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First time I've posted in a long time. We have shown great faith in Sam ever since we grabbed him in the draft. He was supposed to slot in beside Jessie as an attacking key to a succession of premierships. Sadly I'm afraid that he has shown us absolutely nothing. He might have played 2 good quarters with Casey in 2 years. Hulett who has been delisted was certainly no worse He doesn't get the ball and he has no onfield presence. On present indications- he's on his way to the flop club to join Lucas Cook and Luke Molan. I'd love to be proved wrong - but for all it's brilliant recruiting efforts over recent years - the FD is still prone to serious errors!

Ditto to that !! Cant believe the hypocrisy in the Hun from the editor down/ In the middle of last week the editor extolled people to "leave James in peace" while he recovers his health. On that very day he/she gave Allan Hird headline coverage.Then on Saturday 3 pages were devoted to Danny Corcoran's views on the victimisation of his good mate. All part of a concerted effort to stir the pot - and reignite the emotions that James is struggling to manage. It is the AFL that is showing compassion right now.. Fitzpatrick and McLachlan have worn damning criticism and innuendo in an effort to leave him "in peace.. Hird's mates are the people preventing the football world - and Hird himself - from moving on

Why would we want to shelve the connection we have started to build in that community? Why burden the relatively small group of supporters in our heartland with the cost of a team in Casey . Let's do all we can to bring Casey/ Springvale families and businesses into the fold i'll go with rjay on this one...

There are "lies","half truths" and "spin". I'm sure his limited availability last year was the source of the problem - so you can say " concussion " But I reckon the fact that he was told he wasn't pencilled in to our best 22 was a factor. If nothing else he's a proud man. That makes it a "half truth " - but a reasonable one in the circumstances. Just annoyed that we've effectively lost a position on list . Don't reckon that's good management.

This is precisely the reason I have been frustrated that we finalised our list without understanding H's situation. The odds are against picking up useful players late in the draft or in the rookie draft - but most successful teams have one or two. Look at Hamling and Papley this year - or Dalhous and Picken. Actually throw in Morris and Dickson - and the premiers had 5 !! I'd also like to think that we are sufficiently close to all our players to know which ones are going to hit the training track on Day 1 - and which ones are not. Perhaps he did a back flip the night before - but it's reasonable to assume that he had some doubts for some time. Reckon most supporters would prefer.a speculative pick over an empty slot

There are clearly many twists and turns in this story - and in the end the club may have done very well to avoid a damaging public backlash (including damaging payout headlines ). They may also have done well to protect H from further injury. Having said that I don't understand why all this came to a head after final lodgement of our 2017 list.The issue first came to light when someone noticed that Jordan Lewis wore #8 to training. Where's H? I don't understand why player and club didn't get to the bottom of the health situation until November. We've wasted a position on our list . Might only" have been an ultra-speculative late pick - but you can't afford to waste anything in this ruthless competition Somewhere along the line we let this issue slip a month or two longer than it should Anyway - best wishes H.

Not sure this is practical - unless Casey- listed players number from 50 onwards - as Melbourne players do now. Perhaps a long term possibility-- but might be one blow too many to the Casey roots of the affiliation to do it now.

Agree absolutely- we employ the coach ~ Plapp is on our payroll - and our development coaches are heavily involved on match day.It sounds like a similar structure to the Box Hill Hawks - which is effectively a subsidiary of the Hawthorn FC The Casey name gives a community flavour - at the entrance to Gippsland. The team will wear our Jumper - and the cry will be "Go Dees" Sounds like it's getting very close to the ideal mix Really positive long term development .Well done PJ , again !

Makes me ill too.. Sorry Gill - when the man is right - the man is right! If Hird's puppets have to be allowed back , they should have to sneak down the race under cover of darkness. Switch the lights off when they run out for the first game and ban the theme song!

Don't think we should underestimate the importance of having a good leader and a good trainer at the club at that time. His willingness to run and tackle set a fine example for all our talls. If we did lose out - then it might not have been on the trade - but on Gosch's paddock a couple of days after the trade! Reckon he is a good bloke who should always be welcome at our club.

