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Now that's some meat we can all chew on! Adelaide I disagree; they had 17 players play 20+ games in 2023, which is ridonkulus team stability. A 'good' season would see 12. That included all 4 of their over 30yr players; Sloan, Walker, Laird and Smith, which is a handy quartet of veterans to say the least! I think they are at their peak already and will hover for a while, in the competetive range, but not excel. GWS & Carlton are similar propositions to each other in that they both came good late in the year but haven't quite proven themselves yet. Strange to think that Carlton fans were on the 'sack Voss' bus early in the year. Both teams fluctuate wildly within and between seasons. Either could dominate everything or not even make the 8. Brisbane are professional competitors with an excellent, balanced and mature list. Only a grand final hangover could explain them dropping very much. Sydney have all kinds of firepower and flair but they finished 8th for a reason; their record against other finalists includes a win over the early season misery version of the Blues, and a win over the Giants. That's it. They had a 3-ply soft draw, with the Demons and Giants the only top-8 teams they played twice. Collingwood don't deserve to be allowed to take the field, but their lawyers ensure they'll be back. Melbourne, Collingwood and Brisbane are the core contenders and go into on level standing. Several others may menace if they get momentum going.

We've invested heavily in fixing our biggest weakness (both with players and coaching acquisition) and our list overall is stronger and deeper than 2023, with the sole exception of the ruck. We were 3 points and 8 points from winning each of our finals, including against the eventual premier, in difficult circumstances and with our forward line thrashed by injury. I don't see how anyone could seriously think we're not a credible contender going into 2024.

Winning a flag is tough. It's too high a benchmark to set. In my opinion, Top 4, and winning a final are our benchmarks. From there if we win a flag then it's a bonus. But making the Prelim should be the minimum goal for the team. Not winning the flag won't be a failure.

We'll make the GF. We had a Grundy problem last year not to mention the other. I think we can sort out the forward line with Roo ,Petty and Fritta good targets.BBB a bonus if fit. Might see some big improvers such as Sparrow,Spargo ,ANB and Bowey now showing total reliabilty.Riv also. I don't expect full seasons from Melk and BBB or Tom Mac. Be nice to have Salem and Fritsch firing all year. Pickett will be AA material. Petracca,Gawn and Viney will back up as usual. Oliver will prove his detractors wrong and sort himself. One or two new guys should emerge. We are closer to another grail than it seems.

On the same topic I also spoke last week when in Melb to Christians Dad while at their very popular North Rd. Cafe. Very encouraging report on Christians health and fitness. Let’s say he is winding back his effort after a huge start to balance out the pre season. Is well above last 2 pre seasons and back in 2021 territory. Let’s hope he can return to that as he was very instrumental in our success as part of that superbly tuned backline that kick started our attack. We need that back again to connect down field successfully in 2024.

Not to take anything away from our sublime 2021 flag but it's now Sixty years since we have won a granny at our home ground. Let's hope after dropping out in straight sets two years in a row we can win this year. I dearly want to be able to attend a grand final with us winning. Do most of us think we will be in the mix again?

You leave Zkosdie alone.

Ollie is going to be a fascinating watch for me this year. Unusual body shape and looks shorter than his listed 188 cms as a result. No doubt as to his talent. Everyone seems to agree that his fitness will be a big part of his development. He could be the sort of kid who has another year at Casey and then explodes. Looking forward to seeing him gain AFL level fitness and give himself every chance to make it.

Slide out of the 8? Seriously get off the crack pipe.

Well, after a few weeks of total, well, boredom on this site, haven't things hotted up quickly in this thread? For some years, IMV people have rated out list really highly -as they should - but have forgotten that a couple of other teams had good lists as well. I think ours stacks up against anyone's. McQualter will be a great addition. Our forward line has dramatically improved thanks to some more recruiting brilliance. I am immensely confident. And to be honest, I would hate to go into a football season with anything but confidence and optimism.

We'll be there on GF day.

