Fat Tony

I watched the first half of the Willy game on the MFC website last night. Notes: Trengove was very clean and skilful, looks very fit and reads the play very well. He looks a class above VFL. There is a big jump in pace up to AFL footy, but I went to bed with increased confidence that he can make a successful AFL return. (I was a bit sceptical beforehand.) Petracca was not all that impressive. (He was better in the first quarter against Collingwood.) His decision making was ordinary and he struggled to get involved at stoppages. He also needs to improve his transition running. He reminded me a lot of Colin Sylvia as a midfielder to be honest. In the AFL, I expect him to play as a small key position forward for the first half of his career (at least). Michie played a good serviceable game and was clean with ball in hand. Newton was also very clean and classy. Grimes and Terlich played like Grimes and Terlich. Garland made a few mistakes and is clearly under instruction to take the game on more often. He looks athletically well above VFL level. I still think he can get back to being a good AFL player if he can get his touch back. Both Weideman and Hulett look at least 12 months away from senior footy. Max King moves well and is skilled, but is still far too weak to play in the ruck. Stretch played mostly on the ball and was a little disappointing. He found the ball, but wasn’t as clean as he usually is. I actually think he is better suited to AFL than VFL, where the game can be a bit scrappy.

Gives Freo salary cap space though. I actually think it would have been better for us if he went. We don't have a first round pick either.

I think a lot of the criticism of Brayshaw this week is a touch unfair. He is really copping it because we had almost 22 contributors, which is very rare, and he played an ordinary, but still serviceable game. IMO the half forward role is probably the hardest role in footy today. It effectively means you get a hard tag and you also have limited opportunities due to being stationed away from the play at stoppages. I think, for this reason, expecting Brayshaw (or any player in the role) to be a high possession winner is unrealistic. The role also has a significant defensive element. This is not to say he shouldn't be omitted this week if the replacements deemed to be better, but, personally, I would be a bit hesitant to drop him for the second time in a month. He has, after all, been playing a role in a side that has kicked 36 goals in two weeks.

Assuming there are no changes to the senior side, this could be the Casey side to run out against Essendon on Sunday. Terlich O McDonald White Stretch Garland Smith Grimes Trengove M Jones Newton Dawes Petracca Hullett Weideman Neal-Bullen Max King Oliver Michie Munro Huchins McInerney T Smith

A lot of posters are keen to drop forwards Brayshaw and Frost, but it needs to be noted that we have kicked 36 goals in the last two weeks. While neither has had a major impact with ball in hand, they both apply great pressure and are designated to play lesser roles at stoppages. I would be reluctant to alter with the mix of our forward line too much. My view is that if we are looking to pick a side purely for St Kilda, then Matt Jones (if fit) is the first player to come into the side. He offers great transition run and a point of difference to our midfield. And if we are looking to pick a side with the longer-term future in mind, Brayshaw shouldn’t be dropped. He is still young and inexperienced and needs games to get used to the pace of AFL footy. But in saying this, Petracca and Oliver are in the same boat. We have an incredible amount of depth at the moment. Casey by 10 goals

I watched the first quarter of the Collingwood VFL game on the MFC website and thought Petracca looked a really good prospect. He looks to read the play very well, wins a lot of contested ball at stoppages and takes a great mark. The issue he will struggle with at AFL level is covering the ground. This will obviously improve through time, but I doubt he will ever be a strong runner. Even if he doesn't improve this significantly, I have no doubt he can make it as a forward who pinch hits in the midfield. The other comment I would make on Petracca is that he was a little sloppy at times with his skills in the parts I watched, albeit he had a lot of the ball and looks highly coordinated. As an aside, I thought Grimes was really good in quarter I saw.

I agree with your overall opinion that Matt Jones lack class, but he has been playing well for two months now. I think he would be incredibly stiff to be dropped. I also think he helps bring balance to our midfield, which is stacked with inside ball winners and lacks run and spread. This ability to get out in the open is particularly important this year given the new style of footy and rule changes. I see Billy Stretch as his most like-for-like replacement and I have Jones ahead at the moment.

The more I think about this, the more I feel Jayden Hunt should be omitted this week. I understand why other supporters would be reluctant to drop a player coming off a solid debut, but to my mind, he is clearly 22nd best player who played in last week’s side. And we need to maximise our chances of winning against Richmond. The other omission is much more open for debate, although I wouldn’t like to see Brayshaw being dropped again given he looks to be getting back to his old self. I also wouldn’t like to see Matt Jones omitted (although he may miss through injury) because I feel he is currently our best outside midfield runner. This is a tough choice and it will be interesting how Roos goes.

