Casey Scorpions - the off season

[Whispering_Jack 30,101]

New Casey coach Justin Plapp

[DeeSpencer 25,695]

Fantastic. All the right experience and the right attitude.

I know die hard Casey fans would want autonomy in the senior coach, but it just doesn't make sense. They have the name, the oval, the jumpers. But no doubt for any success we have to provide the majority of the players and it has to be MFC and Casey who work together to draw VFL listed players in to the system and develop them.

Based on that video I'd be surprised if there weren't a few ex Sandy Dragons who get looked over in the draft joining Casey this year. Casey isn't even that far a drive for those at the southern end of the Dragons zone.

[KC from Casey 7,064]

Following on from the appointment of Justin Plapp as senior coach, the Casey Scorpions have appointed former premiership coach Michael Ford as senior assistant coach.

Ford coached the Scorpions prior to their move out to Casey when they were known as Springvale.

[beelzebub 23,370]

KC

Whats your take on all of this. Given the 'beefier' coaching stocks and a seeming 'bringing into the house of coaching ideals" i.e Melbourne outlining the goalposts as it were , would you expect a serious change in the playing results , at least as far as how they go about it on game days etc..

This year quite frankly Casey just seemed like lost lambs.

Your thoughts ? cheers

[KC from Casey 7,064]

KC

Whats your take on all of this. Given the 'beefier' coaching stocks and a seeming 'bringing into the house of coaching ideals" i.e Melbourne outlining the goalposts as it were , would you expect a serious change in the playing results , at least as far as how they go about it on game days etc..

This year quite frankly Casey just seemed like lost lambs.

Your thoughts ? cheers

If you know the expression "money talks" I suspect there hasn't been much talking over at Casey. The Scorps relied on a number of young players replacing more seasoned and bigger bodied players who left and this put everyone under the pump. They need to attract a couple of more mature players to the camp and hope that there aren't too many injuries at Melbourne. The Dees suffered badly early in the season with the loss of rucks and tall forwards. This filtered down to Casey which also had injury issues. When Jake Spencer went down it was a major blow because ruck, midfield and key position strength is vital and the alignment simply didn't have enough of thaese ingredients to match it with some of the others.

FInally, with the team trying to emulate the defensive style that was being instilled at Melbourne, it simply didn't work because the young kids struggled to cope with the demands of that sort of game plan.

One piece of good news is that skipper Evan Panozza has apparently told the club he will play on in 2015.

[Dees2014 2,377]

I think I recall Roos saying something about Plapp recently (B&F speech or in his end of year interview with Burgo) seemed to single him out and sounded like he had a bit of time for him, so hopefully they will be both on the same page in terms of Casey in 2015

Yes Roos has also said on more than one occasion after Casey received hidings under Welsh that is very important that the Seconds are competitive and have a winning culture. This has been true really up until the Welsh/Neeld era where Casey was usually in the finals and before that Sandringham was nearly always competitive and won several flags under us.

I suggest Roos has been dying to do this all year.

[Freddy Fuschia 741]

Yes Roos has also said on more than one occasion after Casey received hidings under Welsh that is very important that the Seconds are competitive and have a winning culture. This has been true really up until the Welsh/Neeld era where Casey was usually in the finals and before that Sandringham was nearly always competitive and won several flags under us.

I suggest Roos has been dying to do this all year.

Your comment is not quite right. Casey did make the finals in both seasons during which Neeld was coach and in fact finished top four in after the home and away series in each year (top in 2012) with their problem being lack of available AFL listed players due to injuries. This year they suffered more through injuries throughout the club and had a lack of depth through their VFL list. Welsh did coach them to the finals in his first year.

I'm not sure what Roos' policy was with Casey in 2014. It seemed more a case of him not caring because we had a lot of our own players there who he obviously wasn't impressed with going by the recent delisted players. I'm struggling to come up with more than one player there who showed any improvement there apart from James Harmes.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Freddy Fuschia

[Whispering_Jack 30,101]

I hope the appointment of Plapp marks a serious change in the way we look at Casey because it wasn't working on a number of levels this year and hence the team's fall from grace.

It was not dissimilar to what appears to be taking place at Melbourne City in the A League where Manchester City have tossed David Villa in as a loan player originally for 10 games and have now pulled him out after four. There might be some personal issues there but right at the moment, the connection to a big English club isn't helping the newly constituted club here.

[Bonkers 994]

I believe its a matter of having enough money to attract senior level VFL players. Like KC said, there isn't much down there at the moment & they lost players last season also. Young players were drafted in to replace the players that left & it didn't work out, which is understandable.

Has anyone heard if this situation is being rectified or will it be more of the same for this upcoming season?

[rjay 24,923]

I believe its a matter of having enough money to attract senior level VFL players. Like KC said, there isn't much down there at the moment & they lost players last season also. Young players were drafted in to replace the players that left & it didn't work out, which is understandable.

Has anyone heard if this situation is being rectified or will it be more of the same for this upcoming season?

We need to invest development money in some of these guys to balance the team and make it competitive. It won't be successful on the back of the Melbourne listed players and development will be hampered.

