Maxy alternated with Fitzy in the ruck and up forward. Despite not playing full time in the ruck he still picked up 45 hit outs.

Disposals: Nicholson 40, M. Jones & Strauss 33, Morris 29, Clisby 25, Michie 23, Salem 22 & Gawn 22 (plus 45 hit outs and 4 goals 1).

Gawn's body and general fitness won't allow him him to do it for MFC. Yet. An injury free preseason where he can build his tank and an AFL body and we'll see Max deliver his Casey performances on the big stage.

Well said. I'm glad you put the 'yet' in your post as I was ready to disagree... but you're spot on!

Really liked Max's game and endeavour all day. Nicho was in the thick of it all day and played very well. Most of the time he kicked fine and didn't butcher it. I'd say Clisby's kicking was worse for not hitting targets than Nicho today. Jones Strauss and Clisby got into the game more after the 1st qtr. Was disappointed with Michie's game - he was in all the right places around the packs but seemed to get pounced on whenever he got the ball. Salem had a number of cameos with a mix of some nice bits of play and some bits where he didn't go hard enough. Strauss again running off back or half back made some good forward deliveries by foot.

Some of the Casey boys really stood up well today - sorry, not familiar with most their names. That was the difference vs previous weeks that I have seen - we were competitive across most positions around the ground and it wasn't just up to the MFC boys.

Any feedback on Josh Tynan's game, bjDee?

Any feedback on Josh Tynan's game, bjDee?

Sorry - not much. I didn't see him in the play much, wasn't really looking out for him. Had one possession in front of me that was very nice - beautiful kick around the boundary line which showed he was a class above many others on the field for kicking skills at least.

After a bit of a look on the Scorps website, their better players by my memory included: Ed Morris, Panozza, Rutherford, Best, Petropoulos, Troy Davis. Could be wrong on some of those - KC will have a much better idea.

To clarify, I mean of the non-MFC players only.

Edited July 19, 201411 yr by bjDee

There have been a few reports from the club about working on Gawn's game as a forward, so it's really good to see he's getting plenty of time down there and doing a good job. If he can make himself a legitimate threat then he's going to be hell to match up on in a year or two.

Max had super glue on his hands today. He clunked a few really, really strong marks up forward and looked really hard to beat in the air. When he wasn't in position to mark, some of his spoils to advantage of our players were almost as good as a mark.

Edited July 19, 201411 yr by bjDee

There have been a few reports from the club about working on Gawn's game as a forward, so it's really good to see he's getting plenty of time down there and doing a good job. If he can make himself a legitimate threat then he's going to be hell to match up on in a year or two.

Spot on. It seems as though they are grooming him as a legit ruck/forward, rather than just as a ruckman who rests forward.

The good thing about Gawn, unlike Jamar is, he gets involved all over the ground and presents, gathering quite a few possessions. He does this at senior level too.

Be good to have a forward who can stick a mark !!

The good thing about Gawn, unlike Jamar is, he gets involved all over the ground and presents, gathering quite a few possessions. He does this at senior level too.

No he doesn't - that's why he's playing at Casey.

The main issue with Max as I understand it is holding marks. Seems a big step forward today.

Max has clunked a few at AFL level. More than Jamar and Spencer combined in recent times. And getting himself AFL fit will allow him to get to more contests to give himself an opportunity to contest a few more.

Edited July 19, 201411 yr by Tough Kent

Thanks so much for the updates.

Like the seniors, they just don't seem to know how to win. Permeated through both levels.

Max has clunked a few at AFL level. More than Jamar and Spencer combined in recent times. And getting himself AFL fit will allow him to get to more contests to give himself an opportunity to contest a few more.

Max Gawn needs to be coached by Pedo.

Gawn is a shithouse mark.

No he doesn't - that's why he's playing at Casey.

He certainly does so.

More than Jamar and spencer. Just a bit young at the moment

If Jamar has managed to have a 10+ year AFL career with his output then Gawn will make it.

The question of whether Gawn has an OK career as a solid first ruck, with maybe one or two dominant years, or whether he is a high quality ruck will, imo, come down to whether he can develop to be damaging when resting forward.