Cant remember my first game I saw,but sure do remember my first GF .1958 us against the filth they bashed RDB allday cost us the GF and what would have been, eventually , the record no.of GFs in a row

Dogs, Cats (maybe not), Freo will be an interesting watch. GC are the obvious one for me...

Fair call. The Crows would be the obvious team that could make that jump.

I promise I'm not setting out to be a contrarian but I feel like this year the forward line is the least of my worries oddly enough. There are so many question marks going into this season. I trust this side to be competitive no matter who is on or off the field but this is the least confident I have been in having a settled team to build continuity heading into next season. Forwards Yes there is perhaps, system, method, positioning et al that needs improving but much of this as has been noted by @binman and others, until the midfield and wings can improve their disposal and decision making, then this will continue to be an issue. Personel wise I expect JVR to improve, Fritta to have a better run at it health wise, McAdam to provide more options and the smalls to find some better consistency and continuity playing with each other to create and hit the scoreboard more. Of course Petty is the biggest IF regarding his health. If he can play the majority of the season I genuinely think he is the most imposing, physical and natural tall forward we've had since Hogan and should be the focal point. If the somewhat of a pipe dream in Brown being fit enough again to impact a full game is true then that's a bonus. Double bonus would be Jefferson working his way into the main side and performing as I think he has the tools. Backs I know a lot of people talk about depth but I think we're a little bit more thin down back then we have been previously. I think our tall stocks with Tomlinson, McDonald, Turner and Hore are 'OK'. But with Hibberd gone, Smiths uncertainties, Rivers potentially spending more time in the middle, I'm a bit worried about our mid-sized players. The biggest IF for me is can Salem finally get some luck and fitness back to play consistently again. Mids It has been our constant and biggest strength these last few years and right now its the biggest concern right now. Elephant in the room I know its only January but in eight weeks we have our first game and one of our two best midfielders isn't training. Gus rightly so is being eased back in and there won't be pressure on him to slot straight back in. I actually think the period without Clayton last year gave us a different look in the middle that I liked a lot. But will Gus be ok? Can Sparrow be a 20+ disp, impactful consistent midfielder? Can Trac go up a notch again (defensive improvements?). Without Jackson or Grundy what happens if Max goes down? Sorry for the long post. As much as there's many concerns I'm also excited to see how the team tackles all of this. Sometimes adversity brings upon more change and dynamic which this team has lacked in recent years. Go dees!!!

Good analysis above. However I disagree with you for disagreeing with me about Adelaide. They threw 6 games last year in the bin through complete inaccuracy. In those 6 games they outscored the oppo but somehow lost the game (we were one of the beneficiaries in round 19). Going through past years, that stat is a complete anomaly and all bodes well for them this year if they can tidy up their accuracy. If they won just 3 of those 6 and they would have finished 5th not 10th. It’s a complete anomaly because in 2021 and 2022 the highest amount of times where a team lost but outscored the oppo was 3 as opposed to Adelaide’s 6 last year. In fairness we also lost 5 games where we outscored the oppo in 2023 so I take a fair bit of solace out of that. In 2021 and 2022 we committed this sin just twice. I think Adelaide can bolt into a top 2 spot provided they can fix up their accuracy issues, enjoy natural improvement from their under 25’s and get another big year from Tex who doesn’t appear anywhere near the end.

The worst Karaoke is in Vietnam. Everyone's got one and they turn them up to 11. Competing Romantic wailing ballads that sound like cats fighting or Chickens in severe pain. Celine is atrocious I agree but surely she can't go on?

Our 3 most important players are Petracca, Gawn and May.......I'm in no way saying your 3 aren't important but lose Petracca, Gawn and or May and we're done. As a lifelong Dee's optimist this season leaves me feeling a little flat. I was certain of success last year and those finals hurt more than any others apart from the 87 Prelim. We are responsible for a Pies flag and only a flag will heal my pain.

This is just a thread for optimists versus pessimists.

While I tend to be a bit on the glass-half-full side of things, I'd prefer a few more glass-half-empty posters in place of the couple of glass-completely-empty posters we seem to have.