Considerations: Vince and Garlett (if fit) are automatic selections. Our bottom seven ranked players in terms of Supercoach were Hunt 40, Oliver 41, Brayshaw 57, Lumumba 62, Kennedy 64, Matt Jones 65 and Dunn 69. I didn’t think Dunn played very well on the weekend and looks out of form. Petracca is clearly showing he will be an AFL player in time but his fitness is still a weakness. Oliver will need a rest or two at some point during the season and the coaches may see this as a good opportunity to give him one. Hunt had a solid debut but is probably first in line to be dropped. Matt Jones may be injured. Vandenberg may also be fit, but I think he will need to come back via the VFL given our current form and short injury list. I think we will see Vince and Garlett come in for Hunt and Oliver (rested).

Jetta Dunn Garland N Jones T McDonald Vince M Jones Oliver Salem Kennedy Watts Kent Vandenberg Hogan Garlett Gawn Tyson Viney Brayshaw Frost Lumumba Bugg In: Brayshaw Lumumba Dunn Out: Pedersen O McDonald Harmes Dunn for Oscar McDonald. I think we are too tall up forward and have gone for Frost over Pedersen in a toss-up based on Frost’s speed and pressure over Pedersen’s marking ability. Lumumba in for an unlucky Harmes because I want to get our best side playing together. I think still we lack an outside runner with class and would like to see Salem pushed up to the wing. With the rule changes, I think we need to have at least one of Vince or Jones at half back. I think the tight interpretation of deliberate out of bounds means that dual sided kicking players will be at a premium, particularly out of the backline.

Each of those games were with extended benches. I am not saying Frost's tank (or Oliver's) is good or bad, but you cannot read that much into the preseason TOG stats. And I feel with the reduced rotations, we need the extra runner rather than playing both Pedersen and Frost.

This is my 22. Matt Jones plays because we lack outside run and he has had great preseason form. Frost over Pedersen because he tackles and chases better. I don't have both in the side because we need to maintain our pressure in the forward line and GWS are pretty quick. I think Hogan, Frost, Vandenberg and Watts provide enough targets. A fit and in form Lumumba is in my best 22, but his preseason has been short and Matt Jones and Harmes have been playing good footy and deserve a game. Oliver and Brayshaw are too good to be in the VFL.

The city of Melbourne doesn't need three stadiums to host four games of football per weekend. The AFL just needs to sort out a more equitable distribution of income to ensure that the poorer clubs can compete.

No chance if he keeps snapping goals from 45m and dishing off like he did to Salem in the last quarter.

I will wait until Casey play before I list my 22. But I will have only one of Frost or Pedersen in my side. (I am probably leaning towards Frost.) I think Vandenberg is able to provide a forward target to support Hogan, Watts and Frost/Pedersen and players like Harmes, Oliver, Kennedy and Matt Jones all deserve a spot more. Further, while I still think a fit and in form Lumumba is in our best side, I think he needs to play a BOG type performance in the VFL to earn his spot. Likewise, Brayshaw needs a good showing this week to get into the side for Round 1.

When, where and who do Casey play next weekend?

https://www.quora.com/Is-there-a-five-run-penalty-in-cricket

It might relate to penalty runs

The opening post is on the money. It is a long season and as much as you want to be at optimal performance for round 1, the other rounds are all also worth 4 points.

It would be good to see our new players show they are up to it and no injuries.

I think there is a good argument that Nathan Jones should play off half back this season. Rationale: An inside midfield of Jones, Viney and Vince is small in comparison to the rest of the competition. I also note a lot of Demonlanders have pushed Vince onto the wing in their 22. However, I think Vince needs to continue to run with the opposition’s best inside mid, as we get a strong net benefit out of it, and I think it helps him focus on his role. I think Viney is inflexible in terms of where he plays. He is a midfielder only. I also think players like Vandenberg, Brayshaw, Tyson and Oliver are inside midfielders, with only really Vandenberg being able to play a forward role at this stage. We also need another good ball user off half back, which Jones can provide. I remember the Carlton game back in 2014 when Jones tagged Marc Murphy and was excellent in defence. Sydney have done something similar with McVeigh and so have Hawthorn with Mitchell.

We need to get a lift out of our outside midfielders to be a finals chance IMO. Players like Stretch, Watts, Kent and Salem have all shown glimpses but we need to see a full season.

Petracca is a monster. Hard to believe he has the endurance given his body shape.

I don't think Frost and McDonald can play in the same backline. Their kicking isn't good enough to carry both.