Part 10: Jason Taylor - Visionary or Over-rated - 2022

[Deespicable 2,662]

2022

Draft: 2/10 Trades: 2/10 Pick swaps: 3/10 

For the first 10 weeks of 2022 we seemed bullet proof, but Freo came with kryptonite in rd 11 and by finals Joel Selwood and his men were on a mission. Shock losses to Sydney and Brisbane saw us exit September early and with Gawny and Ben Brown along with Trac and a few other all looking tired and injured, the recriminations and the upheaval of our list began. 

Among those happy to jump ship was our fastest player Jayden Hunt, who must have really enjoyed the surf and golf in Perth while in lockdown a year earlier. Sam Weideman also saw the writing on the wall and headed to Essendon, while the unthinkable happened – Luke Jackson wanted to head home - admittedly coming off a season where he had underachieved in comparison to his amazing grand final display. Jackson was still only 21 and his versatility and speed made him irreplaceable as we have all come to realise.

What’s worse was that Freo only had to give us two mid-table first rounders (one a future one) for Jacko and a few late pick swaps saw us lose valuable back-up small Toby Bedford to the Giants for effectively pick 44 which we sent off to the Dockers We also delisted Oskar Baker who was picked up as a PSS by the Dogs, meaning that five of our players would play AFL at other clubs in 2023 – that’s a big one-year exodus in my view.

Of course it wasn’t all one way traffic and on one hand I think we should give some credit to Tim Lamb for realising that we now had shortages and we needed to get something back. Being a popular destination club (we may have lost that tag this year though) Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy was willing to walk across the Yarra Park precinct to Gosch’s Paddock and take on Max at training. Thankfully the Pies were willing to pay a chunk of his salary and all we had to give them was pick 27 which they used to claim Jakob Ryan. Grundy was mega popular when Gawn hurt his knee early in the season, but late in the season it became apparent that Brodie didn’t have the speed to play as a lead-up forward and we axed him. Why we didn’t send Gawny forward and use Brodie as our ruck instead is beyond me as the skipper is more capable of being a target. Either way the whole thing became a negative talking point and led to us having the smallest first semi-final forward line in the history of the game (or at least since the 1981/82 Carlton mosquito fleet). The fact that Grundy has had a super year at the Swans in 2024 just highlights that as a club we didn’t get that right.

Lamb, doubtless with Goody’s support, also signed our first decent left-foot winger Lachie Hunter, albeit late in his career and with considerable baggage. Given his indiscretions at the Dogs, all they wanted was our future third rounder. The Dogs also sent us Josh Schache for a fourth rounder. He had also played against us in the 2021 granny, but was clearly out of favour. We wanted him as a replacement for Weid and to be fair, Schache’s done a pretty good job for Casey and has rarely been injured. But with the physical way the game is now played, he ain’t quite AFL level.

Nor mind you it appears are our two draft picks from 2022 – it seems that even Jason Taylor couldn’t weave his magic this time. It’s still too early to cast major judgments on the year, but on paper it’s not a flattering draft yet with Essendon’s Elijah Tsatas (pick 5) and Geelong’s Jhye Clark (pick 8) still struggling to make headway among the top 10. Outside of high picks Sheezel, Wardlaw and Humphrey, Hawk Josh Weddle (pick 18) appears to be the wonder boy of the ’22 draft with his amazing athleticism, while later picks Darcy Jones, Lachie Cowan and Noah Long have been racking up the games.

The rookie draft was also a bit of a bust that year with most newbies, including our two, yet to play a game, but I really like a couple of PSS picks – the Blues took Alex Cincotta, while the Saints unearthed a project forward Anthony Caminiti, who is starting to pick up the pace and would have been a godsend for us.

But ultimately 2022 is a draft you wanted to miss, so thankfully we didn’t buy in by giving up a future first rounder like we had the previous three seasons.

