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I just laugh at those who say injuries mean nothing. Everyone gets injuries. Well everyone might get injuries, but it is really about who is injured. Richmond had one possible top 22 player injured last week in Vlastuin and Hampson, who probably is behind Nankervis anyway. Everyone else was available. Pies had one player out. Then of course, the other issue about injuries is when you get them. We seem to get them early in games and are robbed of our better players and then the use of rotations. On the flip side, the teams we have played have not lost anyone during games and that has made the contest tip heavily in their favour. We have copped it both ways. Our better players going down and early in games. That just kills you. We have played pretty well this year and if not for those injuries, would possibly have been 5 zip. The fact we are not getting killed in games is testament to our effort and improvement.

Was talking to a sports scientist working with the Suns (down for north game) tonight, and he was saying during matches all players are on GPS and monitored for their work rate and brought to the bench to rest (and for how long) based on this real time data. then during the week post game they review each players performance against their game data and work with the coaches and fitness advisors to review and further develop players based, in part on it. So I suspect Goodwin and his team are probably delving a bit deeper into the players performance, load, intensity, etc than we on here do with our rudimentary stats and old school understandings... and we're just gonna have to trust them and hope they're on the money.

Geelong were far too big for Casey (for obvious reasons). Other than that, I have minimal that I can contribute, mainly because I had no idea who most players were. But, I can contribute this (for the little that it's worth); - Trengove will struggle to play another senior game. Love Jack, but just think the game has gone past him. - Ben Ken got reported I think. Didn't see it as it was on the other side of the ground, but saw umpire taking numbers. He played ok apart from that, but not dominant. - Hulett is a long way off. - Wagner was very good. 2 more weeks at Casey and he will be ready for a call up. Big boy. - Kent's attitude is terrible. He wasn't great, laid some good tackles, but for a guy that should be in the 1s, he didn't play or act like it. - Harmes wasn't brilliant. - Mitch White's best is very good, just needs to bridge the gap between his best and worst. - Not sure who number 48 is/was, but thought he showed a bit. Other than that, I totally admire regular Casey contributors like KC, bloody tough gig being able to report on individual players.

Once there was Annus Horribilus Now we have Season Interuptus

JKH in his first game back in over a year made costly errors BUT by trying to move the ball on quickly and bringing the ball into the corridor aggressively. Stretch who has had strong development and continuity over the last year did not make clear errors but slowed up play and took safe options. I think this is about the broader what we are trying to build and where they are both at in their development. Stretch going back to tinker on his game is not a bad thing.

Give me a break

JKH plays a different role from Stretch so comparing their selection is not relevant. He struggled early against the Tigers but inproved as the game went on. He hasn't played at AFL level for a long time and deserves a chance to get with pace of the game. I agree that it's not easy to see his distinguishing attributes like it is in say Kent. But the key is listening ro Goodwin say he plays the way we want to play, I'm not sure that Kent does. That's the message.

I've seen enough of Billy Stretch this year and heard enough about his work ethic to know that at some point in the future, we'll all be sitting here tapping away writing nice things about him in the "BILLY STRETCH - 200 GAMES" thread on Demonland. Clarry Oliver said earlier in the year that McCartney attached him to Billy as one of the shining examples of elite training habits - that is a massive thumbs up for Billy in my view. But right now he's a 20 year old midfielder who has played 32 games. He's not going to be able to maintain AFL level intensity all of the time at this stage. He faded in the Richmond game and has a 4.5 day break. This is going to be a game where it is truly all hands on deck. Nobody with question marks over their ability to run out games should be in this one. I don't have any issue with not punishing young bodies and I'm very sure he'll be back in the side long before round 10.

i don't want to be pedantic, but i think it wrong to describe the hogan hit as "behind the ball". it was "off the ball" or "in front of the ball" being in the position where the the ball was going to be delivered. in addition it was a face-to-face situation and he was retaliating so describing it as "behind the ball" gives the impression it was a sniping action to an un-sighted player.

An ex Hawk board member once said if they took Judd over Hodge he would have had immediate impact unlike Hodge who struggled in his early years. The immediate impact IHO would not have seen such a drop off as they did under Schwab after the 2001 prelim loss to Essendon. No dramatic drop off could have seen them miss Clarkson and almost certainly miss both Roughead & Franklin. I think had we drafted correctly as hindsight now shows us we miss Petracca and Clarrie

Greene is proven, Gus isn't even getting a game at the moment. There is day and night between them. One is a top notch AFL player and the other is a solid VFL level player. That is how big the gap is between Greene and Gus at the moment. Whether Greene was to play forward, midfield, does not matter, he is playing at a level above Gus, and playing a far highly quality of football. I don't mind Brayshaw, but he is absolutely unproven in comparison to Greene.

The GWS did not exist. Imagine how many teams would have more depth with quality players. Imagine how closer some teams would be to winning premierships. I could go on and on, however the AFL have done it and now many clubs will just have to watch this mob fly past them and win flags while supporter bases of foundation clubs are left behind frustrated. it is controversial but real! A few thousand supporters in Western Sydney will get to see their manufactured team with compromised drafts win flags while hundreds of thousands in the heartland of AFL put up with results of many Compromised drafts. screw the AFL and GWS!

My advice is to give it a break for a while Ethan and concentrate on your strengths (eg throwing faeces ) and then come back with renewed enthusiasm.

All clubs get injuries so not an excuse.

All of the above = PEDO

The AFL App is just beyond hopeless. The only score it is showing today is last years GF Fix it up you tight ass bastards. There are 100's of people employed in at AFL HQ We are being so screwed...

