drdrake

I really wish I could share your optimism about our current midfield, I'm just really concerned by the lack of skill by foot and the inability to play as a unit rather than individuals. Trav Johnstone in full flight was amazing, we just didn't see it enough. 2002 he was flying won a Bluey in 2005. He to me was our most talented midfielder in the past 21 years. Ranking our best midfielder is bloody hard as we haven't had an elite midfielder for a very long time. We have/had some good mid's but not a complete mid that can change a game consistantly.

Hawthorn might do the ok afl we will play 11 home games in tassie and 11 away games in Melbourne with member access to these.

I disagree with your first comment, the first group at the same age bracket took the club into a Grand Final they all would have been early 20's. The biggest difference between the 2 groups to midfield of 2000-2006 they all could kick and carry the football, also kick goals. It certainly helps having a Neitz and Ox to kick to, but I reckon Neita would have appreciated the delivery he got. The other difference the first group had the benefit of playing some games in the late 90s with some fantastic players/leaders, current group haven't had this.

Not many would disagree with that comment, however he wouldn't have been many most clubs best best midfielder

Just to clarify, when I mentioned hurting teams nothing to do with physicality, it is improving his disposal to enable him to get the ball into more advantageous positions, for opposition to think that every time he gets the Footy it will set up Melbourne for a scoring opportunity. There is no questioning Oliver's ability to win the Football, the biggest question mark is what he does with it.

This is how I sum up Oliver, no issues getting the ball but at some stage he needs to start hurting teams. Petracca is our most valuable and important midfielder. I think the Midfield group of White, Yze, Leoncille, Rigoni, Johnstone, Woewoden, MacDonald (A & J), Powell, and Bruce are a mile ahead of any midfield group we have had in the last 21 years. Pretty hard to argue considering this group took us to our last GF appearance and 5 years of finals. Our current mids have achieved little, underperformed and more concerned about individual performance then team.

Also you don't want to lower the bar for Father Son selections, they need to earn their spot not just given it. What ever happened to the Clubs Father/Daughter Academy.

Collingwood will be hoping this gets released so they can slip out of the media's spot light for a while. The AFL might wish they are back into Covid hubs. Bit of their plate that would be a little concerning, add this onto the Collingwood issue, plus the concussion issue and add in the Trans Gender issue in AFLW. Drugs, Racism, Mental Health and Gender discrimination, bit of a mine field there.

It will be interesting to see if Mark Williams can improve our kicking skills, until we can kick the ball better we won't win a premiership.

A nice little video of some training on the club website. I hope the players watch this, every time we did the flick handpass over the shoulder it was a turnover. Can't believe the coaching staff haven't banned this handball. It is like a 3 point shot in basketball, great when it comes off but really you are only going to hit 10-20%

I think the AFL need to switch the bye week in finals from first week to after Prelim's to avoid this. Bit like NFL do, even put in the State of Origin match in the bye week. This is the start, I'm hearing that Juniors will remove all contact until U12s and are looking at AFL grids for U8/9/10 age groups to minimise contact. Some leagues have already introduced this. Player welfare is number one priority at all levels, the big concern is we look at changing rules at younger age groups, players don't learn to protect their head, you go from a game that no one can touch you to full contact, you need to learn to put you [censored] in harms way not your head. The grounds are way to hard, be interested to see a stat of concussions that have been caused due to impact on the ground compared to player to player contact. The grounds are harder than ever. To me this is a big factor in concussions and also the increase in feet issues with players.

You don't give a spot on your list to someone that is not up to standard. I have no idea if this kid can play, he meets a need that we have but he needs to be up for to it. The club doesn't need to rush the call, we can have him do a complete pre-season, see him in intra-club and maybe a couple of Casey pre-season games, or if still uncertain have him play at Casey and pick him up in mid season draft. There are a number of players that missed out on being drafted that could have been if they played footy last year. There could be some real bolters available in the mid season draft, I'm a bit of a fan of at least leaving 1 pick for this draft.

The issue that the club had with Hunt of half back was his decision making and disposal, the run and dare was always great but the final execution let him down. Playing him up forward, he didn't really bring a great deal of defensive pressure more a fast hit up small forward. I think he will be looking at being the number 1 small lock down defender ahead of Lockhart and Jetta

I don't think that list of players there is anyone that owns that position. Pickett showed some glimpses last season the others are either new players or guys that just are there abouts no stand out. If he is good enough there is a spot for him. We will find out over time if he is good enough to play at this level, like mist 18 year old players we don't really know if they will make it

The only place it can be is the current training oval with an indoor facility/offices and Social space over the existing outside carpark. The greens will not let us develop any land in the park lands surrounding the MCG. The club won't want to move outside the Olympic Park/MCG precinct, the study will be the best location at Gosch's paddock , that is why the clubs line has been that the oval is smaller than MCG.

