Like all VFL clubs, the Casey Scorpions are on a recruiting drive although obviously it will not be as intensive as some of the stand-alone clubs because the Scorps will benefit from the influx of the young talent drafted in by the Demons.

The Scorpions have lost veteran skipper Evan Panozza (Southport), vice-captain Mitch Gent (Noble Park) and Nathan Page (Tooradin) but have re-signed Jack Hutchins and Tim Smith.

The new signings to date have not been high profile but there are certainly some interesting names:-

Yarran Jaffer-Williams from Wodonga Raiders is mentioned in this thread where new poster "outsider" has an excellent post about the 20 year old midfielder:

"Yarran Jaffer-Williams is a young indigenous prospect looking to spark his AFL aspirations back to life. He was a member of the QBE Sydney Swans academy and also represented the NSW/ACT Rams state side. He played primarily for the Sydney Swans Reserves and Sydney University. Jaffer-Williams was a highly regarded Swans academy prospect under the tutelage of now Demons mentor Paul Roos ...”

The club has signed two 18 year old Dandenong Stingrays TAC Cup graduates Mitchell Cox and small defender, Lachlan Batten - Batten shaken but not stirred.

Another TAC Cup graduate to sign is 181cm Eastern Ranges midfielder Aaron Cotte who was among his side's best in the grand final loss to the Oakleigh Chargers. He was also runner-up in the team's 2014 Best & Fairest to Luke Hannon who is also at Casey in a team which included Christian Petracca and Sam Weideman.

Midfielder Aloysio Ferreira from Gippsland Power has also signed with the club.

Other signings include:-

Frank Anderson (Whitefriars);

Tom Baker (Rosebud) who booted 60 goals from 17 matches and featured in a flag this year;

Liam Beacom (Upwey Tecoma and ex-Eastern Ranges);

Dylan Gordon (Warburton-Millgrove), a key defender and Victorian U19 representative this year;

Oscar McInerney (Montrose) 21, 203cm - a promising ruckman.

Another interesting acquisition at the Casey Scorpions is Murray Bushrangers TAC Cup coach Darren Ogier who will be an assistant under Justin Plapp. Ogier spent six years at the Bushies and this year coached draftees Clayton Oliver and Mitch King, having previously also coached rookie Max King.
 

Well done KC. I, like many Demonlanders, look forward to your reports. Hopefully this year the Scorps can go all the way.

Jaffa-Williams can seriously play.. Il be watching with keen interest with his form at Casey. Played a couple of games this year for Wodonga raiders which included a one off game with none other then Aaron Davey. I believe that he may be boarding with the Daveys now?

Darren Ogier is a quality bloke who has developed some good AFL players from the bushies. He will be a very good inclusion for Casey/MFC young players development.

Any word on Jake Lovett joining Casey? Has that happened or TBC?

I would like to see Jake Lovett at Casey. Impressed in the one game I saw him play. Strong over the footy. Just needs more maturity in decision making and work on his burst pace over 10 metres

On 5 December 2015 at 8:07:49 AM, KC from Casey said:

Yarran Jaffer-Williams from Wodonga Raiders is mentioned in this thread where new poster "outsider" has an excellent post about the 20 year old midfielder:

"Yarran Jaffer-Williams is a young indigenous prospect looking to spark his AFL aspirations back to life. He was a member of the QBE Sydney Swans academy and also represented the NSW/ACT Rams state side. He played primarily for the Sydney Swans Reserves and Sydney University. Jaffer-Williams was a highly regarded Swans academy prospect under the tutelage of now Demons mentor Paul Roos ...”

Cheers KC! I've been a long time follower of this forum, decided I had to join! 

A mate of mine actually helps manage this Jaffer-Williams kid, and when I heard there was some potential in Casey going for him I jumped straight on the bandwagon. I'm very excited about the possibilities, we've got a Kennedy-Harris, a Neal-Bullen... would make for a fitting hyphen brigade with Jaffer-Williams on board haha. But in all seriousness my mate thinks this kid is good enough to crack a rookie list, and it's his kicking that will ultimately decide whether he makes it or not. From what I heard they're looking to start him in the development league but he will get his opportunities. I've tried to get as much info as I can, but it's very hard to get a word out of him. It's an exciting though, I love an underdog story and it's fantastic seeing us take a punt on the underdog. 

Apparently he's lightning quick, very agile and chases and tackles like his life depended on it. From what I've been told they are going to seriously work on his kicking and if he can get it right he'll become a very handy player for us. Promising that he can run distance too, very aerobically sound for an indigenous prospect.

