Changes for Round 4

[Bonkers 994]

I would be very surprised if Dawes is in the gun. Whilst we would like him Im sure to kick goals and take more more he is in their for his work rate and making a contest to bring it to ground. How many aerial contests did he actually lose yesterday? Watts will be on notice but I doubt will be dropped. Richmond's back up ruck is Griffiths. Unless Gawn or Spencer tear it up today I would just use Dawes sparingly in there for some light relief and accept he is there to halve the contest and that is all. Whilst I like the idea of 3 crumbers none of them are consistent in their output so I would much prefer we take in an extra runner and play the two more likely to see midfield minutes as well.

People calling for 3+ changes. They should consider it is not the Roos way Casey play today and the player would need to back up on a Friday.

Out Frost and Kent

In Michie and next best performed mid from Casey today.

This is my issue with Dawes at the moment. I realise he is providing an option to kick to when there is no other option. But if all he is providing is halving a contest I don't think that is good enough at this level. If he could ruck more effectively he would be a greater asset, but he is a limited footballer. I'm now beginning to see why Collingwood were happy to move him on, he doesn't have great skills & doesn't do much other than half a contest. How often does he win his position on the day? In the weeks since he has been included in our side our ball movement out of the backline has become more stagnant & that has to have something to do with what's happening up the field. Dawes for mine is a big part of that.

[stuie 7,374]

Not venturing out to Casey today, but VERY keen to see how our talls (Spencil, Gawn, Pedo) go given Jamar and Dawes are starting to leave the door slightly ajar.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Just on Jack Watts

12 possessions.......8 contested ,,,,4 un contested......75% eff....3 tackles....14 pressure acts...2 goal assists....3 score involvments

Just saying.....

Ranked 14th out of the 22 yesterday in key stat rankings.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Peterson for Frost

Toumpas for cross.

I know cross can get his hands on the ball, spreads, defends and gives his all but his kicking and lack of creativity is starting to hurt the team. Think toump needs to be given extended run and let's see what he can do.

Cross was ranked No.1 on stats yesterday and is ranked No.1 in the team averages for the year so far.

He gets involved and i dissagree on the creativity, at least by hand. Maybe by foot he isn't as skilled or creative. But by hand he makes lessor or more junior players look good, setting up many plays and giving off critical handballs to players who are loose or on the run to "create" play and score (sometimes lol).

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,194]

Until we have more mids who can get their hands on the ball 20+ times consistently Cross will continue to be a mainstay in the side. His mature body will be important with Freo, Sydney, Hawthiorn coming up.

[jazza 1,323]

Until we have more mids who can get their hands on the ball 20+ times consistently Cross will continue to be a mainstay in the side. His mature body will be important with Freo, Sydney, Hawthiorn coming up.

Got him for nothing last year and he showed the way with his remarkable gut running and courage.

Expected nothing but hard desperate trying until his body runs out of petrol.

Carried out his instructions since hes got to club.

Thanks before the nail you to the wall Crossy.

[Gator 17,379]

Disagree. If its fringe player crumber or tall flanker for fringe player midfielder. It will assist the make up of our side.

Any changes are designed to assist team balance/form/injuries, which is why they're made. But interchanging players ranked 22-26 on your list isn't really of any great consequence.

That's not to say they won't make an impact, but they'll only make an impact if your better players are performing, i.e. winning contested and uncontested footy. They'll be of no real significance if your core 12-15 players are being pantsed.

[Guest]

I still don't understand people who want to drop Kent. He creates, he's tough, and his forward pressure is very, very good.

Nothing against Kennedy-Harris , but Kent is a far superior option if we're left to choose between the two. I admire JKH's efforts to create plays, but for someone of his diminutive size and strength, he is nowhere near fast enough to make much of an impact at this stage.

Kent is stronger, faster and better defensively, and at this stage is a more rounded player than JKH.

[WhyAlwaysMe 237]

The stubbornness of Roos is continuing to hinder the side, only making minimum changes to the side when the predictable match conditions required several changes, all the tall's had minimum impact including Hoges even thou he showed he will be a excellent player.With Viney out we needed another 2 players of the likes of Mckenzie & Riley. We had 2 to many tall's luckily for us it was 1 of our tall's subbed of early. We had plenty of effort but the Adelaide tackling was supreme.

[The Devil Inside 2,147]

The stubbornness of Roos is continuing to hinder the side, only making minimum changes to the side when the predictable match conditions required several changes, all the tall's had minimum impact including Hoges even thou he showed he will be a excellent player.With Viney out we needed another 2 players of the likes of Mckenzie & Riley. We had 2 to many tall's luckily for us it was 1 of our tall's subbed of early. We had plenty of effort but the Adelaide tackling was supreme.