Don't mind the article- it is retrospective after all . Strangest thing about it is that Lewis isn't ranked higher. It does two things 1. Puts more pressure on Collingwood/ McGuire/ Buckley 2. Reinforces the message to us : we have to improve - which means we have to work harder!! Two excellent outcomes!!

At the time , I reckon most of us would have said that H for Mitch Clark was a reasonable deal. Over recent times I think we'd all agree that our list management has been pretty sharp. But Mahoney and/ or Viney (?) have made a slip here. How did they let a string of list lodgement deadlines pass believing that H was raring to go ? Out of the blue on 1st day of training the press come out with "Where's H? " Somehow H's status should have been resolved months ago. I'm happy to forgive the FD for this one list management slip-up - but it looks as if it sat in someone's too-hard basket until it was too late to free-up his spot on the list. Clearly he's not an easy man to manage - all the more reason to force the issue sooner rather than later. Guess he might prove us all wrong by helping Casey take the extra step this season !

Reading between the lines - and taking into consideration the pride of the man - I reckon all was sweet until someone told him , truthfully, that he wasn't a lock-in to our best 22. Confronted by this he worked out that his contract might not be renewed for 2018. All of a sudden he's confronted with a season in the VFL -and the end of his career " Hang on - I'm a Premiership player and I came to this club as a leader. Now -your telling me I might be washed up.... that's not what we planned when I signed up ..." He's a sensitive man - and he might have found this reality difficult to deal with. The unfortunate thing about this is that his status stayed in limbo- and didn't become an issue until the list management plan had been finalised This should have been sorted in September/October - so that even if we had to absorb a payout we would have had the extra slot on our list to play with. Prior to locking away Hibberd did we see the Prince as an important part of our defence? If not - then we should have given him a reality check long ago. I saw him at the VFL GF telling a few fans that he was looking forward to 2017. Whatever changed was nothing to do with concussion!

Yeah all the celebrations around the return of Dank's hird of guinea pigs does make my blood boil. I guess you can understand Essendon trying to make them war heroes - but the media shouldn't join in. For all of that- the fact that they were rewarded for their mass suspensions with the No 1 draft pick annoys me more. Defies law logic!! Truth be told the AFL couldn't of a way around it . Banning them from the 1st Round altogether would probably have been seen as one punishment too many. So what was the option? Maybe position on the ladder to a lower limit of around pick 6 ? So if they'd finished 9th they get pick 10 - but if they'd finished 13th and below - they'd have to be satisfied with pick 6 - even if they'd snapped up the wooden spoon, Sounds contrived - and I guess it is. But to see them boast Mc Grath just snuck me as ludicrous Penalise a team - and then reward them for the effects of that penalty How can this be?

Agree on McInerney. Did a couple of nice things in the VFL finals but only when he was given time and space. Didn't work hard to get to the contest - and was pushed aside when he got there. The most interesting point on this thread is the apparent news that we are only taking 2 Cat A rookies when nominally we could take 3. The only reason I can think of is that they may want to leave open the possibility of promoting Joel Smith ( who really has some talent) from B to A ( if there's any benefit in that ?) I'm sure there is a good reason. Guess it's possible they don't expect any sort of prospect to be around when they get to the 3rd round. No point in tying up Development Coaches with players they don't rate. I'd like to see them add at least one ruckman from somewhere- maybe Will Minson? Good back up - and a positive mentor. Like everyone else I would certainly wonder if they leave some young big men behind . They often don't take off until until they're 24 -25 Mc Inerney can stay at Casey

Age article makes no sense. How can he sue us for preventing him from triggering a 4th year on his contract while at the same time sueing us for not taking care with management of concussion? Clearly he has played his last game. Let's pay him out before the draft to free up another spot for a late pick ( or to elevate Mitch White - and create a rookie spot) Hate to say it - but looks like Buckley got it right when he pushed him out the door. High maintenance player plus ... He's certainly confused The Age!

