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First game to see Casey for some time. Was always so convenient when played at Sandy. Far from a reliable report but a few comments. Wind made marking for talls difficult. It was hard to judge flight. I thought Oscar improved as the game went on as he began judging the flight better. Spencer far from fit, struggled to be the brute he can be as the game went on. Trengove is a class act and will definitely make it in time. I went to see Weideman, but as I say it was hard for talls. With the wind the goals just sailed over everyone's head from outside fifty. Spencer kicked a beauty from at least 60 out close to boundary just before half time. It meant often the person well at the back of the packwas in the best position. The opposite direction a player intending to scout found it dropping on him. The Weeds few chances showed a couple of great skills. A really sharp left foot snap had guys around me arguing if he was a left or right foot. We soon learnt with a beautifully graceful right footer strait through the middle from about 30 out with wind. You can't help but love his kicking style. A couple of really smart handballs for goals. Yes he needs more body but he's got the start of it. Patience. I also wanted to see Hulet as the saints were very keen to draft this long time Saints fan, Sandy dragons player, but we beat them to him. Body wise yes Jack Darling is the model and for a 18/19 year old he looks closer to a 26 year old as if having been around the system for a number of years. What I loved was the variety of smart things he did. In a one on one situation he outsmarted his opponent with a half volley pick up and began running toward goals - into wind- to risky to shoot, but if you can get my point a very smart look away kick - whatever that might be chipped beautifully to a team mate. To me he's got a footy brain. A lovely leading mark in last quarter. A thirty metre kick was just carried by wind to wrong side of post but I thought there was enough in it to be encouraged. The third incident was a very sharp right check side dribble as he ran toward left point post and perhaps a metre or 2 or 3 out dribbled it through. I know he has a reputation for his marking but I've gone away believing there's an awful lot more to this bloke. I think he will play before the weed due to body build and the confidence it will bring him. ANB, great inside hands. Must get a game soon. Dawsy very dedicated and actually held some good marks. One in a pack, although probably helped by the ball drop due to wind. My assessment of Angus is that he has such a good mind he actually reads the play even in scrimmages/centre bounces quicker than others or knows how to read it quicker so is first in with head down, but that leaves him the most vulnerable. Might be better to start him on a wing for a time then let him run as a mid without the initial risk. Joel Smith was of interest and really couldn't track him for he's just to unfamiliar but a few times was impressed with a persons athletic play and when checking the record numbers discovered it was him. Long long term but who knows. The mark of this century. Shaun was there so I asked him how he thought he was tracking and dad was happy. Great afternoon with lots of demons and coaches there. Spoke to Bernie Vince and told him Crows would have won if they still had him to smother Dangerfield.

Weideman kicks a ripper over the shoulder. Can play.

To whet your appetite......and if he keeps developing as he is........and comparisons which we all hate.......Jack Darling.......had the opportunity to spend half an hour with him a couple of weeks ago, absolutely stoked to be on an AFL list, regards it as a privilege, determined to give it absolutely everything.....thinks the development he is getting from the coaches is first class

To be honest, if the Weed was able to save a country from recession during a global financial crisis, I'm not sure we even need Hogan!

We are on the road to being a successful club on field, being a destination club, successful financially and re earning the respect of the AFL football community. It so heartening for all the long suffering loyal fans.

Peter Jackson got Roos in and said 'what/who do you need", and then ensured he got it As you all know I speak to the players quite often, all have said, it is a team now, there are no stars, you get a role, you play it, you play it consistently well, you stay in the team, if you can't crack a spot in the position you normally play, you can have a crack at another position at Casey, see how you go, see if you can get in the team that way.......Michie.............the coaches will help you have a crack at the other spot......the ball is very much in the players hands.....you make the effort you get rewarded As for Neal Bullen, had a bit of an interrupted pre season and Clayton Oliver jumped him, just has to bide his time, but we are going to have a battle hardened replacement who is in top form should we need him

If we finish much higher on the ladder last year, we don't get Oliver and Weideman. If we finished higher the year before, we don't get Petracca and Brayshaw. Pretty happy he ensured our defensive foundations were in place, even if it took 2 years. We can't balance the attack and defence just yet, but once it all clicks together we'll see the benefit of Roos' first two years. These 4 top draft picks being a key side benefit, too.

Peter Jackson

Casey 34 points up and will win comfortably despite sandy playing ok against the wind. Newton ok ok and back on ground.

ding, I had a chat to Jason Taylor about Hulett during the pre season, did post it, he missed the last year of junior footy with injury but we had been tracking for a couple of years, and saw enough in the couple of games he played to draft him Seriously big guy, they expected him to take a while as he hadn't played against men, but also again making sure we don't break him. Spoke to a couple of coaches in recent weeks, he is exactly where they thought he would be once he settled into playing VFL and is improving every week, again being a forward, for the modern game, he has to cover all the things that the Weed needs to as well, but they are pleased with his progress

So why was Wayne Swan awarded the World's Best Treasurer by Euromoney then? http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/wayne-swan-named-worlds-best-treasurer-by-euromoney-magazine/story-fn59niix-1226142190437 Well done. The fallacy that Labor can't manage money continues. Those calling themselves fiscally responsible adults have put us into even more debt. The inferior copper NBN lite is a perfect example and will cost the tax payer billions and billions of dollars. Love that ANB is smashing it. And it's fantastic that Trenners can get through a solid block of dominating at VFL level and gain confidence in his body at the lower level. Looking forward to his eventual return. And I note a goal from big Jake Spencer. Excellent.