15 Matt Jefferson – with our failings up forward re-emerging, Jason Taylor decided to use his top pick on the Oakleigh leaper who had kicked seven for Vic Metro against WA, but had struggled at times with his accuracy and consistency. A lot of us had hoped to see him play AFL by now but unfortunately he now looks likely to go the way of Lucas Cook (pick 12, 2010) or Nick Smith (15, 2002). Some of our Casey watchers have seen some green shoots this year but his lack of physicality is a concern and is why he was pulled aside early this season and given more one-on-one tuition on tackling. He’s clearly not ready to play AFL yet, but personally I’d give him a game or two in the next few weeks, just so he can see firsthand what’s required and can feel more a part of it – it is hard being continuously outside the main group at training. As to draft night, the next live pick was his Oakleigh teammate Josh Weddle, who must have been part of Taylor’s discussions given his amazing athleticism. He was the AA U18 full-back, so maybe we were less interested than we should have been. Ed Allan (pick 19) also had amazing athleticism, yet he’s struggled at the Pies so far.

38 Jed Adams – his highlights reel back in 2022 was hardly flattering, so I do wonder a little how we plucked him out – Taylor has a good record in WA though. He’s a big strong lump of a lad and his kicking has really improved under our tutelage but he just doesn’t seem to be able to get it enough at Casey to warrant selection. He certainly has some good role models with Tomlinson and Marty Hore. He’s got two years to run on his contract (I am not sure why we needed to sign him that long so early), but he certainly needs to get a wriggle on and show more than he has so far.

Pick 12 rookie draft – Will Verrall – Taylor went back to taking a stab at Gawnie’s successor and decided on the second South Australian ruckman (Harry Barnett had gone to the Eagles at pick 22 of the main draft). He’d missed a bit of his top-age year overcoming a few groin and hip injuries and he spent a fair bit of 2023 rehabbing with us. But he’s shown a bit and seems to have a few forward smarts as well. Next year is the key year for him if he’s going to make it. We also took former basketballer Kyah Farris-White, who is 206cm tall, but his lack of mobility and feel for the game has been telling when he lines up for Casey, so we will have room for a Category B rookie next season.

Pick 22 rookie draft – Oliver Sestan – This was definitely an out there pick by Taylor with the Mansfield man taken after an impressive scratch match with fellow juniors.  He’s got thickset Brian Wilson hips, so can baulk out of tackles and he’s pretty clever with his kicks and can bomb a long ball like Trac. I reckon we should give him a taste in our final couple of games as he’s certainly showing enough signs at Casey to warrant it. 

We also added classy looking Old Haileybury defender Kye Turner to our list pre-season, but unfortunately, he got injured after six games for Casey and probably just lacked that physical presence needed down back to warrant keeping.

[Demonstone 21,509]

8 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

Among those happy to jump ship was our fastest player Jayden Hunt

Jayden was devastated at being traded.

[The Taciturn Demon 334]

1 minute ago, Demonstone said:

Jayden was devastated at being traded.

I didn't know this. Was he not offered a contract at Melbourne?

[Demonstone 21,509]

Demonlanders who attended that year's B & F report that he was almost in tears at being discarded.

It's also not true that Sestan is from Mansfield, although he did play there briefly.  He's a Xavier College boy.

[Sydee 4,143]

24 minutes ago, Deespicable said:

2022

Draft: 2/10 Trades: 2/10 Pick swaps: 3/10 

For the first 10 weeks of 2022 we seemed bullet proof, but Freo came with kryptonite in rd 11 and by finals Joel Selwood and his men were on a mission. Shock losses to Sydney and Brisbane saw us exit September early and with Gawny and Ben Brown along with Trac and a few other all looking tired and injured, the recriminations and the upheaval of our list began. 

Among those happy to jump ship was our fastest player Jayden Hunt, who must have really enjoyed the surf and golf in Perth while in lockdown a year earlier. Sam Weideman also saw the writing on the wall and headed to Essendon, while the unthinkable happened – Luke Jackson wanted to head home - admittedly coming off a season where he had underachieved in comparison to his amazing grand final display. Jackson was still only 21 and his versatility and speed made him irreplaceable as we have all come to realise.

