JVR is so close to being ready.  Possibly just the body / strength in a one v one contest and the legs to run out a game.

Crazy leap and has no fear like many a young fella.  Wasn't just his aerial stuff today though.  Did some VN work in traffic on a few occasions today and worked hard to get on the end of a few on the overlap.

Plenty of work ahead of course but developing very nicely.  Reminds me just a tad of Robbo in terms of his willingness to hit a pack & athleticism (leap vs height).

Edited August 27, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

19 minutes ago, Demon Dynasty said:

Second half of the 2nd quarter & third quarter were impressive.

Talk about jets.  He was really on in the above quarters today and IMHO came out of the blocks hunting, scrapping but also blitzing the opponent with & without the ball in these stages.  Still got a way to go to put full games (playing at that level) together but that will come with time and the extra pre-season or two.

Burst speed is incredible at VFL level and his closing pressure / tackling was off the charts.  So many Swans looked in the clear one minute, only having to rush kicks or getting rushed off their kick/handball a few seconds later.

Spargo plays a very different role but Toby is really knocking on the door at the moment.  Out of the smalls like Chandler, Laurie etc i'd be giving the nod to Toby at present.  All class and super fast at ground level, closing speed and escape factor.

Toby has a habit of snatching at the ball & spending it before he has control.  

4 hours ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

Spot on. Ability to use his body there was superb. Very raw and young. Reckon he will get there 

Needs just a little encouragement and coaching on disposal options and techniques. These are some of the most difficult skills to master but upon settling into a side, due to his high rates of possession, for example, his role will be better defined and thus, you'd expect that process would be attended to by our remarkable swathe of coaches.

Quite often, even Nathan Jones had this difficulty, for example - and that could really be the only criticism one could have of him - yet, it still improved nearing the sunset of his career.

 

3 minutes ago, Cranky Franky said:

Toby has a habit of snatching at the ball & spending it before he has control.  

Yes there is that.  Over ran one today also but its going to happen occasionaly when you're a whippet!

1 hour ago, picket fence said:

This is Admiral Nelson , ALL STOP ( All Stop Aye eye Admiral)

Lee what do you make of it?

Capt Crane. Not sure Admiral last thing I recall we seemed to be heading into some sort or vortex. A Vortex?? What is that??

Ah Come on Admiral ya know when ya empty the plug and it goes round in circles?? 

Admiral Nelson Ah Yes sorry I havent read this weeks script! 

Anyway thats the last thing I recall! 

Capt Crane it seems like a swamp of some description that we are in but wait lets crack the hatch and take a look

Admiral Nelson, Lee what is it? 

Looks like we have landed in this swamp and near by is a playing field of some description, but Jeepers is it wet and boggy outside. Hang on some guy with no 38 on his back has just kicked a what looks like a Gridiron ball through 2 sticks and players are attacking him from all angles all wearing the same colors, but why Capt?

Lets take a closer look eh 

Yes and please put it on your tricorder!

Admiral this isn't Star Trek, its Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea!!

Admiral Nelson. Oh yes I forgot .... Sorry Irwin... I mean Mr Allen!

Hey Capt there;s a strange looking bloke coming towards us. 

PF Gday Harry, Lee yeah I know pretty wet but its been raining solid here for days. Look dont have time to explain but gotta get a report out for the tragics at Demonland, Come with me a see the action...

Demonlanders had the pleasure of watching a very good complete DEESTROYATION Today at Casey Fields!

Yep bloody boggy under foot but ground was pretty good. Here is my report, and rather than go through all players I'll just give some random thoughts

LUKE DUNSTAN Clearly BOG he was not dissimilar to Clarry when on song and he just was the catalyst to an impressive win, for all the talk about his disposal I thought he was very good and kicked some ripper goals

MITCH BROWN Wow what a strong performance lead well was clever , took some very strong grabs and kicked 5 goals great game

DEAKYN SMITH  Flashy , Fearless , and very good footy smarts played a great defensive game

JACOB VAN ROOYEN bookmark this, Kid will be a STAR, still Raw , but as jack Dyer would say he is "Learning the caper well" and as Jack would further say.... "Has telescopic [censored] arms" LOL.. Took a great MOTD and converted but could easily have kicked a few more goals

T.MAC would be pleased to get through unscathed and set up some nice plays and will only get better

DANIEL TURNER, really solid performance and repelled many forward entries.

WEEDS, Forced to ruck and did a pretty good job and was involved in some nice plays

FRASER ROZMAN BEST game I have seen him play, linked up well and has a very penetrating kick on him

ADAM T Very good game rebounded well and was very solid

JOEL SMITH Got involved and created a target getting back to some good footy

TOBY BEDFORD, Fine line between doing too much and getting caught and being brilliant, a few times overan it but got better as the game progressed

TAJ WOWOEDIN Watch this space will become a very good player, courageous and smart ball user

KADE CHANDLER Provided us with the goal of the day but doesn't quite do enough consistently

finally speacial mention to 2 Casey Players JAMES MUNRO and GEORGE GRAY, CAN BOTH PLAY and are the barometers for this team, also MATT BUNTINE calm and Composed. Thats about it

Gotta Go the SEAVIEW is about to be attacked by a GIANT SWAMP CREATURE.