He's a great reason to be excited about this years footy. A fit forward line of Petty, Fritta and a Jvr will be dynamite I reckon.

Yep. Secure Top 4 and hopefully have a fit and firing list to choose from in September.

It was hard NOT to know in 2021. All through the finals series - and way beyond - the joint was decked out in red and blue. One of Christian's brothers also has a cafe in Church Street Brighton towards the Nepean Highway end. The premiership cup turned up there one time. The family resemblance is unmistakeable.

Indeed, we have won 6 GF's in the year the summer Olympics were held. That's 2 more than any other team. We also won in 1940, a scheduled Olympic year, but something else was going on at the time, apparently.

Or…. If we lose our first few games, the season may drag-on…

Thanks L G The big take away from last year was we almost made it with a plethora of injuries. I'm confident we will be top four again this year as well.

What a horrible half glass empty future you are predicting. I can easily come up with the half glass full story completely the opposite and believe it’s far more likely than your dire negativity. For starters Clarry is not missing yet. It’s his situation that we don’t know or can’t predict but I believe we will have him back fit and firing at some stage. Who has ruled Petts out of the early rounds ? Even the additions of McAdam Billing’s Kolsthrup and Fullarton would transform our goal scoring plus a fit Fritta. Also BBB might just be match fit again and fill the Petty void for a few rounds. So Max and Stevie are going to fall off a cliff in 2024. Not on their watch! Count on improvement of Rivers in the middle a revitalised Lingers and Hunter or Howes or Taj plus Mc Vee improved and Salo back fit like in 2021. Tom Sparrow taking the next step and Joel Smith and Melky to return later in the season. Trac couldn’t kick any worse and can straighten our inaccuracy horrors. Oh and Mini gets the forward line and connectivity issues solved and improved. I don’t believe any of my glass full points are unachievable or some even unlikely. That is the potential of our list existing and new players for 2024 and a flag at the G is a very real possibility given a great injury run. We have had our down years and 2024 is a great chance to right our wrongs and misfortune of 2022 and 2023. Three wins at the G. Go Dees!!

We would need a hell of a lot to go right. Already a gun down in the midfield, who can step up? Petty will be missing for the first few, we cant rely on BBB to fill that void, nor TMac who has been training with the defenders anyway. Max and May nearing the twilight. So I suppose my answer is no.

Turn on the hose and point it over the fence and yell the ship is sinking.

Went to games in the late 60's but have no memory of the encounters. The old man was Fitzroy so have vague memories of Fitzroy games at Brunswick St as a little tacker But the game that stands out was against the Hawks in '72. The same game that Hudson did his knee. Another memory of that game was watching the reserves with Philip Rhoden and his booming drop kicks from the kick-outs ... at least 70 metres time and time again. He could kick a footy that bloke One of my lifelong best mates was also at the same Hawthorn game but we didn't know each other then. Both of us were standing behind the goals at the Glenferrie Rd end In another game that same year I was delayed getting to Arden St for the North encounter ... got there at quarter time and the score was Melbourne 11.7 North 0.2. Didn't get to see it and it still haunts me!

Big fan of the Chin. His goal kicking accuracy is pretty good, hard at the ball, and has a good leap and very strong over head marker for his size, this is a really underrated skill of his. Could make a formidible partnership with likes of Kozzy, McAdam in '24.

I fear we have missed our chance with injured older players a game plan that wasn't sustainable and it appears other teams may have gone past us The eight beckons but i really think that we may fall short a lot needs to go right for us 6th or 7th is my tip