Btw, he plays as a small forward and gets used through the wings at times. I haven't actually seen him play live myself but that's the feedback I've gotten about him. Hopefully I'll get to a few games to watch him.

Mitchell Cox will be handy played for Vic Country in the championships as an inside ball winner, did some good things in traffic and should be a handy VFL player at least.  Cotte has played some good VFL footy already for Box Hill has a touch of class, mustn't get it enough.

Former Essendon player Paul Vander Haar's son Todd also signed at Casey. 188cm midfielder who was at Old Xavs this year.

On 6 December 2015 at 10:11 PM, dazzledavey36 said:

Former Essendon player Paul Vander Haar's son Todd also signed at Casey. 188cm midfielder who was at Old Xavs this year.

Wonder if he likes a beer and a dart as much as his old man!

On 05/12/2015, 10:23:34, ChaserJ said:

Any word on Jake Lovett joining Casey? Has that happened or TBC?

Progressing well but still needs to improve his tank and running imo 

Article in local paper:-

Former Essendon champ Paul Vander Haar's son joins Casey 

Casey’s recruits (in alphabetical order): Connor Ambler (Gippsland Power), Frank Anderson (Whitefriars), Lachie Batten (Dandenong Stingrays), Tom Baker (Rosebud), Liam Beacom (Upwey, promoted rookie), Aaron Cotte (Eastern Ranges), Mitch Cox (Dandenong Stingrays), Aloysio Ferreira (Gippsland Power), Dylan Gordon (Warburton), Yarran Jaffer-Williams (Wodonga Raiders), Oscar McInerney (Montrose), Todd Vander Haar (Old Xavierans).

Retained players: Jackson Anderson (unsigned), Bayley Fritsch, Jake Gains, Luke Hannon, Brenton Hillard, Jack Hutchins, Chris Johnson, Declan Keilty, Keegan Mason, Jackson McDonald, Jordi Moncrieff, Ed Morris, James Munro, Paul Pattison, Bryce Rutherford, Angus Scott, Tim Smith, Daniel Welsh (unsigned), Tom Wilson, Kody Wilson (unsigned), Tom Wyatt.

 

On 7/12/2015 at 9:04 PM, KC from Casey said:

Article in local paper:-

Former Essendon champ Paul Vander Haar's son joins Casey

Casey’s recruits (in alphabetical order): Connor Ambler (Gippsland Power), Frank Anderson (Whitefriars), Lachie Batten (Dandenong Stingrays), Tom Baker (Rosebud), Liam Beacom (Upwey, promoted rookie), Aaron Cotte (Eastern Ranges), Mitch Cox (Dandenong Stingrays), Aloysio Ferreira (Gippsland Power), Dylan Gordon (Warburton), Yarran Jaffer-Williams (Wodonga Raiders), Oscar McInerney (Montrose), Todd Vander Haar (Old Xavierans).

Retained players: Jackson Anderson (unsigned), Bayley Fritsch, Jake Gains, Luke Hannon, Brenton Hillard, Jack Hutchins, Chris Johnson, Declan Keilty, Keegan Mason, Jackson McDonald, Jordi Moncrieff, Ed Morris, James Munro, Paul Pattison, Bryce Rutherford, Angus Scott, Tim Smith, Daniel Welsh (unsigned), Tom Wilson, Kody Wilson (unsigned), Tom Wyatt.

No jake lovett in list 

On 7/12/2015 at 9:04 PM, KC from Casey said:

Casey’s recruits (in alphabetical order): Connor Ambler (Gippsland Power), Frank Anderson (Whitefriars), Lachie Batten (Dandenong Stingrays), Tom Baker (Rosebud), Liam Beacom (Upwey, promoted rookie), Aaron Cotte (Eastern Ranges), Mitch Cox (Dandenong Stingrays), Aloysio Ferreira (Gippsland Power), Dylan Gordon (Warburton), Yarran Jaffer-Williams (Wodonga Raiders), Oscar McInerney (Montrose), Todd Vander Haar (Old Xavierans).

Tom Baker ...

Doctor Who?

On 7/12/2015 at 10:31 PM, daisycutter said:

No jake lovett in list 

You can relax now. 

Jake Lovett has penned a two year deal with the Casey Scorpions. 

He was the second son of a gun to sign with the club in recent days after Todd Vander Haar.

And to top it all off, James Freeman, 189cm (son of former Saint Peter) has also joined the club from the Dandenong Stingrays. He kicked 33 goals in the TAC Cup this year.

 

 

How does this seasons recruits so far compare to previous years KC?

Seems to me really solid numbers of kids coming in from TAC cup teams particularly Dandy and Gippy which makes sense. Is there a sense of the Casey supported by Melbourne are on a better track with player development?