Riley is at least another game or two from being battle fit, and they are turning McKenzie into a half back, obviously because they think he has been passed in the midfield

[WhyAlwaysMe 237]

Riley is at least another game or two from being battle fit, and they are turning McKenzie into a half back, obviously because they think he has been passed in the midfield

players of the like

[Henrietta Lumbago 331]

Brayshaw to start in the middle and to play a full game, clearly he is a better player than most on our list, I think he is our Ollie Wines and we should give him game time.

He has dominated the VFL practice matches hence why he debuted in round 1.

He has had a good impact as a sub and easily keeps his position in the team each week.

He uses the ball well and makes smart decisions, gets involved, has great disposal, tackles and competes hard.

Cut him loose of the sub vest...forever!

[Dr. Gonzo 24,226]

I'm sorry to break my self imposed ban on bashing of a very skilled player but Jack Watts can't be allowed to play next week, He again displayed his recent trend of dropping absolute sitters (twice!) that cosy us goals and momentum, as well as being embarrassingly soft on occasions.

I would normally agree but Richmond are Watts' bunnies. He'll kick 3 next week, bank on it.

[Henrietta Lumbago 331]

Riley is at least another game or two from being battle fit, and they are turning McKenzie into a half back, obviously because they think he has been passed in the midfield

If we are looking to players like Mckenzie and Fitzpatrick then we have a big problem.

Mckenzie, Fitzpatrick, Bail, M Jones are basically done and they should be looking for a trade at the end of the year if they can get one.

Spencer and Gawn should be coming through to replace Jamar....

[Dr. Gonzo 24,226]

Vince might not play.

Kent might not either.

Oh please. If either of them go for those hits it will be ridiculous. Vince at worst could get a reprimand, there was nothing in the Kent one - he went for a tackle and the guy slipped as Kent made contact meaning he got him hig. Was a free kick and nothing more.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Watts is the softest "good" player I've seen. But he's not going to get dropped over a couple of spilt marks when marks are routinely dropped by others.

If I'd been in charge he'd no longer be on the list, but he'll play because he is on the list and if we want to beat Richmond a good Watts game can make a difference.

its infectious, its karma, & its culture

its infectious because the natural instinct is to duck the coming harm.... this is why its difficult to do. this is why its infectious, because when one routinely does it, others then also follow.

it starts to eat away at what the club wants to build, courage under fire.

if we allow it frequently, then the kids in the club will take this lead & will develop accordingly, & then we end up getting our just rewards for that effort.

........... just as we have for the past 50 years.

failure

& a danger to our own existence.

Edited April 19, 2015 by dee-luded

[dee-luded 2,959]

I still don't understand people who want to drop Kent. He creates, he's tough, and his forward pressure is very, very good.

Nothing against Kennedy-Harris , but Kent is a far superior option if we're left to choose between the two. I admire JKH's efforts to create plays, but for someone of his diminutive size and strength, he is nowhere near fast enough to make much of an impact at this stage.

Kent is stronger, faster and better defensively, and at this stage is a more rounded player than JKH.

& he's developing, & learning on the job. I agree, Kent isn't our main worry

[Dr. Gonzo 24,226]

Out: Frost

In: whoever performs best at Casey out of Toumpas, Michie, Grimes and Jones.

We only had one forced change after last week's debacle, do people really think Roos is gonna throw the magnets in the air and drop any of Dawes, Kent (lol) Jetta (double lol) JKH etc?

Brayshaw has to start though, probably have JKH as sub - I'd select Howe or Watts instead on form but both usually have good games against the Tiges.

[titan_uranus 25,020]

From the Casey reports I've read, I'm not sure anyone was utterly dominant to mean we just have to bring them in.

Accordingly, I don't think we'll see many changes. If Frost is injured then I think we'll bring in Pedersen - as much as I'd like us to use another runner instead, Dawes is useless in the ruck and if Watts plays in there I suspect we'll damage both the midfield and the forward line. Pedersen can play on Griffiths and ruck when he rucks, play CHB when Griffiths moves to CHF.

I'm not happy with Dawes' output so far but I think Hogan benefits from him being there. I don't think he should just be given some sort of indefinite free pass to keep playing though, needs to pick up his form.

If no one was so good as to warrant automatic selection from Casey, I'm happy with giving Toumpas/Grimes/Michie/Gawn/Spencer more games to prove it wasn't just a one off and they are building consistent form.

Edited April 19, 2015 by titan_uranus

[rpfc 28,493]

Ranked 14th out of the 22 yesterday in key stat rankings.

