This is the time of year when the VFL clubs are in preparation for the coming season. With the AFL Trade and Free Agency period now over, the VFL clubs will be looking to add to their lists and the recruiters at Casey have plenty of work to do given Mitch White’s retirement and the unlikely prospect that their two main recruits of 2024 (injured pair Campbell Hustwaite and Leo Connolly) will be back in the fold for next year. 

Time for new names and an innovative approach for the club that went downhill quickly after the glory of its 2022 premiership. 

Any chance Tommo becomes a Casey player?

  On 19/10/2024 at 10:20, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Any chance Tommo becomes a Casey player?

Not sure why you would at his age. AFL list or go take local club money instead.

  On 19/10/2024 at 10:25, seventyfour said:

Not sure why you would at his age. AFL list or go take local club money instead.

How does Casey (or any VFL list) money compare with local club money?

Age-wise, Tommo was a very good Casey player as recently as this year.

Casey is an alignment club and seemingly cannot offer the $$ of other non aligned clubs nor even some of the suburban grade/regional teams. Certainly Williamstown has recruiting lots of ex AFL players and junior talent.  Others in local leagues also now got $$$ to throw at youngsters.  

If he is not picked up by another AFL club, then Jai Culley (ex Eagles) has to be the Number 1 target. He’s a talented player and should still have some MFC interest. He’s from Lamgwarrin (ex Dandenong Stingrays junior) so likely he’s going to fought over by WAFL clubs and Frankston throwing $$$ at him.  Casey might offer less $$ but a chance within an AFL aligned system. He’s one player I’d target first if available.  

  On 19/10/2024 at 11:43, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

How does Casey (or any VFL list) money compare with local club money?

Age-wise, Tommo was a very good Casey player as recently as this year.

I'm not sure exactly but the VFL salary cap for AFL-aligned clubs is $110,000. 26 players on Casey's squad this year= $4,200~ each. I assume match payments as well.

Could easily double that taking $500 a game at local footy. Had a mate who played VFL, left it to get paid $250 a game at a local club and his agreement was that he didn't have to train during the week. Was still BOG almost every week.

Edited October 19, 2024Oct 19 by seventyfour

  On 19/10/2024 at 23:09, seventyfour said:

I'm not sure exactly but the VFL salary cap for AFL-aligned clubs is $110,000. 26 players on Casey's squad this year= $4,200~ each. I assume match payments as well.

Could easily double that taking $500 a game at local footy. Had a mate who played VFL, left it to get paid $250 a game at a local club and his agreement was that he didn't have to train during the week. Was still BOG almost every week.

Wow. Hard to see why they bother. It offers an elevated training/playing environment but it hardly offers 'pathway', with the odd exception.

  On 19/10/2024 at 23:09, seventyfour said:

26 players on Casey's squad this year= $4,200~ each. I assume match payments as well.

AFL players usually make up 10-14 members of the Casey team. Realistically around 10 Casey listed players are getting a weekly game.

It must be soul destroying to play in a comp where you are performing well but can be replaced by a lesser performed AFL player simply because they are AFL listed. Similarly how do you train when over half of the team (the AFL listed members) never train with you.

Overall it's just a weird dying competition

Just before we sign off for 2024, a reminder of who performed well in an otherwise forgettable season.

Casey Demons Best & Fairest 2024

Campbell Hustwaite definitely not coming back. He has signed with Rosebud, as has Mitch White.

Roan Steele has joined West Perth.

@dazzledavey36 yes read last Thursday that West Perth had signed Steele.  He had an excellent year again and has progressed in standard year on year.  Not quite AFL standard but is a high quality VFL player.  

 

@KC from Casey Casey has lost Mitch White 2024 B&F winner & Roan Steele 2024 B&F Runner up.  Hustwaite gone back to suburban footy.  Connolly???Probably only 4 or 5 others were actually up to VFL standard (Edwards, Cross, Gregory, Bell, Freeman) and some who got games and are developing (Szybkowski, Peters, Shipp, Windsor).  

Big question is what Casey offers? Cannot match $$ with other VFL, interstate or even suburban clubs.  Cannot offer certainty of footy and club feeling as inclusion for many depends on Melbourne AFL availability.  

  On 19/10/2024 at 23:09, seventyfour said:

I'm not sure exactly but the VFL salary cap for AFL-aligned clubs is $110,000. 26 players on Casey's squad this year= $4,200~ each. I assume match payments as well.

