mo64

Rewind to round 1 last year when we were short priced favourites against the Saints because they were missing all their prime movers in Montagna, Hayes and Steven, on top of the departure of Dal Santo. Guess what, we lost. I look forward to excuse no. 932.

These sort of "what-ifs" have been done to death over the years. You rarely have your best 22 on the field at one time, and the absent players are game changers all of sudden, when in reality, we know they're not. Sure, VDB, Salem and Kent would improve the team on paper, but that's not to say that the result changes. If Garlett was out, many would say thet he was the difference between a win and a loss. He played and did stuff all, and the players you've mentioned could well have done the same, because none of them are proven A graders.

Tend to agree. Toumpas and Watts didn't set the world on fire when they were recalled, but have been given consecutive games, and improved with each one. I'm not convinced that Michie and Riley are talented enough at AFL, but they need an opportunity before their papers are stamped. For mine, Newton has more talent, and can make it. Now it comes down to the old chestnut. Do we get games into the likes of ANB, Stretch and Harmes, even if they're not 100% at AFL level, or do we play the likes of Bail, M. Jones and McKenzie, and develop the kids at Casey? I'd be giving them runs of 3 games each (including sub roles), but not at the same time.

Dangerfield's manager all but confirmed that it's Adelaide or Geelong, and money isn't the issue. Paul Connors said that being close to his family in Moggs Creek was a huge motivation, and when asked if that meant Geelong, Connors said "yes". Doesn't look like we'll be getting a high profile free agent or quality out of contracted player next year.

Well if they get updated for that, surely they could have been instructed to send players back in the midst of celebrating Howe's goal? For the 2nd week in a row, the buck stops with Roos.

BS. You hear players from every other club say that they practice for that exact situation. It clearly wasn't ingrained into the players, and that sits with the coach. Love to hear who Roos blames this week...

It's far easier for top sides to allow their young talent to develop in the 2nds. When lowly clubs are constantly losing, they get howled down by all and sundry when they play blokes that have been in the system for 4-5 years without showing much, ahead of kids with potential. If a kid at Casey shows that he may have more to offer long term than someone else in the team, then he needs to be given an opportunity. That's not to say that you burn him out if he's physically undeveloped. As for King, it's very rare for an unheralded tall forward to become a good stay at home key forward at AFL level. From the little I've seen of King, he looks like a footballer first, athlete second, which is a good sign. He's one who I would keep at Casey for a couple of more years to physically develop into hopefully a forward/2nd ruckman.

We're actually fortunate that Gilbert and Markworth have relegated Schneider and Sinclair back to the rookie list this week. Scheider's had a really good year, and Sinclair's a good young player. For the 1st time this year we've got the right balance of talls and smalls in the backline. I'd play Watts at half back and Howe in the forward line again. And thank christ Fitzpatrick's out. A bewildering selection last week.

I doubt that it's Michie or Grimes. Michie is still young and has had some chances, whilst Grimes doesn't strike me as the type to whinge. If the conversation occured 6 weeks ago, I'm thinking that the prime candidates are M. Jones, Jamar, McKenzie or Terlich. Out of that lot, Jamar is the only one to have some case to question selection, because he wasn't playing that bad when he got dropped, and Spencer wasn't going to offer anything better.

Brayshaw nomination for round 10 is confirmed.

Harmes really impresses me. The 2 things that stand out are his contested marking and his quick movement of the ball. He does make the odd mistake because he's prepared to take the game on, but I can wear that. His game translates more to AFL level than that of Michie, Bail, M. Jones and Mckenzie. I'd love to see him upgraded asap, and given a chance to show what he can do.

Where's Darren Jarman? We actually did draft him but the SANFL were paying big bucks to retain top players.

Ludicrous is an appropriate comment. 1 player who's playing future is uncertain and another who hasn't played senior football at any level, are considered best 22. Yeah right. And Jamar and Watts are out of the team due to form, and neither have demonstrated that they are consistent AFL players. We've seen performances like last week every year for the past 8, and we haven't turned things around. What makes you think that this year is any different?