Surely he's finishing and the delay is part of some sort of financial negotiation on the back end of his contract. If he is simply "seeking more information" after all this time - then he is battling some sort of concern about his long-term health.That's not the sort of mindset that will get him close to our top 22. He really should be chafing at the bit now to get a footy in his hands.He needs to be passionate about his return to the game to make up for a lost season. All the signs are that he hasn't got the fire in his belly any more. Mahoney and Co need to do the deal asap - to send him off as an excellent Collingwood player who's time at Melbourne was soured by injury. As I recall he came to us on a 3-way deal which cost us Mitch Clark.Sad outcome at both ends!

Glad to see we've moved past that Parish nonsense. Clarrie is our player - and for someone who'd never done a pre-season - he put in a terrific first year. He loves the contest and has lightening hands in close ( which is a huge plus in the modern game) P-platers can be pinged for readings as low as .01. Seems to me like a competitive beast who'll work hard to put this behind him Let's all do the same!!

.. could not agree more.. Nobody seeking to rebuild their reputation (Lyon) or audience ( SEN) should go anyway near James Hird. Seiously at best the man shirked his duty of care to his players - at worst he is a blight on the game OK - so he is articulate- and knows something about footy - but to promote him - and expect your audience to respect his commentary is irrational We'll know your well again Gary when you leave the boy's club behind!

You can't criticise any of the decisions Clarkson has made up to this season. His choices have netted 4 flags. I only hope that he has just made mistakes which will send them to the bottom. Look what happened when we pushed our soul - Junior MacDonald - out the door. As well as Mitchell and Lewis , Clarkson has tried to offload Whitecross. I seem to recall " let's win it for Whitey as a mid-year battle cry!! The clincher will be Lewis playing in a Melbourne premiership. Come on FD- lodge the signed papers today !!

Great family club Hawthorn..... ... they've just sent Father Sam west ,.... told Uncle Jordan they don't need him round..... sent rumours flying about Cousin Luke and Little Brother Billy........ protected money- grabbing foster kids Big Boy and Chip ..... cleaned out the back shed for Father Sam's estranged son Tom ..... and to cap it off are redecorating the master bedroom for a stranger who knocked on the door looking for a doctor and asking for money...... .. which of next season's free agents will be their next captain?

..... shades of a club which plummeted to the bottom after pushing out a much-loved former captain .... his name was James MacDonald................... ( Here's hoping!)

We can only hope... The trigger to the disintegration of our culture during the last decade was the decision to pension off Junior McDonald. Clubs aren't names or colours or trophy cabinets they are people. Hawthorn players now know that however hard they sweat for their coaches, teammates and supporters- however much their salary they sacrifice to stay together - however much they want to be one club players - they are liable to be shafted . Knowing that - can they give 100% every week? If so can they find the extra 10% necessary to win the flag? Would they have done the same thing if they'd just won the flag - and Mitchell and Lewis were in the frame for their 5th flag in a row. They call themselves the family club. We keep hearing that in today's society - the family unit is under threat . We can only hope!! PS .If the Lewis to Melbourne deal is still alive - I'd do it - but I wouldn't be offering anything more than a 3rd round pick.

Stinks - FA got people thinking about moving to other clubs .... and now trading has legs there's no stopping it !! It stands to reason that the wealthy clubs with the best facilities are the destination clubs. The biggest long term problem is that it'll start breaking down club loyalties. What is the little Richmond supporter with #3 on his back going to think when B Deledio kicks a goal for Geelong against Richmond?

Never understood what Ross Lyon sees in Zac Dawson. Guess he sees some athleticism in Zac Clarke ... but not much else there. Must be names starting with "Z" If we're looking for ruck back up for Max for the next couple of years - get Minson as a Delisted FA ( and try to persuade someone take over Spencer's contract.!) If we want a forward - ruck then get a brilliant doctor to sort out Vardy. The other one who has shown something is Toby Nankervis who hasn't looked out of place when given a game. Let some other club take Clarke!