The dropping of Tomlinson shows that the best 22 will be selected with some preferred over others in certain positions. They simply wait for their opportunity.  Is Weid out this week for BB?  Has he done enough to hold that spot.  As the last game him and Mac seem to be gelling better as a team in terms of positioning and movement. 

Jordon has made a significant improvement this year in his decision making with the ball.  Last year he propped too often and stopped the flow of the play.  This year he is not only taking on the first option far more frequently but doing so with accuracy and invariably to the advantage of the team.

He is one of the most improved in the team and also flexible into his position

I accept someone has to make way for Salem, however, I would be astonished if it was him.

  

 

5 hours ago, deelusions from afar said:

  Sometimes hard to tell in the VFL matches at Casey when it's blowing a gale but Bedford and Chandler would get a game in most AFL sides.

imo chandler should have taken the two years at the crows and run with it, two years on the senior list, in your home state at a weak side with lots of open spots in it's 22 to really kick start yourself vs 2 years as a reserve/backup which if you don't get lucky with injury results in just reserves footy and then who knows, could be a wasted career and you're left thinking what if (or could be a lucky flag)

3 hours ago, CYB said:

I think this will probably be Hibberd's final year and I wouldn't be surprised if one of Tommo / Hunt / J Smith actually request a trade at EOY given the competition for defensive slots. 

hunt as a FA seems likely, pretty good buying for clubs who value his skillset and in that george hewett bracket of not a top player but a serviceable one that tend to be the types to move for opportunity/security

Given the wealth of options available to the FD with respect to the backline, let's not rush Salem back into the side. Give him maximum time to recover and find fitness and only then, with an abundance of caution, slowly bring him back.

He is too valuable to takes risks with.

6 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Over the next six weeks one or two of Bowey, Hunt, Brayshaw, Jordon and Hibberd will be playing to retain their spot when Salem returns. In the case of Brayshaw and to a lesser extent Bowey it will be about postion rather than best 22. For Jordon Hibberd and Hunt it is about best 22.

Hunt is the obvious choice but does he offer defensive skills not matched by others. Similarly does playing Brayshaw and Saelm in the back six work. If not where to Jordon?

A markedly different conundrum to that being presently posed up forward but perhaps far harder.

My guess is that Jordon's form is the key. How good does it have to be to keep Gus off the wing? Does Jordon go into the midfield at the expanse of Sparrow?

Interested in how others think the next 6 rounds pan out

I think Hunt stays in, Brayshaw back to the wing, Jordan the sub and Hibbo will be at Casey 

5 hours ago, deelusions from afar said:

I also wonder had there been an injury to ANB, Kozzie or Spargo whether we'd be having a similar dilemma with our small forwards.  Sometimes hard to tell in the VFL matches at Casey when it's blowing a gale but Bedford and Chandler would get a game in most AFL sides.

I disagree with your take on Bedford and Chandler. At this stage of their career, they should be primary midfielders at Casey. They play well enough to occasionally get amongst the best, but I've yet to see them dominate at VFL level. I don't see either of them as walk up starts in any AFL side.

If ANB. Kozzie or Spargo got injured, Jordon or Sparrow would take over the role. 

21 minutes ago, mo64 said:

I disagree with your take on Bedford and Chandler. At this stage of their career, they should be primary midfielders at Casey. They play well enough to occasionally get amongst the best, but I've yet to see them dominate at VFL level. I don't see either of them as walk up starts in any AFL side.

If ANB. Kozzie or Spargo got injured, Jordon or Sparrow would take over the role. 

We'll agree to disagree.  I think people forget how disrupted the VFL has been through covid.  Has been hard to get continuity for a lot of players.  I also think that they are not primarily played as midfielders as Casey as they would never be asked to do that at Senior level - Sparrow, Jordon, Harmes and Dunstan are the ones next in line for midfield minutes. 

The small forward position is arguably the hardest position to play as you are dependent on the rest of the team doing well to get a look in.  The main thing we would need from them is to chase, tackle, harass and then when the opportunity arises, snag a goal or two.  But that role isn't going to see them dominate very often.  

The fact that Chandler last year and Bedford this year have usually been the sub shows that the match committee rate them.  

Having said that I agree that if there were injuries in the forward line to bring them in, then they would likely play minimal minutes as Jordon and Sparrow have done for their senior careers so far (and Sparrow / Jordon would likely get increased game time).

1 hour ago, Turner said:

imo chandler should have taken the two years at the crows and run with it, two years on the senior list, in your home state at a weak side with lots of open spots in it's 22 to really kick start yourself vs 2 years as a reserve/backup which if you don't get lucky with injury results in just reserves footy and then who knows, could be a wasted career and you're left thinking what if (or could be a lucky flag)

Yeah me too - I guess he felt that all year he was the next in line for a small forward position and that ANB, Kozzie and Spargo are unlikely to be injury free all year again.