Could easily double that taking $500 a game at local footy. Had a mate who played VFL, left it to get paid $250 a game at a local club and his agreement was that he didn't have to train during the week. Was still BOG almost every week.

Some serious coin in the country

He could get 50k up front and then 1k a game

Yes Roan Steele off to the West Perth Falcons in the WAFL. Club webpage describes itself as a "professional Australian Rules club". Couple of MFC connections; team song is 'A Grand Old Flag' and their home ground is at Joondalup where the Demons were based in September 2021. Add those attributes to Roan's innate footy abilities suggests this is a step up for Roan. Good luck Roan!

All the Casey players have contracts with local clubs and are paid on a games played basis.   They also get a Casey contract.   For instance Ned Moodie is contracted with Mornington but only played a couple of games there last year as he mostly played for Casey.   He has been invited back this year.

  On 21/10/2024 at 02:11, stinga said:

All the Casey players have contracts with local clubs and are paid on a games played basis. 

Do you happen to know which teams they train with? Is Casey training the whole squad or only those likely to be picked on the following weekend

This shows where the money now is … in the country or suburban footy.  

VFL: Williamstown pair Will Fordham and Corey Rich on the move? They're being linked with an Ovens and Murray club. Fordham joined the Towners this year after three best and fairests at Frankston. Been a fine VFL player. Rich is also an ex-Dolphin and team-of-the-year pick

Hearing Deakyn Smith is back at Casey??

  On 22/10/2024 at 03:28, BangBnagBang said:

Hearing Deakyn Smith is back at Casey??

He’s signed at Thomastown for 2025. Not sure he’s also going to be on Casey’s books ?!?! 

  On 22/10/2024 at 04:17, spirit of norm smith said:

He’s signed at Thomastown for 2025. Not sure he’s also going to be on Casey’s books ?!?! 

A post from Thomastown’s Facebook page - 

Deakyn is keen to get back to his best having committed to Casey Demons VFL and Thomastown for season 2025.

Casey Demons need to ensure they get 2-3 more mature players to replace the departures.  

The sign up of Jai Culley is probably in my view the number 1 objective. 

Also again look to sign up some of the young non-drafted graduates from the Gippsland Power and Dandenong Stingrays. Likely players would be Charlie Orchard, Ben Hopkins and Harry Doughton from Stingrays, and Asher Eastham from the Power. Potentially young Charger listed Jasper Alger (a Warragul lad) if he’s undrafted.  
 

What happened to that guy George who some thought might be a smoky draft choice for us who played a couple of games this year.

  On 22/10/2024 at 04:37, deelusions from afar said:

What happened to that guy George who some thought might be a smoky draft choice for us who played a couple of games this year.

Gone for a Tosca (no, not a euphemism. Just one for the oldies).

  On 22/10/2024 at 04:37, deelusions from afar said:

What happened to that guy George who some thought might be a smoky draft choice for us who played a couple of games this year.

Name is Roy George.. now 23/24 years old.

Played a few years for Peel Thunder and then moved to the Victorian country league and also played a few games for Casey.

He was great to watch but he's perhaps not the type you need at VFL level as he would be competing with McAdam. It's a great discussion as to what type of player is needed/wanted at VFL level. It's not simple.

  On 21/10/2024 at 02:03, Tarax Club said:

Yes Roan Steele off to the West Perth Falcons in the WAFL. Club webpage describes itself as a "professional Australian Rules club". Couple of MFC connections; team song is 'A Grand Old Flag' and their home ground is at Joondalup where the Demons were based in September 2021. Add those attributes to Roan's innate footy abilities suggests this is a step up for Roan. Good luck Roan!

A mate of mine is a life member of West Perth, so I follow them closely. They had a poor year this year, but generally are contenders for a flag. Their primary mids Aaron Black and Connor West have played AFL footy for the WCE, but they're slow and average users. I suspect that they want to regenerate their midfield, hence they targetted Roan Steele.

In my view, the decline of Casey over the past couple of years has been due to the influx of ageing rejects from other clubs, and whether they are motivated to play at Casey. These players are sold a role in the AFL starting 23, but once they are dropped to Casey, they revert back to the players they were at their former club. 

Many Demonlanders seem to think that these players are fine because they were cheap acquisitions, but imho they are having a negative affect on the younger Dees players at Casey, and the Casey affiliated players. It was pathetic watching a Casey team with 8-10 AFL listed players who were over 27 getting towelled up. It's not surprising to see a mass exodus of Casey players.

Hopefully the review of the Football Department includes the Casey affiliation.