I've enjoyed my first Casey game for the year. All were impressive and they future of Melbourne is bright with the young players we have. Impressed with Dawes, Terlich, Newton, Trengove and ANB. Can't wait for tomorrow although I can't go as son has his own football game. Casey will win by about 5 goals. Battery now nearly dead

Fixed

Same thing said by Weeds family so it was written on here last week. Finally we have a REAL footy club by the sound of it. Roos might get most of the plaudits, but our entire development team need a pat on the back. (Even if we dont win tomorrow)

"Default, the two sweetest words in the english language"

Observations: ANB in everything Hulett is exciting Brayshaw unlucky Sandy scoreboard only has one number 5

Thank you all for the up date and flow of information. It makes for good reading over breakfast. With regard to Brayshaw, the club need to be ultra conservative. This kid has great skills and had one of the best first seasons in have seen in a long time. He has had a series of head knocks over a short period of time and needs to take the time to fully recover to ensure that he has minimal chance of problems in the future. We do not need him in the next 6 to 8 weeks so get him away from any contact training or playing and get him working on longer term fitness and keep the skills,work up to him. After that get him back into playing with a view to building him up to play last block of 4 or 5 games for the season. Set him up for what I would hope to be a 10 year career.

He (Angus) certainly is having an absolutely awful run of bad luck, when all was looking great for him after an amazing debut season. Absolutely none of it due to conditioning or player management, thus far at least..... IF indeed this is another concussion, he should see a neurologist / neurosurgeon for advice, but IMVHO he should be told to take a month off from footy, keep fit, and hit the reset button in July. So what if he misses most if not all of this season if it means getting everything right? There will be a place for him in our exciting midfield, meanwhile the likes of ANB, VDB can get a run. What we and he do NOT need is a season of repeated knocks and him ending up like Roh Bail or others like him.

That's true, but Roos set the whole thing in motion and maybe we wouldn't have attracted some of these guys if he wasn't there. I give him credit for turning us into a football club again, first time for decades.

Really enjoying having players in the 2's who are smashing it week after week and still not getting a game in the 1's. (Sorry for them ofc, but we need this so badly) Do they call it deept, deepth,.... depteh ..... something like that. Havent had it for so long i forget how you say it.

Add Trengove. I know we disagree about his pace, but I reckon he'll become a pivotal cog in our midfield too.

nothing go back to bed

Thanks Cats. After their squealing against the Dogs - a 26 to 8 free kick count in their favour, Crows still not good enough. Good loss for Crows, one of the teams we gotta displace.

Final siren sounds after Sandy gets a late consolation goal. Bring on Box Hill next week in the big one. Casey Scorpions 1.4.10 10.8.69 15.12.102 19.19.133 Sandringham 7.3.45 9.3.57 13.6.84 16.6.102 Goals Casey Scorpions Munro T Smith 3 Dawes Hulett Morris Weideman 2 Briggs Neal-Bullen Pattison Spencer Trengove Sandringham Dennis-Lane Shenton 3 Kreymborg McCartin 2 Cook Longer McKenzie Minchington Saunders White Best Casey Scorpions Neal-Bullen Munro Newton T Smith Hutchins White Sandringham Lee McKenzie Wright White Curren Shenton Disposals Neal-Bullen 39 Newton 30 Dunn 28 Terlich 27 Trengove 26 Munro 23 Hutchins 21

Anb hands in close are a thing of beauty. Tackles hard too. i know it is hard to break into seniors midfield at the moment, but he surely must be close. Had the ball on a string today.

Surely Neal-Bullen gets a game soon. Surely.

Dawes' goal puts Casey 31 in front.

Funny watching him, body, arms and legs flailing about at all angles and then the ball suddenly pops out straight to a team mate.

Think positive! A good margin in the win over the Bulldogs + GC over GWS + Fremantle over Hawthorn ... and we're into the top 4!

It's a nice milestone. I think it goes without saying that we need to keep winning. Do you reckon the club might go "ripper, we're in the 8 one game in to round 8, let's pack up shop for the rest of the season now"?

Exactly. A second year 19 year old mid in good form can't break into the team by round 8. And said team is in good form with few injuries. Stop the presses. One poster even said he'd leave by year's end. How about he keeps doing what his coaches are asking and when an opportunity opens he makes the most of it ? It's called "working for it". It must be a generational thing where some have this prevailing attitude of "entitlement".

