Casey Scorpions v Williamstown

[Pennant St Dee 13,414]

We tend to recruit better in later picks.

Too much pressure to get it right??

Agree somewhat, think we got Salem right, some were calling for Lennon and Freeman. I think the new recruiting department may be better than the last so I'll trust them. I love Wines as a player but think Macrae is the one I would take in hindsight. Whitfield for me the clear Number 1

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Glad to see others feeling the same way about ....... ( the player I'm not allowed to speak about)

I've always thought it, but I don't want to send myself to the loony bin by thinking about all the fun k ups.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Agree somewhat, think we got Salem right, some were calling for Lennon and Freeman. I think the new recruiting department may be better than the last so I'll trust them. I love Wines as a player but think Macrae is the one I would take in hindsight. Whitfield for me the clear Number 1

Salem's a beauty.

Whitfield's been good, but his body is miles away.

Freeman's smooth.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

It's interesting earl, trenners has never been fast in the way toumpas was, imo he has been played out of position, he's an inside mid with a quick first couple of steps who has been playing at half forward or on the outside where his pace is exposed

Toumpas had some genuine speed but has lost it and his confidence has clearly taken a massive hit, who knows if he can get it back, recruiters obviously think so

Jack's hands are incredible and I can't wait for his return to bolster our line up.

[hardtack 10,980]

Thanks for speaking sense after bing181 abused me for no reason

Toumpas has been terrible, no doubt about it

Absolute shocker of a pick 4 especially considering the players taken right after him who are dominating at AFL level already

Abused you for no reason???? You go on and on and on and on and on and on and on (getting the picture?) about how poor JT is, about how pathetic the Dees are (when not going well) and can't even honour your word when it came to no longer posting on this site. You are the classic fair weather supporter and I seriously wish that the admin on here would assist you in keeping your word by giving you an extended holiday from the site.

[olisik 4,060]

Abused you for no reason???? You go on and on and on and on and on and on and on (getting the picture?) about how poor JT is, about how pathetic the Dees are (when not going well) and can't even honour your word when it came to no longer posting on this site. You are the classic fair weather supporter and I seriously wish that the admin on here would assist you in keeping your word by giving you an extended holiday from the site.

This post adds absolutely 0 value to this thread. Please keep your pathetic personal attacks of fellow demon supporters to yourself or even in PM. Please keep this tjread about todays game.

That said is anyone able to advise how Evans went? I used to have high hopes for the kid.

[Earl Hood 6,152]

We tend to recruit better in later picks.

Too much pressure to get it right??

Should not be an issue of pressure if we did some more homework for our early picks and if we had had any idea of the type of player we needed and that would succeed. We seemed to just have a scatter gun approach to first round selections.

Of 11 first round picks since we bottomed out in 2007, I think 3 are playing tomorrow, Watts, Grimes and Salem. The rest are either injured, stuck in the magoos or retired. Clark was a tragedy for one reason, Gysbert, Cook, Morton for other reasons and then their was He who shall not be named. A poor return so far but maybe we can turn the corner and get Hogan fit, a revitalised Trengove and Toumpas next year.

[hardtack 10,980]

This post adds absolutely 0 value to this thread. Please keep your pathetic personal attacks of fellow demon supporters to yourself or even in PM. Please keep this tjread about todays game.

That said is anyone able to advise how Evans went? I used to have high hopes for the kid.

And you are no better. Apart from the fact that H-H is a poor excuse for a supporter (turns on the club the moment anything starts to go awry), are you seriously telling me your post at 4:10pm added value? (at least I waited until after the game was over and discussion was essentially over).

"Mate get it through your head. Toumpas needs to stand up, he is way off the mark right now and is barely making the Casey Seniors. For what we took him at the draft is a joke right now, if I didnt know any better I would think BP were behind picking him up."

[bing181 9,436]

Toumpas has been terrible, no doubt about it

Absolute shocker of a pick 4 ...

I rest my case.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Why is everyone so certain that ditching Casey would result in our players playing in a better side?

I never heard people suggesting it when Casey were finishing in the top four.

[chook fowler 19,734]

The VFL generally is in trouble with Bendigo Gold folding. Casey could be next so where does that leave the competition?

[Deemotivated 550]

The VFL generally is in trouble with Bendigo Gold folding. Casey could be next so where does that leave the competition?

It will eventually become AFL reserves again..

