DeeSpencer

And the one Fritsch lead up sees him and Spargo collide and the one JVR hit up sees Harmes get in his way.

When Tomlinson, Brown and Schache are your 3 highest afl listed disposal winners you’re in trouble. Certainly looks like the thinnest midfield Casey have played for a while

ANB had a couple of bad Nibbler moments but his tackling was excellent all day and it’s hard to say we don’t need that desperately. So many of his turnovers come from being in a side that makes it very hard for the player to know what to do given the lack of cohesion. BBB can’t move and we’re already playing 2 big rucks who aren’t doing much forward. He might get another go, they switched it up today with Tom deep and JVR hitting up. But this seems like his first Casey game where he actually found the ball and some marks. If he’s getting 10 touches at Casey unless he’s kicking 4 a week that translates to no impact at AFL level.

Rivers is our only half back who breaks a line, and some times Hibbo. And we almost never use the corridor unless it was by mistake. Lever, is the ultimate ball stopper who only ever goes backwards, boundary side or after an eternity long down the line. Our backs seem allergic to handball receives and switches. The one guy out there today looking for handball receives was Gus, who would then quickly be under pressure and inevitably blast it to no one. Quick or open ball movement - forget about it. Then when we do get clean play from say a centre bounce without Oliver we lack burst to drive it deep. And we love multiple talls deep contesting rather than balance it up with a tall and a small, have the tall fly and the small crumb. And suddenly we’re both too tall and too short up forward with the 3 talls and 3 smalls. Fritsch is in the only who looks like he can win a contest in the air or on the ground and he’s Fritsch. Plus our mids don’t cover off and our backs give a lot of leg room sagging back so our pressure forwards and up against it. Particularly from stoppages where we always drop the ruck right out deep and give the opposition an extra

Goody was effectively the coach in 16 as well as 17 and he took a side that managed 7 wins by parking the bus in 2015 and won 10 and 12 games. Was disappointing to miss finals in 17 but both seasons were huge successes. 2018 was a 10 out of 10 job. 2019 was a disaster. But look at Adam Simpson at West Coast, some times your injuries just stuff you. 2020, a disappointment for sure. But we established a defensive system and played some young guys who were destined for greatness. 2022, I don’t blame the coaching. They tried to address faults without robbing strengths. Injuries to key players stuffed us. Honestly it wasn’t a bad premiership defence job compared to a lot of sides. This year, I’m reluctant to say the coaching is the issue. We had a very poor list management off season losing a valuable young player and only adding 2 stop gap solutions. We lost 3 more best 26 players in Weid, Bedford and Hunt for nothing substantial either. Didn’t draft any mature talent. Some of that is on the coach. Some of that was probably by design banking picks for this year. But the reality is we’re really thin for talent in certain areas and it’s making it hard to keep up with quicker more skilful sides.

From what I’ve seen he leads hard, jumps at the ball and tackles when it’s on the deck. Obviously decision making isn’t great and there’s still way too many times where he has that costly pause before he does something, but at least he has the physical tools. Our best footy this year has come when Petty and JVR do enough to keep defenders honest and contribute at ground level. If that’s the job it’s starting to look more suited to Joel than one of the old guys who can’t move. Although I suspect Goody’s next move is back to Melk for similar reasons.

No but he played in the intraclub during the week off (I believe) and that’s good enough for me.

Dees premiership hero Kye Declase no doubt set for a big game

It’s still Chirnside Park even with a new name

As a wingman - a useful role player who’s kicking and lack of breakaway speed puts a ceiling on his value. But maybe we see this week if Taj can be that and hopefully more. As an on baller - he’s still very raw and untapped. I assume he only played 3/4’s v North after playing a quarter v Port and had 27 touches showing he’s starting to improve his accumulation and contested ball. His running can be a weapon. His size an asset. But his lack of forward traits (speed, skills, marking) makes it hard to pick him as an on baller because you don’t want him spelling on a forward flank. He’s the type of player who will be a good pick up at another club but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve done anything wrong if he goes. I’d like to see him get a string of games as an on baller at AFL level but I also understand we have to fill a wing this week and we can’t just give out midfield games.

Intrigued by the Woey rumours. There's 2 spots I'd consider him for. 1. Wing: in which case I can't see him overtaking JJ. But I guess JJ could play on ball. Gus back to half back. Bowey doesn't come up? Or McVee gets a rest? 2. half forward/3rd winger: ANB's done that at times but JJ probably needs more rest than Hunter, so a 3rd winger comes in. A half forward would have to make way. Chandler? Sprago? ANB himself? Drop a tall? Give Fritsch a potentially much needed week off (from a health perspective please don't start)? Given how reluctant Goodwin has been in his career to play young guys on the wings my guess is it's the latter. I think Woey was in line for the preseason game v Richmond and round 1 start that Laurie got so I'm not overly surprised if it happens.