GO DEES 

P.F

 

 

 

Not quite as effusive as Chris from Camberwell, but an appreciated summary. Thanks 

Decent Ex AFL players would easily pull several thousand $ per game in bush leagues. Makes sense you can earn more as it isn’t spread across the whole team, many locals playing for free and then some handy imports on a few hundred a game. 

In a good team Mitch Brown would kick 100 goals a season

Edited August 27, 20222 yr by david_neitz_is_my_dad

So we could be playing Brisbane in the VFL prelim

1 hour ago, Demonland said:

 

Luke Dunstan is a good class AFL standard player.

How long can he tolerate playing at the lower standard?

I can’t see him breaking into the firsts, unless we have several injuries.I
GWS  or Suns should try to attract him and swap us one of their high  draft picks.

 

16 minutes ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

Luke Dunstan is a good class AFL standard player.

How long can he tolerate playing at the lower standard?

I can’t see him breaking into the firsts, unless we have several injuries.I
GWS  or Suns should try to attract him and swap us one of their high  draft picks.

 

Not a bad fill in for Viney if needed JJC?  (Edit:  Sparrow as well).

No i'm not suggesting he's as capable but the bloke can play, is a brute in the contest and has some good footy smarts.

Might be a little too muscle bound if that's possible?  2 to 3 kilos off over the off season so he can cover the ground a little better?

Edited August 27, 20222 yr by Demon Dynasty

1 hour ago, Neil Crompton said:

So happy to read this from the coach about Sam:

“All credit to him – he was given a different role during the week and to come out and impact the game that way, he had 10 hit-outs to advantage, was outstanding,” Corrigan said. “Also his ability to help around the ground, get after it, his ability to change his role within the team was influential.”

Was very solid.

Loved Disco's game as well.

59 minutes ago, david_neitz_is_my_dad said:

Decent Ex AFL players would easily pull several thousand $ per game in bush leagues.

The AFL make a commercial product out of the 2nd tier leagues.

I am really amazed that they would not want to encourage the best players they could get in the teams. Even the older ones, who have a lot to offer to the youngsters. 

It is great that some enjoy a semi professional game in the bush and suburbs, especially if they have a connection to that club and area. I expect the numbers watching the bush league games would be better than some VFL attendances. It is just that I expected better remuneration from the coffers of the AFL, given the broadcasted obligations. 

 

Edited August 27, 20222 yr by kev martin

Hope it went well today, been off DL and any Footy related stuff today. Big few weeks ahead and need a recharge and some time put into other areas.

Very easy to forget but there is indeed a world out there other then footy.

It’s time for the Weed, he’s arrived at last!

12 minutes ago, bluey said:

It’s time for the Weed, he’s arrived at last!

Potentially, hope he can get there next year.

Unless injury opens a space for him, and he gets to take a final "on". 

Edited August 27, 20222 yr by kev martin

14 minutes ago, bluey said:

It’s time for the Weed, he’s arrived at last!

Funny. Unlike you to be self-aware.

Just gotta say I can't remember a better time to support this club.

All three teams are playing fantastic footy. 

AFLW, Casey and the seniors all cracking in with fantastic footy. Just loving what this club has created.

1 hour ago, Jumping Jack Clennett said:

Luke Dunstan is a good class AFL standard player.

How long can he tolerate playing at the lower standard?

I can’t see him breaking into the firsts, unless we have several injuries.I
GWS  or Suns should try to attract him and swap us one of their high  draft picks.

 

Essendon if they get a decent coach.

4 hours ago, kev martin said:

I heard a commentator say that one of the swans older player could go to the bush leagues and get more money.

Is that true? 

An indictment of the AFL not sharing with the VFL clubs or the other 2nd teirs around the country. 

I was shocked by that opinion, perhaps a fact.

 

4 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

T-mac actually said that, Kev. During that interview in the last quarter the interviewer commented on how good our VFL players are, not the likes of Tomlinson etc. but the long term VFL players. T-mac sincerely praised them and said they could be playing country league footy for a lot more money but choose to remain in our VFL team. 
I too was surprised to hear that. 

 

3 hours ago, kev martin said:

Wow there's not much to spread around. There are 24 players listed on the VFL Casey site. Barely $4000 a person if evenly distributed. 

Time spent travelling (interstate), training, professional development and other support like physio and psychologists. 

Nearly be better off financially being the cleaner.

I honestly think this is one of the biggest issues in with the VFL (and the SANFL and WAFL).

It is not a genuine "seconds" comp. It is just mostly an AFL kid development comp and holding ground for a couple of mature age players who live it.