But right now, looks like it would have been a better move career wise.

I'm happy to keep them on the list atm - I remember the tigers used to have so many small forwards and after a few have left they don't seem to have the same competition for spots in that area anymore.

As others have said, we are in a great position with defensive depth on the list and at the moment the only ones that are fit and been dropped Smith and Tomlinson. I am sure we will have other injuries in time during the season and what I have seen to date gives me confidence that we will have a good functioning structure in the back 50. Once Salem is back, fit and firing then He would be included in the team. 

Lever, May, Rivers, Petty, Bowey and Salem with one of Tomlinson, Hunt or Smith as the 7th defender selected depending on the matchups and form.

Some may have Brayshaw in that group as well and fair enough, he has played the position well but I think he ha more value for the team on the wing. He also has great value as he covers wing, HBF and can also be an effective mid in the center. Players that can not just cover those positions but play high value games for the team in those positions are as rare as unicorns.

Jordon is required in the 22 as he can also cover a few positions and free up Brayshaw from a wing as required.

With Salem back my team is:

Lever, May, Rivers

Bowey, Petty, Salam

Langdon, Viney, Brayshaw

Harmes, TMac, Spargo

Pickett. Brown, Fritsch

Gawn, Petracca, Oliver

IC: ANB, Jordon, Jackson, (Hunt, Tomlinson or Smith)

 

 

1 hour ago, CHF said:

With Salem back my team is:

Lever, May, Rivers

Bowey, Petty, Salam

Langdon, Viney, Brayshaw

Harmes, TMac, Spargo

Pickett. Brown, Fritsch

Gawn, Petracca, Oliver

IC: ANB, Jordon, Jackson, (Hunt, Tomlinson or Smith)

No Sparrow.... interesting

2 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

No Sparrow.... interesting

Sparrow I like but he plays a similar role to others in the team IMO and is a step or two behind them but closing fast.

I prefer Jordon at the moment because he has a bit more of a point of difference.

Salem is highly regarded by supporters and the club alike and for very good reason. He is a great defender. 

Everyone is assuming he will come straight into the team when he recovers and that will probably happen but don't count on it. He might be made to fight his way back into the team and earn his spot like every other other defender. 

The other observation I would make is that Jordon is playing so well at present that he's making a very strong case to retain his place in the team in the medium term. 

For mine, Jordon is not the first player to lose his place to returning team mates

 

 

 

 

The great benifit we have at the moment with so much depth and confidence in the 'stand-in' players is the luxury of taking our time and getting injured players back into top notch condition without rushing or excessive pressure to get them back in for the sake of the team.

Similarly alot of credit has to go to our fitness, conditioning, coaching staff and the players themselves.  For Petty to step back into the team and perform like he did on the back of one VFL game was quite sensational.  Gives me alot of confidence that Salem and Hibbo will be as fit and firing as they humanly can be when the team most needs them at the pointy end of the season.

Salem is pretty much an automatic selection in the seniors when fit.  However, I think Hibbo could struggle to force his way into the side if everyone else is performing and there isn't a particular matchup only he can provide by his inclusion.  One thing I think that is evident from the past season is that we don't make many, if any team selection changes unless there is a glaring need for it like injury or to make way for an A grade player.  We tend to prefer stability and performance to promoting players based on past reputation and experience - Bowey's patient wait and then continued elevation over Hunt in last season's finals series as exhibit A.

Edited April 19, 20223 yr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

2 hours ago, CHF said:

Sparrow I like but he plays a similar role to others in the team IMO and is a step or two behind them but closing fast.

I prefer Jordon at the moment because he has a bit more of a point of difference.

Fair enough.  It is a tough one... I would have said that too until finals last year.  Now I think Sparrow has gone past Jordon and potentially Harmes.  Agree Jordon offers a point of difference though once Salem is back and Brayshaw goes back to the wing maybe this is less important.

Wish we could place them all - would hate to see them leave for opportunities elsewhere.  Though its great cover for injuries if and when they arise.

Thought I'd bump this thread simply because in this week changes thread a few are suggesting Rivers as the possible weakest link.

I don't think anyone has gone that way in this thread.

Hunt's game on Bolton has put him forward as the new lock down defender perhaps

5 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Thought I'd bump this thread simply because in this week changes thread a few are suggesting Rivers as the possible weakest link.

I don't think anyone has gone that way in this thread.

Hunt's game on Bolton has put him forward as the new lock down defender perhaps

Yup. Hunt's role specifically highlighted by Goodwin as the lock down defender for the quick opposition small forwards.  He wont be going anywhere as hes picked up a few scalps so far and will be important in finals. Cameron, Higgins, Walters. 

Gee I can see Bowey going into the midfield later in the year or certainly next year. Maybe he might not have the tank yet but that might change later in the season. His decision making and read of play and kicking skills will make him very damaging.

Edited April 26, 20223 yr by djr