[bjDee 1,249]

Back on the topic of today's game, I had a good look at Michie at times today. In no way did he do enough to be considered for promotion but gee he shows some good old fashioned footy skills. Saw him shark the ball and look upfield for a disposal option. Hard against the boundary, downwind, kicking against the wind. Willy players coming at him from the left side. He was about to dispose, then pulled the ball in and sidestepped one player coming in from his left. Was about to dispose again, and again another enemy came flying in from the left. Michie at the last minute baulked and sidestepped a second time and then sent the ball forward cleanly to a contest further along the boundary, having no other real options. It happened within the space of about 2-3 seconds but looked so smooth and beautiful to watch.

Looks to me like he has some serious talent. Wish he could get amongst it more and really prove his worth.

[Yossarian 1,820]

What do you suggest? It's easy for people to say quit it but does that really answer the problem and are we in a position to do it? Do we take over or do we try and work a solution including investing in some good VFL players to bring the squad up to scratch?

No idea mate, I'm in no position to make suggestions. Now I'm thinking about it slightly more soberly, whatever's happening with the guys coming back in from the seconds seems to be working. I should probably hold judgement until I see how Barry and Nicholson do though.

[spirit of norm smith 16,651]

Tapscott should be bsck in the MFC team next week. Otherwise he is being persecuted!! too good for VFL

[whatwhat say what 23,630]

Looking forward to seeing the stats - wish they were more detailed.

[whatwhat say what 23,630]

correct link here: http://t.co/bVBgztu1ik

9 tackles to jkh! 93 is a huge amount for a team that was belted like that - is that laid or attempted number??

very encouraging to see jkh, tapscott and blease top the possession count, 10 rebound fifties to tapscott is great to see. jkh second for marks behind georgiou.

toumpas, well, at risk of fearing the wrath of his defenders - poor possession count, small number of entries / exits from 50s, good tackle count.

what's happened to panozza? he used to be a really good vfl level player.

[P-man 13,367]

Amongst the wreckage, it's at least good to see JKH, Tapscott, Blease and Toumpas up the top of the stat sheet.

It might not be total doom and gloom. The AFL listed players can only do so much if the Casey blokes are dragging their feet.

[Pennant St Dee 13,414]

Amongst the wreckage, it's at least good to see JKH, Tapscott, Blease and Toumpas up the top of the stat sheet.

It might not be total doom and gloom. The AFL listed players can only do so much if the Casey blokes are dragging their feet.

Sounds very much like the Dockers players with Peel Thunder

[bing181 9,436]

toumpas, well, at risk of fearing the wrath of his defenders - poor possession count, small number of entries / exits from 50s, good tackle count.

Not saying it's the case here, but Dom Barry was promoted on the back of an 8-possession game. Not all in the stats, depends on what targets they were set, and what they were asked to do. Maybe wait for Allison's review before getting the rope and pitchforks.

Good to see JKH back amongst it. Tapscott ... a positive at least it would seem, but it's not the first time he's ripped it up at VFL level.

[Adam The God 30,644]

Thanks for speaking sense after bing181 abused me for no reason

Toumpas has been terrible, no doubt about it

Absolute shocker of a pick 4 especially considering the players taken right after him who are dominating at AFL level already

Does that mean you'll give Toumpas time? I think not.

I'm never sure how to take your posts, HH. There's some good stuff in there, but you seem to change some of your views like the wind - something you've admitted as much yourself. I know this is a forum for expressing opinions, but sometimes it's better that some ideas are bucked and patience is pursued. IMO, we need to put a little more faith in Jimmy Toumpas. What's done is done. What's drafted is drafted. Let's wait and see if he and the FD can make a fist of it. It's too soon to write someone off. Surely, Pederson is evidence of this?

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

and look at what we could have picked up...

I have stayed out of this discussion for a while but facts are facts.

You do not draft a young kid who relies on pace after major hip surgery at pick 4.

Toump should have gone in the 30's.

If only T.Viney had his say in that decision, things may have been different.

Anyway, back to the trough for another go

[The Great Pretender 480]

Thanks. That's part of the thrust of what I was saying - in addition to the fact that in these cases the blame is often put on others but rarely does the person look inward. I hope its understood that I wasn't simply picking on one player here but it's a general thing. It also touches on how we as a club have recruited and developed players over the past decade. I think we're a better club now for the experience.

Wasn't Gysberts' problem that he lacked a tank? I seem to remember Demonland pre season training reports always referring to him bringing up the rear of the field during running work. If that's the case, shouldn't this have been identified when he was recruited?

