DeeSpencer

I prefer the current set up of preseason and midseason deadlines. Certainly I'd want a deadline well before finals because I think part of AFL/VFL footy has been that your squad is your squad and too much topping up can create a gap between the good and the bad sides. I like that it's in ladder order too so you don't have the best teams adding the best top ups. I'm more open to the preseason deadline being removed but at a minimum it should be after both rounds of practice matches have been concluded. And I'd be in favour of bringing back the LTI list rather than the inactive list. It seems silly that an ACL can be replaced but someone with say a shoulder reco early in the year can't be covered for at the start of the season. If someone is a certain out for 12 weeks and teams are willing to replace them then let them be replaced. I also think each team should have the ability to add 1 midseason draft pick even if they have no longer term injuries, because again, it's silly that you can replace an ACL but if you have guys who are borderline to be back in round 23 you can't add a player.

At Essendon they’ve had an open list spot, it’s a player who’s been training with them for weeks and kicked 4 on the weekend which was probably when they made the decision and started to get the contract ready. At Melbourne we are confirming McAdam is out for the year and placed on the Inactive List (ticked off by AFL head office), giving him due credit with an injury update, whilst flying Henderson back from Perth, hopefully doing a brief update on basic medical screening and getting the contract ironed out. If we’re smart we might even line up a bit of actual content - have AJ give him a lift from the airport or to training - for the announcement. I suspect it’s mostly about letting the McAdam story be sorted before we fill his list spot and that’s what a club that cares for their players does. This has nothing to do with the clubs otherwise too often poor communication.

Laurie has no pace, you can’t pressure if you can never catch anyone. Bowey is so well suited to half back. Can’t say he’d be terrible forward but we’re hardly flush for half backs either. Kynan Brown is second year rookie who’s fumbly and has a lot of work to do with his skills and decision making. This place is way too high on him. AMW is the one I’m shocked who hasn’t been moved forward again but historically he’s had a poor tank which makes him unsuitable for the role. I assume they’re

You’re short a 7th defender there, unless Riv is really only doing cameos on ball or Bowey is playing back from the forward flank. I don’t think Spargo will be rushed this year, they painfully learned that lesson last year. There’s a bunch of players who are playing to win their spot in the preseason games - AJ, Jeffo, the new kids, the new men (Sharp and Henderson). Not having a go at you in particular but I think fans have to come to grips with the idea that Billings is playing to not lose his spot on the wing. If he’s adequate he’ll get the job in round 1.

I’m still thinking 2 talls, but we’ll know more about the practice games. Im also worried Rivers will have to play back due to needs with McVee out. I’m just not sure we can trust Windsor, Salem, Bowey and Howes as a defensive group. But let’s wait and see if Caleb is even fit and how they go in preseason. Wings are also a huge watch. Henderson could come in to the team and slide Sharp to Lindsay’s wing if the kid isn’t ready. FB: Petty May Howes HB: Windsor Lever Salem C; Billings Rivers Lindsay HF: Langdon JVR Sharp FF: Chandler Turner Fritsch Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Bowey, Tracc, Sparrow, Langford S: Henderson

He’s only been there for a week

Small forward/mid with good goal sense, smarts and tackling. Lacks stand out attributes to be a big difference maker but can come in and do a role from day 1 if he’s had a good summer VFL training at a high enough level. With Pickett’s suspension, Spargo still injured and Kolt injured there’s going to be opportunity.

You’d expect that to be the case but if he decides he just wants to be playing local footy I doubt Casey can force him to play up a level. Similarly if he suddenly decides SANFL or WAFL are in his best interests would Casey block him? I’m not convinced state league contracts are rock solid. And it’s a hard rejection to bounce back from when at least if Jon Ralph is to be believed (and he shouldn’t really be) he was very close to the list spot.

Didn’t really stand out against Richmond but can’t say I was watching him or the match that closely (or could even see in to the sun). At the end of the day the needs outweighed others potential ceilings. Kind of much like when AJ was chosen over Jack in November when making sure we had some tall forwards was the number 1 priority. I hope Culley sticks with us at Casey.

C; Lindsay Rivers Billings HF: Langdon JvR Sharp FF: Chandler Turner Fritsch Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Tracc, Sparrow, Langford I’d say that line up has just enough pace and pressure with the 3 guys off bench rotating mid and forward especially with Viney adding some forward tackling bite at times. But it’s just the 2 talls and doesn’t let us get Langdon on ball or Sharp on the wing for more than rotations. And the depth is very thin. If Pickett, Kolt and Spargo are all back within the first month or so of the season we might look silly for adding another small who sits at Casey. It’s a tricky decision.

He’s had soft tissue issues for a while even before the acl which always increases hamstring risk. 2023 was probably the window for Jake to be a difference maker and the knee injury robbed that from him and us. Sub and deputy forward line coach seems the most likely role for him unless we are in contention in August and he can have an 8 week run.

Have to assume OP lived in a cave in 2022 and 2023. We might have to chuck Tom forward again at some stage but it would be utter madness to do it as a plan at the start of the year.