Really? That high?

The point is that he will be defined by metrics other than Split Uncontested Marks on Half Back that Directly Lead to Goals.

He needs to lift - he has been just going for the first three weeks of the season but he isn't alone. Garland is spasmodic with the footy, Dunn hasn't been as damaging with the footy as he has been, Jones is getting too many Handballs While Standing Still or Moving the Wrong Way, Howe is kicking dangerous 'one-steppers' into dangerous spots to dangerous players, Dawes has zero confidence in his ability to take a grab, Tyson needs to graduate from a few of the 'slam it on the boots' he does, Hogan, Garlett and Kent need to make the opposition pay or know their current limitations, etc.

There are, and one can take heart form this, very few players running at full capacity at the moment and yet we are stuck on Watts?

He has been poor this season so far (even his first game was 'just going' for him) but I am more interested in the exciting possibility of getting the other top 15 Demons to lift a little bit - that we know they can - and see where that takes us...

[CityDee 738]

Grimes in for Vince in a tagging role

Stretch in as sub for Kent

Gawn or whatever tall forward/ ruck can kick straight for frost

[What 18,810]

Sounds like Pig Dog did well today

Could possibly come in and play the Viney on Ablett/Vince on Dangerfield tagging role. He is hard enough and tackles like a beast. He had issue with his tank last season but hopefully a full preseason has rectified that after an injury interrupted start to his AFL career.

if he comes in to play as a tagger it would free up Vince to play an attacking role

[Undeeterred 3,124]

Grimes in for Vince in a tagging role

Stretch in as sub for Kent

Gawn or whatever tall forward/ ruck can kick straight for frost

Ludicrous.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Really? That high?

The point is that he will be defined by metrics other than Split Uncontested Marks on Half Back that Directly Lead to Goals.

He needs to lift - he has been just going for the first three weeks of the season but he isn't alone. Garland is spasmodic with the footy, Dunn hasn't been as damaging with the footy as he has been, Jones is getting too many Handballs While Standing Still or Moving the Wrong Way, Howe is kicking dangerous 'one-steppers' into dangerous spots to dangerous players, Dawes has zero confidence in his ability to take a grab, Tyson needs to graduate from a few of the 'slam it on the boots' he does, Hogan, Garlett and Kent need to make the opposition pay or know their current limitations, etc.

There are, and one can take heart form this, very few players running at full capacity at the moment and yet we are stuck on Watts?

He has been poor this season so far (even his first game was 'just going' for him) but I am more interested in the exciting possibility of getting the other top 15 Demons to lift a little bit - that we know they can - and see where that takes us...

That was in response to someone quoting a few selective stats in support of his performance yesterday RP. I don't think that's high at all for a first round pick in his 7th season. It's almost bottom quartile stuff. He is a nice kid in a very tough game who's never grown up i feel.

As for the others we have prospective prospects and that's about it for now. There's no signs of a dominant player with the exception of Hulk on the horizon although Vandenberg/Brayshaw/Vince/Newton/Tyson seem to be pushing up a little.

It's early days but i fear we are STILL dead cat bouncing with no real prospect of being a truly competitive unit at AFL level. If we had a stream of young budding talent pushing up from Casey i would probably be more optimistic. But other than stretch it would seem there's very few pickings. No decent ruckman coming through either. We've seen Fitz, Gawn and Spencil rotated through the roster over the last few years and none appear to offer a solid replacement for Russian when he retires shortly.

This is not really a surprise though as many of these outcomes are a product of the AFL's big picture agenda where they want the brand to always grow into new markets as well as fostering, supporting and bolstering the the big 3 in Vic (Hawks, Pies, Bombers) through free agency and also allowing the bleed of younger talent to the interstates and start ups. If you asked them (off the record) they would be pretty happy with where we are at i think.

I have very little interest in the game anymore to be quite honest RP as i think the likelihood of the lower Vic clubs ever having any real success is pretty much zero under the current AFL regime. Mind you we haven't exactly helped our cause in the last few decades either.

Edited April 19, 2015 by Rusty Nails

[Samael 560]

Viv,showed a distinct lack of chase and get back deep to help in his first outing with us.

There was a deep conversation about his lack of "team orientation",and he also got injured in the same match.

Hoping the last 12 months,some nice coaching and time in ressies has changed his attitude.

Don't know where you get your information but Viv has never been questioned about his team orientation. Total garbage. His defence was a questioned last year but has improved since. You refer to his first two games last year but have forgotten the last 5 games last season when I think he was rated in the top 5 in them. He was in the to 4 in the game against Freo in the NAB series and has now been rated BOG in Casey's last 4 games including today.