[KC from Casey 7,064]

We now know the news of the signing of Sandringham's James Munro who with three other Casey players is training at Melbourne -Casey quartet train with Melbourne.

In addition it looks like Shannon Byrnes will be coming on board as an assistant playing coach - Dual Geelong premiership player Shannon Byrnes appointed playing assistant coach of Casey Scorpions.

Great appointment.

The Scorpions have re-signed power forward Tim Smith but on the flip side, two players are leaving the club:-

* forward Jake Best who had a disappointing 2014 after a great debut season the year before is returning to Leongatha, and

* former Demon listed player Troy Davis.

[dazzledavey36 54,922]

Good appointment indeed.

Obviously Roosy rates his leadership qaulities still. Wouldn't be surprised if in two years time he becomes a development coach for us like Brad Miller this year.

[rjay 24,923]

Good appointment indeed.

Obviously Roosy rates his leadership qaulities still. Wouldn't be surprised if in two years time he becomes a development coach for us like Brad Miller this year.

Bringing Byrnes on board is also a very good move, it looks like we are now starting to take the alignment a bit more seriously.

It's got to be an important cornerstone of development.

[binman 42,939]

We now know the news of the signing of Sandringham's James Munro who with three other Casey players is training at Melbourne -Casey quartet train with Melbourne.

In addition it looks like Shannon Byrnes will be coming on board as an assistant playing coach - Dual Geelong premiership player Shannon Byrnes appointed playing assistant coach of Casey Scorpions.

Great appointment.

The Scorpions have re-signed power forward Tim Smith but on the flip side, two players are leaving the club:-

* forward Jake Best who had a disappointing 2014 after a great debut season the year before is returning to Leongatha, and

* former Demon listed player Troy Davis.

Excellent ideas. Byrnes would make an ideal playing coach and still be a pretty competitive at VFL level. Might snag a few goals.

Some Casey players training with us feels a little like they are introducing elements of an academy as does appointing Plapp who seems to part of the Dees' coaching set up.

Can only help Casey and as WJ rightly says something has to happen.

With Plapp coaching at Casey and Miller having a big involvement, I wonder if they are also thinking a bit about creating a coaching pathway. Fits with the whole succession model they have in place. Goodwin takes over from Roos and someone below steps up to senior assistant and heir apparent. I like what they are doing at the Dees atm.

[DeeSpencer 25,695]

Surprised that Byrnes at age 30 wants to keep battling away at VFL level, but good luck to him.

He's a positive guy. That will be good for Casey especially if they aren't going well like this year.

I'd say McCartney's appointment and Byrnes' are probably linked. He can see himself getting in to the development coaching business (he helped out at Oakleigh this year), so why not be involved where Roos and McCartney will be.

Nice to see ex players positive about the club as well. I read an article about Nicholson today and he had no hard feelings.

[Dee Dee 1,108]

Surprised that Byrnes at age 30 wants to keep battling away at VFL level, but good luck to him.

He's a positive guy. That will be good for Casey especially if they aren't going well like this year.

I'd say McCartney's appointment and Byrnes' are probably linked. He can see himself getting in to the development coaching business (he helped out at Oakleigh this year), so why not be involved where Roos and McCartney will be.

Nice to see ex players positive about the club as well. I read an article about Nicholson today and he had no hard feelings.

Adem Yze took on a similar role at Hawthorn and look how that turned out!

[Demon trucker 1,800]

Shannon Byrnes - welfare and development coach at Casey

[Gipsy Danger 1,067]

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-11-11/byrnes-gains-new-role-with-melbourne

[Demon3 2,541]

Great appointment. One of those blokes that's true value is measured in what he offers off the ground rather than what he offered on it.

extremely popular. some good decisions being made at this club at the moment. Bit scary really!

[Vagg 2,439]

Very pleased to see this. While Shannon didn't exactly set the world on fire during his short tenure in our team, he is well known for being a top club man. Even won the award at Geelong as "Best Club Man" in his final year there. Personally, I think it's a great appointment. I'm really pleased to know Shannon will remain around the club in an important role. Seems he will also be pulling on the boots for Casey.

Congratulations, Shannon!

[Lord Ivanhoe 311]

Most important is the BIG focus on player welfare & development. This is the way MFC can best assist young men develop to their highest potential. Fantastic!

[Sir Why You Little 37,035]

Obviously a popular person around the club and well respected.

Good luck let us all hope you can help turn the old girl into a powerhouse again.

You have a very important job.

Happy players will work harder to improve their best.

We need that every week.

[poita 3,902]

If we keep going at this rate we will have more development coaches on the payroll than players.

I've asked this question before - what do our coaches do all day, other than standing around scratching their balls?

[chook fowler 19,458]

It makes sense to boost the coaching presence at Casey.

The last 2 years were really poor - doubt if any of our players learnt much playing there.

[daisycutter 29,614]

If we keep going at this rate we will have more development coaches on the payroll than players.

I've asked this question before - what do our coaches do all day, other than standing around scratching their balls?

so, what else should they do?

the afl is a well known gravy-train