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.

TK, watch Gawn's last two or three games....he gets his hands to a lot of ball, but they just don't stick.

He has to learn to use his backside and hips to absorb some of the pressure that comes from behind.

TK, watch Gawn's last two or three games....he gets his hands to a lot of ball, but they just don't stick.

He has to learn to use his backside and hips to absorb some of the pressure that comes from behind.

And that will come when he has size and belief in his strength to beat opponents. Let's agree to disagree.

And that will come when he has size and belief in his strength to beat opponents. Let's agree to disagree.

Happy with that.

He certainly does so.

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

We're on slightly different routes (note spelling) Song! I recall watching Max in the in the pre season intra club game at Goschs. He was mostly playing forward and took some good grabs and it looked like he was being primed for this role. Later on in the year he again demonstrated this ability in a good performance against Richmond from memory. However he subsequently lost form and confidence and couldn't catch anything. As Nasher pointed out above, he was getting outmarked or spoiled in situations and against opponents you'd reckon he'd be all over. He was sent back to Casey

Now it seems from reports he put in a very good marking performance against Frankston. This may be enough to get him back in the seniors - god knows we need a marking option.

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.

His marking has, until now, been well under acceptable for a 210cm player.

Seeing him make progress in that area really excites me though. If we can develop him into a ruck who can pose a genuine forward threat, then we're onto something big. He's already got exceptional mobility for someone his size, and he's always shown a willingness to try to get involved. If we can harness that and turn it into a forward who can use his body, take some grabs, and kick some goals, then we're going to improve a huge amount when the time inevitably comes for us to need him to be our number 1 ruck.

Gawn's always been a decent around the ground mark. Like most players he finds it harder to take a mark as a forward with a defender right on him. Hasn't yet worked out how to find the balance between going hard at the ball and pushing off his opponent. Plus he's much more athletic with the ball on the ground than the ball in air at this stage.

But look at Carlisle from Essendon. Couldn't take a mark in the first half of the season. Grabbed everything, kicked 8 and could've easily had 10 today.

Big Max will take time and IMPO deserves to be persevered with. Sandilands still struggles to take a mark and he has been in the system a lot longer. Max is a goer and has an appetite for the contest , our player development over the last 8 years has ben rubbish and I think Max will blossom under new tutelage and a big pre season

The statistics from the game are interesting. Casey finished with 422 disposals to 345, they had 123 to 68 marks and dominated the hit outs by 69 to 22. I would expect figures like those to produce a reasonably easy win but instead they lost by a goal and in fact, went inside 50 only 43 times to 56.

Disposal and decision-making must have been rather ordinary to produce such a result.

Dom Barry 8 disposals 2 kicks 6 handballs 1 marks 3 tackles 30 Dream Team Points

Matt Clisby 1 goal 28 disposals 15 kicks 13 handballs 8 marks 2 tackles 106 Dream Team Points

Jack Fitzpatrick 1 goal 3 behinds 19 disposals 12 kicks 7 handballs 10 marks 2 tackles 30 hit outs 128 Dream Team Points

Max Gawn 4 goals 1 point 23 disposals 12 kicks 11 handballs 13 marks 5 tackles 39 hit outs 179 Dream Team Pointsłuî

Alexis Georgoiu 10 disposals 7 kicks 3 handballs 6 marks 3 tackles 53 Dream Team Points

James Harmes 21 disposals 8 kicks 13 handballs 3 marks 1 tackle 59 Dream Team Points

Matt Jones 1 goal 2 behinds 35 disposals 17 kicks 18 handballs 9 marks 5 tackles 139 Dream Team Points

Viv Michie 24 disposals 13 kicks 11 handballs 2 marks 7 tackles 93 Dream Team Points

Dan Nicholson 39 disposals 23 kicks 16 handballs 11 marks 8 tackles 168 Dream Team Points

Christian Salem 1 point 22 disposals 18 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks 4 tackles 85 Dream Team Points

James Strauss 35 disposals 22 kicks 13 handballs 11 marks 3 tackles 135 Dream Team Points

Maia Westrupp disposals 3 kicks 4 handballs 3 tackles 32 Dream Team Points

Stats as we know don't always tell the story however Clisby, Gawn, Jones, Nicho and Strauss certainly had a decent share of the Sherrin.

Will await the player appraisal with interest.

