I watched the last 2 Casey games, and despite the poor opposition, it struck me that the structure with the 2 key forwards (Jefferson & JVR) is working a treat. They team together well and it takes me back to the days of Ross Dillon & Greg Parke since I have seen two genuine talls interchange between the 2 key posts. Perhaps their time at Casey will develop them into a lethal combo. Brisbane did it last year with Daniher and Hipwood, with medium-sized, smaller forwards buzzing around them. Rayner, Berry, Cameron, Ah Chee, Bailey & Lohmann, with Morris as the third tall, won a flag. The Pies ideally want Mihocheck & McStay as their key forwards, with assistance from their rucks to provide marking power. The support team is McCreery, Elliot, Hiil and the Daicos boys (De Goey) if fit. Geelong have always had Hawkins and Cameron

I cannot help but feel our forward structure is a bit light on. Petty has been forward and back, Melk plays his role, but is 33, Kozzie cannot be everywhere, and Chin, Sharp are role players. I am not sure where Fritta fits in.

In short, I believe we have at best a makeshift forward line. In 21 we had Brown and Tommy with Jackson up forward. Trac, NIbbler, Ftitta and Kozzie all playing as forwards even Harmes.

I think to advance after this year, we need a better structure built around 2 key marking forwards. Langford is big enough to play permanent forward and a bit more class than we have. What does everyone else think? I so hope that JVR & Jeffo take the next step

I like the structure of having to permanent key forwards, almost tag-teaming between offering the connecting leads up the ground and staying at home so there is always a target ready to take the mark inside 50, whether by precision or simply making the contest meaningful.

Ideally you would also have them both be close to 100% time on ground, with the frequent 'rests' as the forward remaining inside the 50 allowing plenty of time to replenish.

Around that, of course, the ideal would be to have multiple players who can rotate through the middle, half forward and wings and be used forward whenever the situation calls for it. And, of course, the joy of the swing tall defender-forward.

Important to remember that in 21 we only had both McDonald and Brown available at the same time for the later part of the season, and that it was actually Fritsch who benefit the most from that. The evolution of the game since then kind of confirms that it is necessary to be flexible and be able to move away from or closer to goal as circumstances demand.

So, yes, I agree with the heart of your post and just wanted to add a long-winded rant!

JVR and Jefferson are theoretically our future 1-2 key forward punch and should be getting games together after the bye, in what’s clearly now a “reset” year. (It’s amazing how one loss can sink a season)

Unfortunately they both played together V’s Hawthorn and it was a bit of a disaster. But we should persist with these two once finals are unofficially shot after Kings Bday.

A large issue is May and Lever wont last much longer.

We have Petty, Turner and Johnson as our new key defense, and it helps they can go forward.

4 minutes ago, Demonic Dave said:

We have Petty, Turner and Johnson as our new key defense

Johnson as KPD??? Are you sure? Adams, sometime, maybe.

Lever looks shot, and May not far behind.

I've always liked the KPF and second KPF/ruck. That could be Jeffo and JVR, but it has to be Petty and JVR at the moment.

Jeffo will fill the Melky role in time, if he makes it.

I’d love JVR and Jeffo to make it as our one-two punch long term as I think they compliment each other really well as different ‘types’

Unfortunately JVR has regressed badly this year and Jeffo, while improving, is still at least a year or two away from having the body for AFL football, and that’s before we really know whether he’ll make it at the level or not

I don’t want to write either of them off but I still believe we badly need an interim forward in that 25-30 age / 195cm - 200cm height range to give us a focal point and take the pressure off those two

Why we’re not heavily into Oscar Allan is beyond me - he’s not a star but he’s proven and fills a need we’ve had for years

Agree on Jeffo if he’s fully committed to getting stronger.

Unfortunately, I think we have plethora of NQR tall forwards atm.

14 hours ago, monoccular said:

Johnson as KPD??? Are you sure? Adams, sometime, maybe.

Lever looks shot, and May not far behind.

Or Luker

16 hours ago, Older demon said:

I watched the last two Casey games, and despite the poor opposition, it struck me that the structure with the two key forwards (Jefferson & JVR) is working a treat.

Works a treat at VFL level

Edited June 4, 2025Jun 4 by lorn

I saw a few games where Johnson was doing well in defence. Maybe I missed something.

Maybe he can be the mid-age KPF while Jefferson bulks up and swaps with Petty, McDonald or Turner to improve in defence.

Now that we cant make the finals, we should blood everyone. How do we know id Adams is the future until he plays? Play him, if he is hopless, find a new KPD.

The largest issue is Tasmania. 2025 is the last draft and we have a really bad hand. And it is a shallow pool.