Get serious. Hawthorn were missing A graders in Hodge and Lewis and B graders in Lake, Smith and McEvoy. We were missing C graders in Viney and Jetta, and good young players in Hogan and Kent. If both teams had their best 22, we would have lost by 130 points. I wish people would stop making excuses. The only chance we had of being competitive on the scoreboard was if Hawthorn were complacent. After coming off a shock loss to GWS and Dawes shooting his mouth off, that was never going to happen.

This is reason enough for gloom.. At full strength and in form, we are competitive with every team bar the top 4. But rarely is any team at full strength. And unfortunately, most of the kids with promise are already playing seniors, and there's little else at Casey to get enthused about. Also, there are still question marks on some of our best 22, like Jamar/Spencer, Dawes, Watts and Howe.

Whilst it's promising that young players like ANB and White got a few possessions, I'd treat them with a grain of salt. It's seems that Casey play a similar style to MFC, which is understandable, but unfortunately that style involves players racking up stats that don't impact the game. Our rucks had a combined 67 hitouts. Riley and McKenzie must have fed off the ruckmen, but both players are totally ineffectual with ball in hand. Casey only kicked 7 goals against a stand alone VFL club that lost alot of their better players in the off-season. That's a disgrace.

Lyons is struggling to get a game with the Crows even with the Crouch brothers out injured. Can't see him being anything more than a fringe player like Riley.

Watched the game last night between NT Thunder and GWS ressies. Barry played in the midfield and kicked a couple, but didn't get much of the ball, and just didn't seem to get involved. If you went to the game as a recruiter, you'd take Richard Tambling ahead of him. If I was a GWS supporter, I'd be salivating over the prospects they have developing. Marchbank looks like a star, and Ahern would be getting game time for us. One player who was really good for them in their early years but seems out of favour is Adam Kennedy. I think he'd add to our depleted midfield stocks and wouldn't cost much.

No room for Jones and Vince? I consider you a radical extremist and will report you to the Demonland Anti-Terrorist Group aka The Moderators.

Is that what he told you? Riley isn't getting a game because what he has to offer doesn't improve the team. And you can tell him I said that.

That's just crap. He was named in the squads, which meant that he was available, even if that meant 30% game time. And part of the reason why we have preseason games is to get players match fit for the season proper. And good for Spencer that Roos said he went all right. He made 2 blunders that cost us goals in the 1st quarter. He's an average footballer, and always will be.

You have to remember that Martin wasn't getting a game for Brisbane for the 1st half of last year, and if Leuenberger didn't get seriously injured, he may still be playing in the lower leagues. Was anyone saying that it was a MFC stuff up then? The penny might have dropped for him, and he was basically playing for his AFL career last year.

These days a creative half back flanker is as important as an inside mid. Salem is the closest thing that we've had to one since Woewodin started his career, before moving into the midfield. I would have been rapt if any of Morton, Grimes, Bennell, Strauss, Tapscott, Blease, Maric, or Toumpas had of turned out to be a classy half back flanker that we needed.

I'd put this down to list management rather than Roos being enamoured with Spencer. Spencer was out of contract last year, and we only had 2 tap ruckmen on our list (Jamar and Spencer). If Spencer put himself on the market, there's every chance that another club would give him a 2 year deal as a back-up ruckman. The FD probably didn't want to go into the market for another tap ruckman last year, so gave Spencer 2 years. Roos didn't play Spencer in the NAB Cup, which shows how much he rates him.

The problem with Gawn is his lack of consistency of effort and concentration. In the past 3 Casey games, he's gone from pathetic, to good to very good. Without seeing the stats, I reckon he took at least 6 contested marks against Sandy, but still made schoolboy mistakes. He has the most talent of all the ruckmen on our list, and is definitely a keeper. And like all ruckmen, he may thrive with the responsibility of the no.1 mantle. Spencer doesn't cut it because of his lack of skill and nous. Until Gawn matures, I'd trade for a stopgap ruckman like Griffin from Freo.