I agree with this, a paper that ranks the top 100 WAGS is a absolute disgrace. On Patton just plain stupidity if the allegations are true.

Our game plan over the past couple of years has been about winning the football at the contest. Our Number one strategy was to push an out number to the contest control the football mainly by hand till we get a player in the clear to kick it forward. To achieve this outnumber has severely effected our forward structure, most clubs will push a forward into the midfield to ensure we had the outnumber at the contest we often pushed 2 to 3 forwards to the contest. Our opposition knew this held their back six structure and basically allowed us to win the ball at the contest and get us on the forward 50 turnover/rebound. The main issue with our game plan is we don't have the skill set to keep the football, as soon as we turn the football over which we often did due to over handballing at the contest trying to free up the ball, there was always space outside the contested area and as soon as the ball escaped this area it was an easy take away by our opponents. Teams knew that we couldn't hit a forward target by foot which is vitally important as we are kicking into a outnumbered forward 50. Scoring of a rebound and setting up across half back was the way to beat us. They win the ball and flick it out to the fat side and we had no chance to get over to defend the exit. To me, we need to stop this consistent out number up forward it was often 2 -3 loose defenders against our forwards. Back our mids to win the footy, if you look at Richmond and Bulldogs, that is what they do keep pushing the ball forward knowing the that they have players forward of the ball that will apply pressure.

Love to see Oliver really start to hurt sides by foot. There was one game this year might have been V North where he was bursting away from the contest and kicking the ball, that was the most damaging game I have seen him play. Like most on this post have said, we have really lacked any high quality midfield group. If this current group Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, Viney, Langdon, Brayshaw, Harmes, Sparrow, AVB and the rest can start to play more team football with better structure they have the talent to be an extremely good group if they keep playing the same selfish way it will be a waste.

He gets to enough contests, he does jump at the contest really well but just drops to many marks that he needs to start taking. A bit more strength will help. His contested one on one improved a lot in 2020 still needs work but we saw him able to hold body position a bit more. Needs to Nail those 30m out 45 degree angle shots, these should be bread and butter for all forwards a couple of games he could have kicked 3-5 goals if he nailed these easy shots. We also need to remember the way our game plan is to push forwards around the contest to get the outnumber there means our tall forwards always are out numbered and our crumbing forwards play a more hit up role that front and square so even if Weiderman brought the ball to ground he had little support to stop it coming straight back out. There is no harm in players have outside mentors, sometimes you just need that outside voice to offer some advice.

I like the idea of a summer training base and for this year a training base. your away from everyone and sole focus is improving. The Oval is in ripping condition and the new building out there looks great.

Interesting in the Article in the Herald Sun, Pert said due to covid we will be at Casey for 2021 because of the share arrangement at AAMI Park. Interesting though our AFLW side is training at Goschs paddock, maybe the training times for AFLW doesn't see the Storm or Victory at AAMI park.

This is not just a Casey issue, the AFL has head in the sand about the drop in participation rates of Boys between 12-18 years old. Auskick and the massive growth in female participation have boasted numbers. You think the quality of AFL is bad now wait a few more years the talent pool is shrinking. Cricket is growing rapidly due to the large number of migrants from the Sub Continent calling Victoria home, you will see in particular in the outer rim many local footy clubs struggle and ovals being allocated 12 months a year to Cricket. AFL clubs have zero interest in developing players in these areas all they are concerned about is selling memberships.

At least we will be ready for the wind at Casey the following week, 4.10 at Fremantle oval the Freo Doctor will be well and truly in

We talk about the lifestyle Geelong offers to potential players, 1 hour from city a number of Surf beaches 30 min away, the coastal life. Casey although not the same would open up to players living on the Mornington peninsula, Philip Island and one of my favourite places Inverloch. You have 2 u18 sides out that way with good programs. Hawthorn are moving to Dingley to me that is worse than Casey

And you have seen them play how many times or you just looking at their Bio's and limited footage that the club/AFL has put up. Why don't we wait and see how these guys go after a pre-season and we get to see them play either at AFL or VFL level before we make any judgements. The best thing about AFL is there is 18 positions on the ground that are filled by players of varying height and body sizes. We had a 177cm Brownlow medallist this year, that isn't overly quick but he can find the Footy, work through traffic and hit targets.