DeeSpencer

Yeah I’d like to get Disco in for that and just to get him in because he needs games too. But Riv has been very good down back and feels like our ball movement is starting to click with 5 good flankers back there. Tracc and Pickett look better on ball. Kolt has added some defensive grunt. Rivers goes on ball and suddenly the balance is off.

Out: Fullarton, Sharp In: AJ (probably JVR), Melk (sub) Have to think about Disco if he’s right, play him 3rd tall back, Rivers goes back in to the midfield, Tracc and Kosi forward? Kolt out? Maybe. maybe not? Does May need a rest?

Can’t play Oscar McDoanld every week. Back to big AJ or JVR next week please.

Sharp did one cool thing coming on completely fresh but otherwise looked like his usual not clever football. Spargo had great work rate consistently in the right spots defensively and in attack. Agree he probably did a bit too much and had one classic example of that with the kick to Pickett that went wrong. But thinking Sparp is better than Spargo is fundamentally not understanding what you’re watching.

There was lots of talk about it with the Gaff incident. Including a local kid charged by police. 'He should be charged': Why a co...Why a country football assault could be bad news for Andr...A legal expert says a country footballer charged by police after an off-the-ball incident, in which a teenager's jaw was broken, could serve as a test case for West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff.I think the Gaff incident is right on the borderline and we've had several similar incidents that are somewhere between footy accident gone wrong and actual assault. Players don't want to be seen going to the police against a rival. But to me the Barry Hall one was clear cut and if that happened in todays climate I'd be shocked if police were involved in some way.

You sign up for a violent game you have to accept there will be incidents where players get it wrong in the context of the game. Miers' injury looked shocking but in reality to me is more like akin to Bolton kneeing Disco in the head in a marking contest than an assault. Barry Hall on Staker off the ball - now that's entirely different. If Staker went to the police they would've been duty bound to investigate it as an assault.

I think the way the game is heading with ball movement being more important than contested ball that we have a very good foursome and they complement each other really well. Langford will be the main extractor but also has a really strong outside game (I like that they are settling him on the wing for now). Kolt will be the defensive power. Windsor the speed. Lindsay the skill. I expect them all to head towards the centre once they get 3 preseasons and 70 games. And team balance is a factor too, might need one of them off half back or wing and another forward. I hope we develop the versatility in these guys that our last core with Oliver, Viney, Harmes even Tracc (plays forward or mid but only in one style) have lacked.

Yes, thought he was good in the first half playing on smalls and then it was a bold call from the coaches to trust him on Amiss and he did the job. I like his work rate and defensive discipline to stick with opponents, it’s just well and truly time to start winning some more contests.

Yeah, nah. Panics with the footy, has zero presence at the contest. Height and athleticism isn’t enough, has to develop some ability to win or use the ball sometime soon.

I reckon our half backs have been on an upwards trajectory all year with their ability to share the ball, switch and generate some footy through the corridor. Langdon as a 4th mid from the half forward line, Tracc on ball and Kossie finally gave us some midfield speed and run so when the backs did take it on they had options. Combine that with Petty providing a target and good energy from the smalls (best game Spargo has played in yonks, Kolt and Sparrow) across half forward everything was much more cohesive. Midfield defensive transition and some parts of the defensive zone still scare me but Freo have waltzed through us for years so it was a big step forward.

What’s his usual? Tom had a good 2021 but despite constant attempts by the coaches to make him a midfielder or wingman he just isn’t one. Ball use and awareness are both too poor. Did an ok job tagging Holmes, got killed by Merrett last week because he just isn’t smart enough to stick with a clever mid. Today they made Viney tag Serong and limited Sparrow to purely half forward and despite some usual fumbles and decision errors he did a great team job and took some strong marks which is a key part of his game. But he’s a limited role player, he is what he is by now.

Oscar and an underdone Darcy probably the easiest back up ruck combination in the league but he was better than expected there (some of his Casey efforts in the ruck have been diabolically bad). Definitely gets at least 1 more week. Agree that his leading at the ball (and height that draws free kicks) both offer more than JVR. Although I feel for JVR because Melk and Petty are our best tall forwards to play alongside. Whoever we picked in that role had way more of a chance than some of our earlier combinations

Lumping JJ and Bedford (who both played a fair bit of footy) in with 2 non afl standard players. Fullarton is more like the latter

You’re most likely right but he’s finding a bit of the ball and laying tackles. Used in small doses he could add some much needed spark that we’re so badly lacking