Why would someone resigning get paid for the year? I’d imagine he has a heap of leave entitlements that it doesn’t matter but I’m not sure Richmond should pay a full 4 months that he won’t work. The big question is will Richmond seek trade compensation if/when he signs a new deal before his Richmond contract expires. I think they could and they should.

For years they’ve said turn side on and now they’re saying go in front on with your arms out? Utter nonsense

The best thing for the club is to be honest and if coaching the year out without telling them would’ve created stress and anger that’s not good. If coaching the year out after telling them would’ve just been mostly futile that’s not good either. Once he’s made his mind up that his time is up at Richmond he may as well finish up. With Balmy and seasoned assistant they’ve got enough experience to handle the next few months.

If they are in any way related I can only imagine it's because Hardwick has seen the toll coaching has taken on Clarko and seen himself struggling in similar ways. But I don't think it's a fall from grace situation. Hardwick has been consistent in saying he'd coach Richmond until he felt he wasn't the right person to take the group forward. That's pragmatic and a win for both parties. Really he's bailing out now so he doesn't have a Clarko 2019-2021 stretch of futility on his resume. A minimum of 5 months off, maybe even 23 months off, then he can walk in fresh to a new job.

I’d feel the same way if Brayshaw and Rankine hadn’t been let off in very similar circumstances. The benefit of the doubt has gone to the player contesting on their feet in 2 of the 3 most recent circumstances.

Sacking a premiership coach worked out great 60 years ago, why not try it again? Assistant coaches are the move IMO. The cap coming up could allow us to add another full time guy and shuffle or replace some line coaches who should have 3-5 year windows in one role. I also disagree on our window. I think we’re in the middle of rebuilding our talls right now with Petty, JVR, Disco, in time Jeffo/Adams and probably a mature recruit or two. The aim being that group starts to really hit their straps from 2025. We’re burning cap and list spots on talls at Casey. And we’re in surplus a first round pick when usually we operate in a deficit. If we have a Jackson, Pickett, Rivers draft this year - probably focussed on mid, outside run, forward talent - we can have that group in the team in 2025 too.

I’d like to give Schache a go but with 2 rucks it’s just a lot of height, it’s a shame Schache’s form and fitness didn’t line up with Gawn’s injury

I’m willing to live with that over playing the 30 plus guys who start the game with no mobility

I think there’s actually a gap on the list. I miss Vanders so much. He was that nasty player who didn’t give a damn. Even if he didn’t hit a target all night his team mates walked taller. Viney’s great but he’s busy playing. We need someone a little bit expendable and physical. We didn’t even have to remonstrate with the Gawn stuff, just get numbers to him and around him and if Port want to go, then let’s go. It’s indicative of players not thinking enough about team first actions. The same thing stands out with our lack of blocking for mids and forwards. How often do you see on our forwards go stand between a team mate and their opponent to create a gap? Gawn’s opponent should have a small wedged under their legs at every marking contest. In terms of physicality our players all looked scared of giving away sling tackle frees. I say we can live with suspensions as long as you’re safe enough not to cause reckless concussions. Sparrow and Petty were missed against Port. They are two who are up for a scrap and hit the contest with some energy. It’s one reason I’d like to give Joel Smith a run even if he’s rubbish. He’s not a physical player but he can bring some speed and (hopefully good) chaos in to our forward line that’s desperately lacking.

I don’t feel good about Chandler out but I’m not sure we can carry 3 specialist small forwards plus Nibbler, plus Fritsch, plus the talls. Maybe he stays in and we do stick with Pickett taking stints on ball and ANB as a wing rotation. I just think we need a heap of midfield rotations to replace Oliver.

Rarely, but we have 2 forced, maybe 3 with Bowey. And Hunter and Oliver require a rejig with an extra mid coming in (unless Pickett and ANB are use more). We can’t expect their replacements on ball and in the middle to play as many minutes.

Wait and see on Bowser, was it a strain or just a cork? Out: Oliver, Hunter, McDonald, Chandler In: Sparrow, Turner, J. Smith, JJ FB: Turner May Hibberd HB: Salem Lever Bowey C; Brayshaw Petracca Langdon HF: Spargo J. Smith ANB FF: Pickett JVR Fritsch Foll: Gawn Rivers Viney Int: Grundy Sparrow McVee JJ s: Chandler

Turning side on and keeping your head up is what the AFL ask in winning ground balls. As is slowing up and not rushing head first in to a dangerous situation. Rozee did everything wrong and had Hunter stayed fully up right he could’ve done the fake trip and taken the slide rule free. The only question is did Hunter brace for contact or was his late moment dipping the hips some form of bump. If Hunter not making the distance from 35 hasn’t convinced people then surely his effort on the back flank when he tried to turn his man out the back rather than open his body, just and wear a spoil should’ve. This is a player without any power in the legs or strength in the contest.

Our lawyers should attempt to negotiate a life time ban