I have on many occasions in the past commented about Ronald Dale Barassi and am convinced that it's virtually impossible to convey to those who were never privileged to have seen him play, the influence he had on our sport. He is our game's Don Bradman, Mohammed Ali and Joe DiMaggio all rolled into one - the Steph Curry of our current times if you like. He represented strength, courage, determination and the indomitable belief that as long as he was with us, we would always prevail. I don't agree with the comment that Melbourne's era of dominance would have ended even had he stayed. He was that influential a person and that farsighted in his approach that he would have seen to it that the club moved into the modern money era rather than to languish and pride itself as an amateur old school relic which it remained for the next decade or two after he left. We never caught up to the others because we constantly sought our next messiah, someone in his image without recognising that there can never be another Ronald Dale Barassi. In his era, there were two others who stood strong and tall at other clubs - the late Ted Whitten and the great Murray Weideman (who incidentally was in attendance last night). You can't reproduce men of that calibre and you can't reproduce them today because the times have changed (and will continue to do so). Barass will forever be etched in my mind - the iconic picture of a raging bull crashing through packs, taking strong marks and kicking the miracle match saving goals from 60 yards out (that's how we measured distances then). For those younger Demon fans who still don't get it, imagine waking up on a Saturday morning like today and knowing that your team just can not be beaten no matter who they're playing. He raised us up. That's how it felt when you had Ron Barassi on your side. The two singers who performed last night, sang this song at the request of the Barassi family. Here's a version from Josh Groban that might help people understand what Ron meant to thousands of impressionable youngsters like me -

It's like winning Monopoly Money. Just because we can't take it to the bank doesn't mean it isn't fun to count.

Hopefully their rebound is amazing as Gold Coast's was.

I think they need to look at 'how' he's getting all these knocks and see if there's an aspect to his game he might be able to alter. A helmet will hardly do anything to stop concussions.

Did really well again and was a bit unlucky not to get in the official best player list. He finished with 26 disposals and kicked a goal. Appeared to be comfortable with his foot and I remarked earlier somewhere that he wasn't far away.

Honestly I have no idea how he wasn't in for Michie this week, with Salem back.

Turnover and Dawes spots up weed who is now getting reward for effort. Credit to dawesy, as despite competing for the same spot, looks like he has really taken the young weed under his wing. They've worked well together today.

Scorpions with Briggs and Morris getting early goals into the wind lead by 4 goals.

I'd be content with no further penalties if the club made a clear statement that: 1. the former administration cheated and tried to cover it up 2. made it clear the club would not welcome back as 'favoured sons' any of those involved until they expressed remorse (and not just for having been caught) 3. stated that those who want to shift the blame to ASADA and WADA should pull their heads in, as while there might be the odd problem with those organizations, it was our club that broke the rules. Of course none of that will happen because of effect on potential legal actions.

Ronald Dale was a wonderful, courageous and inspirational footballer. He invented ruck roving. He never gave up and he gave his absolute all in every game he played for the MFC. We haven't had anyone with the determination and endeavour that Barass had. For you young fellas disparaging his legacy, you have no idea what you are talking about as RDB is an icon of the MFC and one of the greatest characters to ever play Aussie Rules.

So...do I have to barrack against Adelaide for the rest of the year? Because my family members in South Australia aren't going to like that.

This thread is gonna look pretty stupid if we lose Agree, but Melbourne supporters gotta grasp 12 hours joy.

the fact that he did do that (and went to north and sydney) and is still a melbourne legend/favourite son should tell you something about the respect he earned and the contribution he made to the mfc that it transcended everything else

No idea why people are getting their knickers in a twist about no ANB. He's playing well, sure, but it's hardly something to get upset about. He'll get his chance somewhere down the line.

I just like typing this out. How's this for a midfield: Viney, Oliver, Petracca with support from Tyson, Brayshaw and even Salem. Not to mention older guys in Vince and Jones. And the addition of Prestia next year. That's a deep and talented midfield.

Now we have to beat the Doggies to stay in the 8

This stat is incredible and yet not surprising. According to Champion Data, Melbourne has won 18 more takeaways than the opposition per 100 centre bounces when Oliver is there. That number drops by 12 on average whenever he wanders outside the centre bounce setup.

It's a place where people smoke and chat and generally laze about dreaming of places with beaches and sunshine.

Seriously I have ready your tripe for years but take it as gospel this is fact in this is very much a factor in this case I am struggling to comprehend you are actually an adult to come out with some of the stuff you have in this thread, if you're genetically or mentally challenged I apologise in advance, you sound like the type of insecure person who always assumes the worst oh know my partner has gone out without me they must be cheating. FFS Harden Up if he goes he goes, we will continue and be well compensated Smart clubs build around more than 1 player and if we are to win a flag it wont be solely because of Jesse Hogan, whatever hole he leaves will be filled it may take time but it will be filled