Yes. Every time he's played in the last few years at his been as a tall, ideally in that disruptor role on the best interceptors. He doesn't do enough with the ball on the ground to be played as a flanker

Unless you're demoting Melk to sub then we've got a 4 tall forward line without any pressure with that line up, not that Fritsch is great in that regard but he at least offers something at ground level. He's been judged on goals and whilst his missing has been frustrating there's been signs in 3 of 4 games this year that he might make something of the new role he's been asked to play getting up the ground more. All the focus is on the talls when Geelong play Cameron as a winger half the game and I'm never sure if Shannon Neale is actually a real person. Sydney keep winning with 4 rucks. If we can get McVee, Lindsay and Kolt back over the next 2 weeks and settle Windsor down we can finally start to line up with something resembling a decent line up of flankers. I'd love an early look at Mentha. And in terms of vital players who aren't in great form the big one is Spargo who we desperately need but I don't think he comes back to his best without another 2-4 weeks minimum at Casey. Aside from Fritsch's goal kicking and JVR's concrete hands by far the biggest issue is we keep butchering the ball with bat**** crazy decision making and skill execution which leaves us vulnerable on transition. We can get some addition by subtraction if we replace the midfield butchers once we have some reinforcements available.

Except he plays like he’s 185. He’s a flanker in a 200cm body. The logical replacement for JVR is giving Aidan Johnson another run who actually has a red hot crack and does bring the ball to ground. The logical replacement for Fritsch is Jeffo but it would be madness to drop Fritsch this week when he actually responded to the threat of being dropped and played a fairly decent game against Geelong, just missed his set shots, which is an issue but should eventually start to turn.

It’s very hard to improve players as a team goes backwards and from our players drafted 2020-2023 it’s not a long list. McVee is a great player development story. Bowser is starting to turn the corner after some 2nd/3rd year blues and injuries. I’m still confident there’s a player in Disco, he’s not far from putting it together. And AMW had come a long way before injury. Howes and Laurie appear to be rare JT misses. The problems in their game don’t seem to be fixable. We’ll know more by the end of the year about Jeffo and Adams but they’ve both come from bog ordinary when they started at Casey to at a minimum good VFL players. The only talented player who’s really flat lining in terms of development is JVR.

Goals were good but he got smashed but Kreuger in any genuine aerial contest. Don’t expect him to come in.

Goodwin developed our entire premiership team and you’re upset he can’t make anything out of a bunch of guys who aren’t good? There’s a separate conversation about JJ and Bedford and lack of turnover of the team in 2022/2023. Mistakes made then that we are paying for now. Anyone who watched JJ and Toby at their first year at Casey wouldn’t be questioning the coaches ability to develop players. Those 2 were absolutely nowhere near AFL at the beginning of their careers.

So short of the Dogs plucking one from nowhere in Freijah and Geelong doing what Geelong do better than anyone in finding mature age and obscure players the draft has proven exceptionally weak after 30. I’d prefer to treat the draft as a lottery and buy more tickets than we have been in recent years but I get why we trusted JT’s Also note that only Adelaide gave up a future 2nd in the Curtin deal as part of a draft day trade, no one traded back in to 2nd round of 2023’s draft. Every club was aligned that it was no good.

Laurie would just the sub. Langford could stay as sub but I’m not too keen on him as sub when he could play a full game at Casey. I think we need to give Rivers a proper run on ball. Get Tracc on ball more. Work out if Clarry can turn disposals in to anything decent. And the right amount of Kossie, Viney and Sparrow. Plus more speed in the forward line. If that doesn’t work and there’s really nothing to salvage then I’d play Langford more.

He offers nothing defensively in the middle and I’d rather he have fun at Casey than be subjected to this slop. At least until we get more balance in the team. Great game last week, no influence after half time this week on the back up. If he plays more than about 10 games this year it won’t be development it will be just mindlessly playing.

If all our players tried as hard as Sparrow we’d at least be a chance. He did his job tonight. Took Holmes completely out of the game. Until we get some reinforcements no way he gets dropped given we’re picking guys who have no impact and can’t even stick to a task.

Petty had a stinker, one of our key backs seem to every week. Could drop him, or could go 4 tall backs and move Rivers on ball. Sharp’s no good. Spargo should play a month at Casey so they can pick him for full games in form and match fit. JVR is just ordinary and not getting any better. I’d rather big AJ. Langford’s not ready. Viney continues to get worse. I’d probably go: Out: Sharp, Langford, JVR, Spargo In: Mentha, Lever, AJ, Laurie