The statistics from the game are interesting. Casey finished with 422 disposals to 345, they had 123 to 68 marks and dominated the hit outs by 69 to 22. I would expect figures like those to produce a reasonably easy win but instead they lost by a goal and in fact, went inside 50 only 43 times to 56.

Disposal and decision-making must have been rather ordinary to produce such a result.

Dom Barry 8 disposals 2 kicks 6 handballs 1 marks 3 tackles 30 Dream Team Points

Matt Clisby 1 goal 28 disposals 15 kicks 13 handballs 8 marks 2 tackles 106 Dream Team Points

Jack Fitzpatrick 1 goal 3 behinds 19 disposals 12 kicks 7 handballs 10 marks 2 tackles 30 hit outs 128 Dream Team Points

Max Gawn 4 goals 1 point 23 disposals 12 kicks 11 handballs 13 marks 5 tackles 39 hit outs 179 Dream Team Pointsłuî

Alexis Georgoiu 10 disposals 7 kicks 3 handballs 6 marks 3 tackles 53 Dream Team Points

James Harmes 21 disposals 8 kicks 13 handballs 3 marks 1 tackle 59 Dream Team Points

Matt Jones 1 goal 2 behinds 35 disposals 17 kicks 18 handballs 9 marks 5 tackles 139 Dream Team Points

Viv Michie 24 disposals 13 kicks 11 handballs 2 marks 7 tackles 93 Dream Team Points

Dan Nicholson 39 disposals 23 kicks 16 handballs 11 marks 8 tackles 168 Dream Team Points

Christian Salem 1 point 22 disposals 18 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks 4 tackles 85 Dream Team Points

James Strauss 35 disposals 22 kicks 13 handballs 11 marks 3 tackles 135 Dream Team Points

Maia Westrupp disposals 3 kicks 4 handballs 3 tackles 32 Dream Team Points

gotta love those numbers from Jones. Respect

Max Gawn needs to be coached by Pedo.

Gawn is a shithouse mark.

But he's a whole lot better than "Mark!!" Jamar!

But he's a whole lot better than "Mark!!" Jamar!

I like what you did there, good way to finish off a days work with a laugh like that.

The statistics from the game are interesting. Casey finished with 422 disposals to 345, they had 123 to 68 marks and dominated the hit outs by 69 to 22. I would expect figures like those to produce a reasonably easy win but instead they lost by a goal and in fact, went inside 50 only 43 times to 56.

Disposal and decision-making must have been rather ordinary to produce such a result.

Dom Barry 8 disposals 2 kicks 6 handballs 1 marks 3 tackles 30 Dream Team Points

Matt Clisby 1 goal 28 disposals 15 kicks 13 handballs 8 marks 2 tackles 106 Dream Team Points

Jack Fitzpatrick 1 goal 3 behinds 19 disposals 12 kicks 7 handballs 10 marks 2 tackles 30 hit outs 128 Dream Team Points

Max Gawn 4 goals 1 point 23 disposals 12 kicks 11 handballs 13 marks 5 tackles 39 hit outs 179 Dream Team Pointsłuî

Alexis Georgoiu 10 disposals 7 kicks 3 handballs 6 marks 3 tackles 53 Dream Team Points

James Harmes 21 disposals 8 kicks 13 handballs 3 marks 1 tackle 59 Dream Team Points

Matt Jones 1 goal 2 behinds 35 disposals 17 kicks 18 handballs 9 marks 5 tackles 139 Dream Team Points

Viv Michie 24 disposals 13 kicks 11 handballs 2 marks 7 tackles 93 Dream Team Points

Dan Nicholson 39 disposals 23 kicks 16 handballs 11 marks 8 tackles 168 Dream Team Points

Christian Salem 1 point 22 disposals 18 kicks 4 handballs 3 marks 4 tackles 85 Dream Team Points

James Strauss 35 disposals 22 kicks 13 handballs 11 marks 3 tackles 135 Dream Team Points

Maia Westrupp disposals 3 kicks 4 handballs 3 tackles 32 Dream Team Points

Disposal count reflects the ridiculous stats padding that occurred in this game. Three guys chipped between each other 6 times shifting the ball from the half forward line right back to the defensive 50. Also as has become customary at casey kick ins the kicker in always kicks to himself and then launches a mad rushed bomb down the line. This happens a lot at afl level too and it's one of the reason dunn's disposal stat has increased so much this season. Not saying he hasn't had a great year. I've become convinced that this tactic wouldn't occur nearly as much if the kicker in didn't get credited with a kick for their trouble.

