvious like for like replacement for Viney if he is suspended

[baysidedave 246]

Matt Jones was quiet.

Byrnes also.

Frawley injured.

Blease,Garland,Riley in.

Blease sub-Salem in starting 18.

no way you can drop Matt Jones, he's been one of our best all year

[P-man 13,366]

Correct. He gets his hands free and has really clean disposal in traffic. An utter steal.

I can't recall him making a single bad decision on the weekend. He legitimately made us a much better side with ball in hand.

[Adam The God 29,243]

People are very impressed with Salem's skills, attitude and judgement, as they should be - but significant illness last year affected his pre-season and he doesn't have the endurance for a full AFL game as yet. He'll be sub or at Casey until fitness staff give the all clear. We'll just have to wait, I hope not for long.

Plus, he had three touches for over two quarters on the weekend. Love him, think he'll be a beauty. His pressure acts and physicality were good, but as you've rightly pointed out ET, he lacks the endurance at this stage. He'll keep playing as sub. Roos may even rest him this week.

Edited May 5, 2014 by AdamFarr