Tom Edwards looking like a handy 3rd tall for Essendon. Kicked 3 already. Someone go sneak a contract offer down to him after the game

If he was quick as a 194cm midfield ball winner he wouldn’t have been delisted! From what I’ve seen he looks sharp enough around the contest and a good tackler. Looks like he’s getting mobility back that he didn’t have last year. Not so sure how his pace holds up in space. I know I want to make everyone a winger but I’d love to try to develop him on a wing if he has the tank so he can use that height as an extra marking target

It's first in best dressed though. You don't really owe loyalty to a train on spot. In fact the great story was Oleg Markov cut from the Pies train on, rocked up to train at Carlton for a go there, Collingwood called him back and said we've got a list spot and he signed right away. Unless the Eagles slap the contract down right away for him I'd imagine Henderson would love the idea of staying home and not having to completely uproot his life. That said, I do think Culley is rightly the favourite and has more upside (and I agree he's likely now or never if he starts dominating the VFL), he's just less of a need right now.

I wish we got Dudley, he looks so fun. Freo are being very annoying.

We've potentially added Oliver, Rivers, Tracc, Langdon and Langford to a midfield that lost ANB last year, I'm not sure midfield is a huge need. Although more depth would help us if Rivers and Langdon are needed elsewhere. And I agree a 21 nearly 22 year old would be a nice age range to supplement the older guys. I'd say our ruck plan is grab a 25 year old when we need them. It's just a matter of getting that timing right. If we do land White I suspect he'll start at CHB or forward/ruck and not be in any AFL conversations for a few years.

The players are about to play games on weekends for at least 25 of the next 28 weeks. It should've started at 4 or 4:30 not 3 but it was a training session, it's ok to have it on during the week when players generally train before they start sacrificing their weeks for half the year. Similarly they need to have trainings on the big ground at Casey, they can't disrupt preparation by having everything at Goschs. Is there anyone who got there after a school pick up at 4 or 4:30 who was overly disappointed? Or did it fit the bill and people just weren't all that keen regardless of start time? With games about to start and some actual coverage and footy of training this year I think most of our fans just weren't all that interested and that's ok. I stuff up that it didn't start at least an hour later but hardly the end of the world.

With confirmation McAdam is done for the year I thought I'd assess some contenders for a list spot before the deadline last week. Jai Culley: The favourite. 21 year old (about to turn 22) big bodied mid who seems to move well for his size. ACL injury in 2023 seemed to derail his career that was looking promising after being pick 1 in the 2022 midseason draft. Has garnered good reviews from Jon Ralph and overall positivity from Demonland track watchers. Can he contribute to the best 22 on a wing or half forward or would he purely be midfield depth? Roy George: The wow factor. Has had moments of real class both at Casey and over summer. But I don't think he's solved the question marks over his defensive application and readiness for the step up to AFL level. Kossie's uncle! Lachy McAndrew: The beanpole. Former Rugby Union player who spent a few years on the Swans list before getting a call up to the Crows SANFL list and training with them in recent weeks. Apparently dominated big ROB in a match play session yesterday but the Crows don't currently have a list spot. Would be a pick for the future and clutter up Casey but given Gawn and Campbell have a combined aged of about 1000 a tap ruckman entering his physical prime would be nice. Jack Henderson: The ready made option. 25 years old, 177cm, good wheels without being express pace, balanced and skilled. Just got the call up to train at West Coast as cover for Dom Sheed. Lots of rumours that we were keen during the lead up to the draft. Classy mid/forward who has the VFL experience to slot right in to a forward flank role. Baynen Lowe: The very left field pick. Young Tasmanian forward/mid who plays for Norwood in the SANFL. Got sent home from training with Freo pre Christmas when he injured his shoulder. Not sure if he ended up having surgery or not. But he could be worth taking a chance on even if he has to miss a few months. Would be well known to Nathan Bassett. Is seen as a likely Tasmanian VFL/AFL prospect if he doesn't get a chance before that all ramps up.

That’s a much different scenario than delisting a player they had on the list for 2.5 years. I like Culley, wouldn’t mind adding him at all but big bodied mid isn’t the short term pressing need it was last year. So many injuries to the one part of the ground is making small forward hard to ignore it McAdam is done for the year.

Looking good so far but you can’t beat GWS with a giant forward line letting their half backs run wild. There’s going to be a big time crunch for midfield spots and someone’s going to miss out.

Langford as sub and Sharp forward is about the only way that team makes sense. Can’t have Chandler as the only one chasing amongst 3 talls and 2 non chasing mediums. McAdam, Kolt, Spargo all missing during Kossie’s suspension is a nightmare result.

I really mean get a game each week and play a role. If you want a numbers metric then not many midfielders played week in/week out for decent sides and had an AFL rating <8 (or Windsor's 7.94). Some of that is because they're often the sub but even adjusting for that it's probably true. Windsor was the 105th best mid in the comp last year, or just better than 6th best per side. 2 wingers establishing themselves in the side and achieving a rating >8 would be a good result. Anyone going better than 7.5 would probably do the job and let us leave Windsor and Langdon to different roles. https://www.wheeloratings.com/afl_stats.html?comp=afl&season=2024 He has different traits but Lindsay will do very well to match Windsor's output given a slower start to his preseason. I'm not convinced by Woey. Sharp has a little bit of something but I like him better at half forward. I'm not willing to buy the Billings hype, although he's kind of the perfect candidate to hold down a spot at an acceptable level.

"All guys who can take various roles on ball or the wing."

I'm not sure Billings, Lindsay, Woey and Sharp are good wing options. If 2 of them can get close to league average that will be a good result. We're just going to be prepared with being just ok on the wing to be better in other spots.