Anyhow casey should have won this game. They Lost because the defenders were hopelessly isolated in the last 10 minutes.

Disposal count reflects the ridiculous stats padding that occurred in this game. Three guys chipped between each other 6 times shifting the ball from the half forward line right back to the defensive 50. Also as has become customary at casey kick ins the kicker in always kicks to himself and then launches a mad rushed bomb down the line. This happens a lot at afl level too and it's one of the reason dunn's disposal stat has increased so much this season. Not saying he hasn't had a great year. I've become convinced that this tactic wouldn't occur nearly as much if the kicker in didn't get credited with a kick for their trouble.

Anyhow casey should have won this game. They Lost because the defenders were hopelessly isolated in the last 10 minutes.

How ridiculous - does the kick in guy really get credited with two kicks if he chips to himself then kicks it? (By the way I seriously doubt that this would be a reason that Lyndon does this).

But it does show what an inappropriate weight can be placed on raw stats.

I suspect that the clubs do a far deeper analysis and only rate kicks that contribute to the greater good.

How ridiculous - does the kick in guy really get credited with two kicks if he chips to himself then kicks it? (By the way I seriously doubt that this would be a reason that Lyndon does this).

But it does show what an inappropriate weight can be placed on raw stats.

I suspect that the clubs do a far deeper analysis and only rate kicks that contribute to the greater good.

If the kicker-in stands and surveys options and then kicks out from the front of the goal square he receives no 'kick' stat. If he kicks to himself and then hurriedly kicks to the same position he is credited with a 'kick'. I'm not denying the good sense in playing in some circumstances, but several guys at casey do this virtually every single time, and frequently only succeed in putting themselves under pressure.

And yes Dunnie is sometimes guilty of this too. I presume you're correct that astute judges take this into consideration when assessing performance. Still can make quite a difference to interpretation of stats if the same guy does it every kick in. Can turn a 20 possession game into a 35 possession blinder!

If the kicker-in stands and surveys options and then kicks out from the front of the goal square he receives no 'kick' stat. If he kicks to himself and then hurriedly kicks to the same position he is credited with a 'kick'. I'm not denying the good sense in playing in some circumstances, but several guys at casey do this virtually every single time, and frequently only succeed in putting themselves under pressure.

And yes Dunnie is sometimes guilty of this too. I presume you're correct that astute judges take this into consideration when assessing performance. Still can make quite a difference to interpretation of stats if the same guy does it every kick in. Can turn a 20 possession game into a 35 possession blinder!

Let's be serious the main reason the player does it is to gain 15 m on the run and therefore Dunn can get the football 70m away from our goals.

Edited July 22, 201411 yr by Mad_Melbourne

Are you sure jiminez that the person doing a normal kick out does not receive a stat? If so that is ridiculous. Why wouldn't it be a stat? If its not a kick what is it? Apart from kicking goals it is probably the most important kick and the guy given the responsibility should get the credit. By the by if it is not a stat then presumably a kick that results in a turnover (like Howes howler that cost us a crucial goal) is not counted as a clanger

Edited July 22, 201411 yr by binman

Judging from the VFL player review, I wouldn't be surprised if Gawn and Strauss make the seniors next time...

Edited July 23, 201411 yr by Buffalo

Think Strauss needs a couple more quality games, but its definitely good to see him having an impact. Given we're missing someone who can run and create out of our defensive 50, if he continue to perform then he might just save himself in the nick of time - and give us some quality.

Judging from the VFL player review, I wouldn't be surprised if Gawn and Strauss make the seniors next time...

Encouraging to see that players like Strauss and Michie are showing clear improvement in critiqued areas. It certainly reads like the development at the club is miles ahead of where it was in recent years. Maybe guys who have previously been written off might actually have a chance of developing into good AFL players and salvage some of our oft criticised recruiting.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-07-23/vfl-player-review-round-15

Encouraging to see that players like Strauss and Michie are showing clear improvement in critiqued areas. It certainly reads like the development at the club is miles ahead of where it was in recent years. Maybe guys who have previously been written off might actually have a chance of developing into good AFL players and salvage some of our oft criticised recruiting.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-07-23/vfl-player-review-round-15

I've never been a huge fan of Strauss but I'm extremely pleased to see him finding some form in the VFL. I'm getting to the stage where I want to more than just hard work and effort, we need to see some skill which is what Strauss, Blease and Tapscott can all potentially bring to the side if they can work hard enough.