Losing Panozza and particularly Mitch Gent and Shannon Byrnes probably isn't good and they don't seem to have signed anyone delisted from the AFL or from other state league teams. 

I get the sense that if the budget is there it would be handy to sign a couple of ex AFL or consistent VFL players to make sure the team has some consistency from the VFL listed players.

On 9 December 2015 at 0:39 AM, Georgiou R.R. Martin said:

How does this seasons recruits so far compare to previous years KC?

Seems to me really solid numbers of kids coming in from TAC cup teams particularly Dandy and Gippy which makes sense. Is there a sense of the Casey supported by Melbourne are on a better track with player development?

Losing Panozza and particularly Mitch Gent and Shannon Byrnes probably isn't good and they don't seem to have signed anyone delisted from the AFL or from other state league teams. 

I get the sense that if the budget is there it would be handy to sign a couple of ex AFL or consistent VFL players to make sure the team has some consistency from the VFL listed players.

Cox and Cotte are very good TAC Cup signings, will play some good senior VFL footy.

13 hours ago, KC from Casey said:

You can relax now. 

Jake Lovett has penned a two year deal with the Casey Scorpions. 

He was the second son of a gun to sign with the club in recent days after Todd Vander Haar.

And to top it all off, James Freeman, 189cm (son of former Saint Peter) has also joined the club from the Dandenong Stingrays. He kicked 33 goals in the TAC Cup this year.

 

 

The problem with Casey in recent years has been the shortage of mature bodied players on its VFL list so that if injuries hit the Melbourne list and the Scorpions are asked to dig deep in their reserves, they are often found wanting, even against the stand alone VFL clubs who have more consistency in team selection from week to week. The answer obviously in the short term is going to be in maintaining a healthy list both at Melbourne and at Casey.

Obviously injuries will be a major factor during the season, but gee Casey should be strong - particularly the backline.

I reckon the following will be Casey players:

Backline: Grimes, Terlich, Lumumba, Oscar M, Frost, White, Wagner (assuming MFC of Jetta, Dunn, Garland, Salem, Tmac, Melksham)

Centre: Trengove (maybe), Michie, ANB, (MFC Stretch, Jones, Vince)

Fwds: Weideman, JKH, Pedersen, King, Newton, Hulett, Smith (MFC Petracca, Dawes, Kent, Garlett, Hogan, Watts) 

Ruck Spencer (MFC Gawn)

Mids M Jones, Oliver, Kennedy  (vs  MFC Tyson, Viney)

MFC interchange VdB, Brayshaw, Harmes, one other of Kennedy, Frost, Tengove, ANB etc).

Casey probably need a bit more run and goal-kicking, but should be challenging for the flag provided injuries are not too brutal for both MFC/Casey

forgot Hunt - who provided a bit of run and goal-kicking for Casey at the end of 2015

2 hours ago, KC from Casey said:

The problem with Casey in recent years has been the shortage of mature bodied players on its VFL list so that if injuries hit the Melbourne list and the Scorpions are asked to dig deep in their reserves, they are often found wanting, even against the stand alone VFL clubs who have more consistency in team selection from week to week. The answer obviously in the short term is going to be in maintaining a healthy list both at Melbourne and at Casey.

Do you work at the club or follow them? 

Follow 

The Casey Scorpions have signed Beaconsfield twins Damien and Daniel Johnston who both played representative football with the SENFL this year.

Thanks again KC 

you do a bit more than follow  and provide some great insight into the club and fantastic game day reports so hope to see plenty of that again this year

As stated hopefully the Demon Squad can provide the maturity and depth that will help Casey be consistently competitive.

I would like to see the squad being used more creatively to provide match up and recovery flexibility. Of course this is only possible where injuries do not deplete the numbers competing for a senior role. 

Casey Scorpions Practice Match Series

Saturday 12 March v Williamstown, Casey Fields @ 12.30pm  (Development League 10.00am)

Saturday 19 March v Port Melbourne, Casey Fields @ 12.30pm  (Development League 10.00am)

Saturday 26 March Melbourne/Casey Intra Club
(time/venue tbc)

Saturday 2 April v Box Hill Hawks, Casey Fields @ 1.00pm  (Development League 10.00am)

*Please note times subject to change pending weather conditions

Melbourne's first game in on the 26th of March and we don't have a NAB challenge match on the weekend of the 19th of March so that match is the last chance for any injured or otherwise guys needing to prove their case for round 1 selection.

Good to see Casey playing 3 really strong teams in the lead up to the VFL season.