[Mickey 4,757]

This is something that gets brought up every few games, but Jake Best? Worth a rookie spot, for those in the know? Or does he play too similar a role to Kent to get a look in?

[Demonland 73,842]

LEAST RESISTANCE by KC from Casey

The Casey Scorpions' horror story continued when it suffered a second consecutive loss of in excess of 80 points in front of a home crowd at Casey Fields on Saturday.

What made it even more embarrassing was that it was supposed to be a special day coinciding with the club's Pink Ribbon Day in aid of Breast Cancer awareness. Unfortunately, the game will be better known as the day on which the team meekly capitulated conceding more than half a century in points before it opened its account and, but for a few goals late in the game, it managed to avoid going into the record books with its lowest ever score.

Once the skipper lost the toss and the team was invited to kick into the teeth of a stiff gale and the opposition blasted its way to a lead of four goals in the first ten minutes, there was nothing more than the least resistance from this poor bedraggled group which boasted 12 AFL listed players in its ranks (admittedly a few are coming back from injury layoffs) against a group that contained strong match hardened bodies and players heavily committed to a cause.

"What is wrong at Casey?", many will ask and the answer is that the money is not there to build or retain a list of players to sustain you in a tough, high standard competition like the VFL where you are only as strong as your weakest link. When you're relying on eight or nine kids in their first or second seasons of senior grade football, some with a handful of games and some who can't even boast a VFL style pre season, you're in trouble to start with. If you don't have the back up in experienced hardened bodies from your AFL contingent, then you're in even worse strife.

The Scorpions simply couldn't defend properly against the tide in the opening quarter and when the Seagulls kicked the first goal of the second with coach Rohan Welsh's quarter time spray still deeply embedded in their minds, their confidence was shot to pieces.

A few tried and worked hard to defend their honour. Jay Kennedy-Harris picked up 31 touches and effected some great saving smothers and tackles and Luke Tapscott played his best game for the season. Sam Blease, who is a classy, attacking footballer and has spent the season honing his defensive skills battled hard against the odds and put in some very good efforts, particularly late in the game. But in the absence of injured Casey forward Tim Smith and with Jack Fitzpatrick required to ruck, there was no forward line so that when the players retired to the huddle at the final break, they had scored only a single forlorn goal for the entire day and that figure extended back another quarter if you count their 0 - 9 goal last term effort from a week back at Box Hill.

The thing was that last year they were relying on the likes of big Jake Spencer and at least another big man in the ruck, Jesse Hogan in a key forward post, James Sellar and Cam Pedersen in key positions, strong ball magnets in James Magner and Tom Couch in midfield assisted by VFL hard nuts in Matthews, Nicholls, Petropoulos and Gent. For one reason or another, they are not in the team and without them, the competitive spirit has been wasted away.

Perhaps Melbourne might be able to do better for itself if it goes the way of next week's opponent Richmond, which it meets at Punt Road next Saturday morning at 11.00am. In order to do that and better itself it will need to raise substantial funds for its own VFL licence as well as a squad of about 20 back up players of suitable standard and an infrastructure and staff to support the venture. Then, it will also need to walk away from the Casey/Gippsland area and a long term commitment to one of the fastest growing regions in the country.

The other alternative would be to invest some hard work and money to get Casey working as a going concern in the way Box Hill is working for Hawthorn but it's easier these days just to shrug one's shoulders and walk away.

2014 Peter Jackson VFL

Casey Scorpions 0.0.0 1.3.9 1.3.9 4.6.30

Williamstown 7.8.50 8.10.58 15.12.102 16.14.110

Goals

Casey Scorpions Blease 2 Best Page

Williamstown Conway 5 Anastasio 4 Davies 2 Fahey Hetherington Lambert Marcon Owen

Best

Casey Scorpions Kennedy-Harris Tapscott Clisby Georgiou Corry Blease

Williamstown Carr Meese Davies Masters Banner Owen

The Casey Development League team was way out of its depth against Williamstown.

2014 AFL Victoria Development League

Casey Scorpions 2.2.14 2.3.15 4.9.33 4.9.33

Williamstown 2.2.14 6.9.45 8.9.57 17.13.115

Goals

Casey Scorpions Anderson Drew Gawley Jackson

Williamstown Nixon 4 Flack 3 Gallucci Mead 2 Bese Bugeja Cashman Merlo Nastasi Walshe

Best

Casey Scorpions Drew Thomas Paredes Symons Lang Godfrey

Williamstown Bench Hayes Adams Walshe Nixon Gallucci