What’s worse was that Freo only had to give us two mid-table first rounders (one a future one) for Jacko and a few late pick swaps saw us lose valuable back-up small Toby Bedford to the Giants for effectively pick 44 which we sent off to the Dockers We also delisted Oskar Baker who was picked up as a PSS by the Dogs, meaning that five of our players would play AFL at other clubs in 2023 – that’s a big one-year exodus in my view.

Of course it wasn’t all one way traffic and on one hand I think we should give some credit to Tim Lamb for realising that we now had shortages and we needed to get something back. Being a popular destination club (we may have lost that tag this year though) Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy was willing to walk across the Yarra Park precinct to Gosch’s Paddock and take on Max at training. Thankfully the Pies were willing to pay a chunk of his salary and all we had to give them was pick 27 which they used to claim Jakob Ryan. Grundy was mega popular when Gawn hurt his knee early in the season, but late in the season it became apparent that Brodie didn’t have the speed to play as a lead-up forward and we axed him. Why we didn’t send Gawny forward and use Brodie as our ruck instead is beyond me as the skipper is more capable of being a target. Either way the whole thing became a negative talking point and led to us having the smallest first semi-final forward line in the history of the game (or at least since the 1981/82 Carlton mosquito fleet). The fact that Grundy has had a super year at the Swans in 2024 just highlights that as a club we didn’t get that right.

Lamb, doubtless with Goody’s support, also signed our first decent left-foot winger Lachie Hunter, albeit late in his career and with considerable baggage. Given his indiscretions at the Dogs, all they wanted was our future third rounder. The Dogs also sent us Josh Schache for a fourth rounder. He had also played against us in the 2021 granny, but was clearly out of favour. We wanted him as a replacement for Weid and to be fair, Schache’s done a pretty good job for Casey and has rarely been injured. But with the physical way the game is now played, he ain’t quite AFL level.

Nor mind you it appears are our two draft picks from 2022 – it seems that even Jason Taylor couldn’t weave his magic this time. It’s still too early to cast major judgments on the year, but on paper it’s not a flattering draft yet with Essendon’s Elijah Tsatas (pick 5) and Geelong’s Jhye Clark (pick 8) still struggling to make headway among the top 10. Outside of high picks Sheezel, Wardlaw and Humphrey, Hawk Josh Weddle (pick 18) appears to be the wonder boy of the ’22 draft with his amazing athleticism, while later picks Darcy Jones, Lachie Cowan and Noah Long have been racking up the games.

The rookie draft was also a bit of a bust that year with most newbies, including our two, yet to play a game, but I really like a couple of PSS picks – the Blues took Alex Cincotta, while the Saints unearthed a project forward Anthony Caminiti, who is starting to pick up the pace and would have been a godsend for us.

But ultimately 2022 is a draft you wanted to miss, so thankfully we didn’t buy in by giving up a future first rounder like we had the previous three seasons.

15 Matt Jefferson – with our failings up forward re-emerging, Jason Taylor decided to use his top pick on the Oakleigh leaper who had kicked seven for Vic Metro against WA, but had struggled at times with his accuracy and consistency. A lot of us had hoped to see him play AFL by now but unfortunately he now looks likely to go the way of Lucas Cook (pick 12, 2010) or Nick Smith (15, 2002). Some of our Casey watchers have seen some green shoots this year but his lack of physicality is a concern and is why he was pulled aside early this season and given more one-on-one tuition on tackling. He’s clearly not ready to play AFL yet, but personally I’d give him a game or two in the next few weeks, just so he can see firsthand what’s required and can feel more a part of it – it is hard being continuously outside the main group at training. As to draft night, the next live pick was his Oakleigh teammate Josh Weddle, who must have been part of Taylor’s discussions given his amazing athleticism. He was the AA U18 full-back, so maybe we were less interested than we should have been. Ed Allan (pick 19) also had amazing athleticism, yet he’s struggled at the Pies so far.