I'll try and do my Casey best 22 Senior side. B: Lever, May, McVee HB: Salem, Tomlinson, Rivers C: Langdon, Petracca, Hunter HF: Billings, van Rooyen, Neal-Bullen F: Pickett, Brown, Fritsch FOLL: Gawn, Sparrow, Viney IC: Bowey, McAdam, Chandler, Spargo SUB: Laurie EMERG: Turner CHB is out of Turner and Tomlinson. We are not sure when Clarry will be back. We are not sure when Smith will be back. We are not sure when Petty will be back Brown is a possible replacement. We are not sure if Brayshaw is over his concussion. The last 3 spots are open with McAdam, Billings, Chandler, and Spargo being favorites. Casey B: Hore, Adams, Freeman HB: Connelly, McDonald, Lual C: Windsor, Lewis, Howes HF: Tholstrup, Schache, Sestan F: Moniz-Wakefield, Jefferson, Farris-White FOLL: Fullarton, White, Woewodin IC: Steele, Szybkowski,Verrall, K.Brown, Shipp FF will be Brown's if Petty is fit. 23-man will be a Casey youngster.

Hey, I tipped a finals win. That’s a damn sight better than the last 2 years.

6th - 8th with an elimination final win is my tip. I have Collingwood, Carlton Brisbane, GWS, Sydney and Adelaide ahead of us this year.

Another good omen is that our last 5 grand final appearances (1960, `64, `88, 2000, `21) were all Summer Olympics years - so too is 2024. 😆

Going a glass half full here. Baileys? Pleased the Club has stuck fat with this bloke. His performance for Casey v vfl sCats at Kardinia Park round 16 2022 sticks in my memory, as it was match winning IMHO . In less than optimum conditions his ball handling and delivery by hand or foot was self-assured and influential. Young Laurie should bottle it, because that’s what he needs to succeed.

I would be very surprised if we’re anywhere near the pointy end and expect us to potentially slide out of the 8. We’ve been exposed the last two seasons and nothing has ultimately changed over the past three draft/trade/FA periods (I’m not expecting Windsor and/or Tholstrup to take us to the promised land in their first season; this isn’t a comment on their long-term prospects). An ageing list, coupled with off-field immaturity and a soft-underbelly that’s been present since post 2021. What’s not to like?

Taj showed enough in 2023 to maintain my confidence that he can play at this level. Hopefully he can take a McVee-level leap forward in 2024 with his fitness and confidence.

Laurie is another who doesn't win enough of his own football, and who isn't tall or quick enough to compensate for that. I honestly don't see a single AFL standard trait in his kitbag, and for that reason I don't think he'll make it.

Ordinary footballer who would have been well advised to look for another club in the off season given the ridiculous number of small & medium forwards we currently have on our list. Doesn't win enough of his own football, doesn't kick enough goals, doesn't apply enough defensive pressure - it's a bad combination for a guy who is coming into his 7th season.

Petracca has improved every year and has come back to training looking extraordinary. With him, Viney, Sparrow and (we hope) Gus, our midfield will be fine. Max is still going strong and we might blood some backup this year. Our defence is the best in the league although I agree, May is getting on, unfortunately. Our forward line is immensely improved on paper at least and if Fritta is fit and firing, and if we can get Petty back relatively soon, I see us having a great year. And if Clarry is in there, and I hope for his sake as much as ours that he is, we will be almost unbeatable IMV.

The one where Jacks causally jogging off and Selwood looks like he's cowering is better.

Plus the youngest Brown 14 years old and with the Chargers under 16s this coming season. Evidently quite talented at this stage. We missed the other brother as he is a talented 195cm soccer player.

HP is a great quandary to have, he has shown that he is an excellent backman and now also has the makings of a VG forward. We are all hoping that Harrison can get out on the park more Consistently in ‘24 and help hold the forward line together for us. Good luck HP.

Dunstan, Harmes, Hibberd and Jordon all out vs Billings, McAdam, Windsor and Thostrup in. Woedwodin is right at the heart of the puzzle of how we reorganise our midfield, wings and half-foward for 2024 and for years to come. Personally I'd like to see him more in the thick of things and avoiding any 'Spargofication' of becoming a low-possession smart-positioning outside type. My gut feeling from watching him is that he'll have some great awareness in the chaos and has an intuition for getting the ball to better places. Also, Taj Woewodin: UNDEFEATED.