The problem with Gawn is that he has literally never had a full Pre season. He is always doing hammys, Knees etc..

Needs a full solid summer and he will be our number 1 ruckman.

Max Gawn needs to be coached by Pedo.

Gawn is a shithouse mark.

Ok...

If Gawn was a marking threat inside 50 then he'd be in the side. Watching him get outbodied and outmarked by Garrick Ibbotson - 21cm shorter - against Freo was one of the more embarrassing things I've seen this year and I reckon big Maxy would agree.

I love that the Casey watchers are talking up his marking - it's a sign of progress, but I agree with BBO and others that it's been an area he's struggled in this year.

Nicholson's misses proved costly

Either one is a goal and Casey win the game

SEASON GONE WRONG by KC from Casey

Until this game Frankston had never won a game at Casey Fields. In recent years the Dolphins have suffered some humiliating losses both at home and away and they have not beaten the Scorpions since 2006. Well they finally made it and deservedly so because, despite the poor start they kept plugging away with an insatiable desire for the football and ultimately, they triumphed by a solitary goal.

Casey started well in the cold and drizzly conditions that prevailed at Cranbourne East playing arguably their best football for more than twelve months. They were getting first use of the ball out of the middle and moving it well into the forward line. Max Gawn was in good marking form when he played up forward and had two goals at the first break.

The Dolphins came out with improved intensity with the aid of the breeze and took 12 minutes to narrow the deficit to a mere two points and looked like brushing the home team aside completely but the Scorpions regrouped and held firm to hold the narrowest of leads at half time.

Frankston continued to work hard and harass the more accomplished Casey players and held the lead for much of the early part of the third quarter. From there the game ebbed and flowed to the end and whilst the Scorps looked winners when the lead went out to 17 points halfway through the final term and with Gawn in great form up forward, the Dolphins surged to a well deserved victory. The excitement continued until well after the thirty minute mark when Christian Salem marked 45 metres out. Unlike a few weeks ago, his shot for goal fell short just before the siren sounded.

Most of Casey's better players were its AFL listees but young Ed Morris (29 disposals) again impressed and the club introduced yet another debutant Nathan Paraedes who had his moments as did young Demon international rookie Maia Westrupp in just his second game. Youngsters such as Angus Scott who kicked two goals are showing improvement.

Casey now has a week's bye to reflect on a season gone wrong.

2014 Peter Jackson VFL

Casey Scorpions 5.3.33 6.4.40 9.10.64 12.10.82

Frankston 1.1.7 6.3.39 8.4.52 13.10.88

Goals

Casey Scorpions Gawn 4 Petropoulos Scott 2 Best Clisby Fitzpatrick M Jones

Frankston Harper Potts Simpson 2 Buchan Coleman Haretuku Lourey Newman Pollard Sutton

Best

Casey Scorpions Gawn Strauss Nicholson Fitzpatrick Morris M Jones

Frankston Kitchin Potts Simpson Tynan Harper

The development league team was in the game until well into the final quarter before going down by 16 points.

2014 AFL Victoria Development League

Casey Scorpions 3.4.22 4.7.31 6.11.47 7.15.57

Frankston 3.4.22 5.8.38 7.9.51 10.13.73

Casey Scorpions Rennie 2 Anderson Pears Rosier Saunders Smith

Frankston Farmer 4 Alwan 3 Clements Fox Irving

Best

Casey Scorpions Hillard Jackson Lang Anderson Welsh Del Papa

Frankston Irving Fox Alwan Farmer Brennan Beech

If Gawn was a marking threat inside 50 then he'd be in the side. Watching him get outbodied and outmarked by Garrick Ibbotson - 21cm shorter - against Freo was one of the more embarrassing things I've seen this year and I reckon big Maxy would agree.

I love that the Casey watchers are talking up his marking - it's a sign of progress, but I agree with BBO and others that it's been an area he's struggled in this year.

Isn't this more to do with him lacking an AFL body and being pushed aside by the big boys? When Max gets a run and jump at the footy I believe he has very good hands.

Good to see Strauss in the best. Sort of.