 

I honestly think they would be better off having an AFL reserves comp that had 18 teams, played the same fixture as the AFL teams and a non-AFL squad where the minimum payment was incentive enough to keep people around (comparable to the best local league payment). This would provide a couple of things:

- a true one-step-down competition at a very high standard for viewing and would/could attract support

- the higher standards is better for match fitness and conditioning, and for development (ie smaller gap in the step up to AFL)

- a lot of 18 year olds who don't get drafted *could* use this as a realistic opportunity to develop for ~2 years in the hope of getting drafted at 20. I.e. less players lost to the system because they weren't quite ready at 18 but didn't have the support/pathway to mature 

- a delisted AFL player can genuinely have a second crack without a year out of the game causing problems like lack of fitness or competition 

- provides a meaningful pathway for mature recruits through PSD or mid season draft (and a higher chance of making it because of the playing standard)

- increase the overall standard of AFL by retaining the best players in the system for longer. Plus if kids can develop at Reserves level, instead of AFL level, then it increases the standard of AFL

 

It wouldn't be hard to do. Just have the "reserves list" draft immediately after the main AFL draft. Allow anyone who has been on an AFL list (reserves or seniors) to automatically be a free agent to sign to the reserves list. Allow auto promotion off your own reserves list. Etc.

Great points. Especially important is the narrowing of the gap between AFL and VFL which is currently a gulf. So you hear ppl say Player X is killing it in the VFL but at the same time they’re saying Player X is nowhere near ready to play AFL. 

33 minutes ago, deanox said:

 

 

I honestly think this is one of the biggest issues in with the VFL (and the SANFL and WAFL).

It is not a genuine "seconds" comp. It is just mostly an AFL kid development comp and holding ground for a couple of mature age players who live it.

 

I honestly think they would be better off having an AFL reserves comp that had 18 teams, played the same fixture as the AFL teams and a non-AFL squad where the minimum payment was incentive enough to keep people around (comparable to the best local league payment). This would provide a couple of things:

- a true one-step-down competition at a very high standard for viewing and would/could attract support

- the higher standards is better for match fitness and conditioning, and for development (ie smaller gap in the step up to AFL)

- a lot of 18 year olds who don't get drafted *could* use this as a realistic opportunity to develop for ~2 years in the hope of getting drafted at 20. I.e. less players lost to the system because they weren't quite ready at 18 but didn't have the support/pathway to mature 

- a delisted AFL player can genuinely have a second crack without a year out of the game causing problems like lack of fitness or competition 

- provides a meaningful pathway for mature recruits through PSD or mid season draft (and a higher chance of making it because of the playing standard)

- increase the overall standard of AFL by retaining the best players in the system for longer. Plus if kids can develop at Reserves level, instead of AFL level, then it increases the standard of AFL

 

It wouldn't be hard to do. Just have the "reserves list" draft immediately after the main AFL draft. Allow anyone who has been on an AFL list (reserves or seniors) to automatically be a free agent to sign to the reserves list. Allow auto promotion off your own reserves list. Etc.

That would be the end of the VFL. 

List sizes are going down, clubs will be allowed to draw from their feeder at will soon IMO, or use a construct like a running draft to supplement from anywhere. If there is a true seconds comp, then the players that are not attached to an AFL team or playing in country leagues will be so few…

What does the VFL look like then? 

I think once they move to an easier system to bring on players outside the system - it will give the VFL and other second leagues some gravitas as they see players plucked every week to play up and compete well.

3 hours ago, rpfc said:

That would be the end of the VFL. 

List sizes are going down, clubs will be allowed to draw from their feeder at will soon IMO, or use a construct like a running draft to supplement from anywhere. If there is a true seconds comp, then the players that are not attached to an AFL team or playing in country leagues will be so few…

What does the VFL look like then? 

I think once they move to an easier system to bring on players outside the system - it will give the VFL and other second leagues some gravitas as they see players plucked every week to play up and compete well.

Honestly, If it's the end of the VFL, it isn't a big deal, given it is currently a joke of a competition. Putting it out of its misery would be a good thing.

The SANFL and WAFL have survived as state based Tier 2 competitions with only 1-2 AFL reserves teams. So if they really wanted to relaunch the VFL as the primary Victorian state comp, equivalent to the SANFL and WAFL they could. Positioning the VFL as the top tier of Victorian football (tier 3) rather than the AFL Reserves is realistic, but something would need to be done to ensure it is better than the "local leagues" like the EFL, and country leagues (tier 4). Perhaps it could be a promotion/relegation to the VFL from those competitions? Who knows.

 

At the moment I think the Tier 2 players are diluted across too many competitions, meaning the standard of all is lower. We don't really have a tier 2, we just drop straight to Tier 3.

 

 

(I'd like to add that no disrespect is meant to Casey, Williamstown, Port Melbourne etc. Or any of the other clubs that have history. But the current situation isn't really a great one for them either.)

Edited August 27, 20222 yr by deanox
Edits in italics

Good to see some debate about where a VFL team fits in.

Frankly I wonder myself what is its role

Efficiency in front of goal aside (in the first half) that was a brilliant performance by Casey.