It may be a load issue for Stretch but I've seen him hold up ball movement in recent games at critical times and not play "fearless football". As others have mentioned, players have strengths and roles, IMO Stretch has not performed his key role v Freo and Richmond.

Watch Joe Daniher bring his kicking boots too. That bloke terrifies me, and I'm not just talking about his face.

Problem 101 our defense is still a major concern....

They still have to play each other twice. Neither are making finals... it is beautiful.

I wouldn't write him off yet Fitz. There is a lot physical and mental maturing to come. Another year before any reasonable Judgement can be made.

Spent about 20 mins talking to him before he was delisted, just after some shoulder surgery, about 6-7 years ago. I was impressed then and he has remained one of my favourites. And it really annoys me when he is referred to as a battler, or hard worker etc... because it undervalues him. He has genuine evasive skill, wins one-on-ones regularly, is a strong mark, and an outstanding club man. Well done, Nev, now for the next 100.

I guess a 2.40pm start is out of the question?

I recall a topic and rant like this back in 2012-13. Terrible isn't it. Yet the Bulldogs were a kick away and probably should have beaten them if not for poor kicking. Imagine that..

I suppose it's less disorientating having the old Old Dee back. But I also kinda liked that other sunny guy that was around for a month or two.

Agree with all of this. Billy makes us better. But in the last 2 weeks I've been frustrated by him. He's seemed to want to go backwards or sideways or turn into traffic. It's like he's been possessed by Luke Williams ! A week off to recharge, refresh, reset his compass and have a quick exorcism is in order It will be interesting to see whether he plays at Casey or is rested completely

That could be the case, as for those who love stats, his were far superior to JKH last week, yet he is gone. He also doesn't turn the ball over like JKH did. To me, JKH is one lucky boy this week.

Mind meld

Never been milkshakes biggest fan but I thought he was better against the tigers. I'm personally happy to keep him in and try to keep the defence stable. Harmes etc being dropped is irrelevant

Toby Greene must get 4 weeks for that deliberate round arm face punch tonight v. the Bulldogs. The only reason he didn't shatter his opponents mandible was because he got him flush in the mouth, across the lips and teeth. It was in a different league to the face to face jumper punches of Lewis and Hogan, who were dealt with too harshly by the MRP. The arrogant little Cousins look -a- like has been warned, but took no heed. The fact that the victim only received a cut lip is irrelevant. It was vicious, and much more likely to cause severe injury than the misdemeanours of Vince, Hogan or Lewis.

I always feel blank when GW$ (win)...

Touche, Hemmingway and Uncle Bitter! If you check the demon wiki stats Tom Flower was a much better footballer than was given credit. In todays game an outside mid with pace and beautiful skills. Could kick a goal AND in fact , If I recall he kicked 5 in a game vs the Filth when the filth were good! I think Carl Ditterich didn't take to him and although almost a Filth player ( Tommy Hafey) wanted him he ended up in the VFA played in a premiership or two then retired! Pity, with a considered approach would have been an excellent 100 game plus player .Typical Melbourne nurturing! Should not be mentioned on this site, nor should Greg Healy!

Jordan Lewis better perform given his 3 week holiday.

In Greene's defence, imagine waking up and looking at that mug in the mirror every morning, it'd be hard to keep a grip on life.

Peter Costello.

JKH... 9 disposals. 4 fumbles. 3 turnovers. OMG. Retained. Stretch. 19 possessions. Run and carry. 5 inside 50s. Dropped. Goodwin must be concussed. JKH better perform !!

Now is not the year to speculate on Hogans long term progress. Totally inappropriate. Give him some space and leave it be for a while.

I wonder how you bozos would go whilst your Dad is dying of cancer on the other side of the country. The last few years would of been very tough. Hes a top liner and when he settles he'll win the Coleman more than once

The VFL Tribunal must be more lenient than the AFL MRP. In the Jesse Hogan case the Carlton player developed headaches after the game (a symptom that might conceivably have been caused by another knock during the game or even from something else altogether) and played the following week but that was enough to put him out for 2 games. Brayshaw was immediately concussed and went off. Now misses at least one game presumably as a result of the hit and the perpetrator gets 1 game suspension?

I think you're going a bit easy on Greene. You say a free kick and 50 m. That's wrong....Daniel already had a mark, so there was no free, just 50m. You say the ball was there to spoil. That's a joke...he walloped his face when he knew it was too late to spoil. It was a full, round arm, reckless, deliberate swipe, of high force. Far worse than anything Vince, Hogan,or Lewis did. Comparable to Grinter on Wallace,except that Grinter was running with the flight of the ball, and it wasn't late.He missed the ball by the same amount as Greene. That was in the " tough" days. He got 5 weeks.

As good as Murphy was, he should have been pinged that time for running too far without bouncing the ball.

I think Stretch and Harmes just couldn't get up after the Richmond game. Would be interesting to see the time spent on each ground for each player. Playing two down in the wet may have taken a heavy toll on them. Doubt they were dropped based on form. Fresh legs makes sense even just for a week. Jkh should buy a lottery ticket though....

Better footballer than Bryce Kicks well with either foot.

Take an oxygen tank and a telescope.

sense and reason... sense and reason....

Goodwin said on SEN tonight the club contacted the AFL umpires department to find out why he is being pinned for throws when the club think he is handballing. I wonder if the umpires are reacting to some commentators narrative a few weeks ago that Oliver throws and are just guessing. Good to see the club being proactive and hopefully the chat with AFL sorts the problem.

Why can't more people see this, bing? Whoever gets dropped is compared to Melksham, even though they don't even come remotely close to playing the same roles. Harmes has been playing forward, Stretch on a wing. Neither play back which is where Melksham is.

Save this for another time mate..

Not to break down with injury midway through the second quarter.