38 Jed Adams – his highlights reel back in 2022 was hardly flattering, so I do wonder a little how we plucked him out – Taylor has a good record in WA though. He’s a big strong lump of a lad and his kicking has really improved under our tutelage but he just doesn’t seem to be able to get it enough at Casey to warrant selection. He certainly has some good role models with Tomlinson and Marty Hore. He’s got two years to run on his contract (I am not sure why we needed to sign him that long so early), but he certainly needs to get a wriggle on and show more than he has so far.

Pick 12 rookie draft – Will Verrall – Taylor went back to taking a stab at Gawnie’s successor and decided on the second South Australian ruckman (Harry Barnett had gone to the Eagles at pick 22 of the main draft). He’d missed a bit of his top-age year overcoming a few groin and hip injuries and he spent a fair bit of 2023 rehabbing with us. But he’s shown a bit and seems to have a few forward smarts as well. Next year is the key year for him if he’s going to make it. We also took former basketballer Kyah Farris-White, who is 206cm tall, but his lack of mobility and feel for the game has been telling when he lines up for Casey, so we will have room for a Category B rookie next season.

Pick 22 rookie draft – Oliver Sestan – This was definitely an out there pick by Taylor with the Mansfield man taken after an impressive scratch match with fellow juniors.  He’s got thickset Brian Wilson hips, so can baulk out of tackles and he’s pretty clever with his kicks and can bomb a long ball like Trac. I reckon we should give him a taste in our final couple of games as he’s certainly showing enough signs at Casey to warrant it. 

We also added classy looking Old Haileybury defender Kye Turner to our list pre-season, but unfortunately, he got injured after six games for Casey and probably just lacked that physical presence needed down back to warrant keeping.

Based on exposed form to date I’d say your marks are about spot on - if not a tad generous 

[chook fowler 19,243]

Jayden Hunt would have offered more than Billings or Hunter.

[Demonsterative 3,009]

A bit hard on Jeffo. He has developed very nicely this year and has on some bulk. Drafting skinny beanpoles always take a few years to build up the strength required for AFL football. He will become a valuable asset in coming years and JT will be seen as drafting another very good player. 

[roy11 3,623]

For an immediate impact rating Jeffo/Adams would be low but they may turn out to be important players down the line so its a difficult one to judge properly.  So think you should definitely chuck an asterisk next to the number!

[Demonsterative 3,009]

32 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

Jayden Hunt would have offered more than Billings or Hunter.

Agree chook, but Billing’s and Hunter are still being paid by their former club. The club paid very little for them in regards to salary and draft picks. 
 

I never wanted Jayden to leave.

[spirit of norm smith 14,884]

Hunt was still a key part of the 21 premiership.  If not for his ankle injury in round 21, he would have been there in the GF.  His speed and determination are still there.  He just wanted a fair go and didn’t get the feeling in ‘22 that he was wanted.  Hunt out … Hunter in !!! What a fail the trading was in 22 and 23. 
 

As far drafting, jury still out on Jefferson and Adams, as well as the rookies.  I wanted Hewett (went pick before MFC) or Binns with our first pick as a running mid. Both are yet to cement places due to injury and/or availability of places.  Jeffo was seen as a need selection.  

[poita 3,871]

The biggest mistake we made in this draft was not taking another pick to bring in a young midfielder. Surely we could have found someone to take a punt on with a late selection. 

 

[monoccular 17,259]

I haven’t seen Sestan in person or on the track.  To those who have: is there any way he could, with another full AFL preseason (which would almost be his second I think) become a tough burrowing inside mid, or is small forward the only slot he could fill, if any?  

Edited August 5 by monoccular
Bloody autocorrect incorrect again