DeeSpencer

Haven’t seen Sharp have a lot of pace. He’s got a high cruising speed but not sure he’s really fast. Not sold on his skills either. But it’s nice to see the endurance is as advertised!

He was omitted in round 20. Played at Casey. Came back for 2 games and played a bit better before the injury. He was our only fit midfielder for large chunks of last year and is an excellent defensive runner. If our big midfield guns are right and our kids come on he'll be in trouble if he doesn't improve. But I also think they won't try to make him a predominantly midfield player like they did last year. He'll be a role player who has to be in at least ok form to keep his spot but as long as he doesn't that he'll be fine.

The original report (sorry forgot who it was) said permission to train, nothing about him actually getting a spot. If the afl are serious about increasing indigenous numbers they should allow it regardless of spot. Anyway, hope he can train, but even if we did have a spot I wouldn’t imagine he’s a lock. Looked super classy with the ball at Casey but didn’t do much without it.

Sparrow’s been a disaster on the wing when tried, not sure a slightly better tank and lighter frame will suddenly change the fact he gets all out of position. Eagles game in Perth they tried it again, rough. There’s rumours of Bowser and I like that as an in game switch with Windsor to alternate where the skill/speed is coming from. No one wants to hear it but Billings looks proper fit and like he might want to fight for his career. Forward is a disaster but some of his wing stuff was fine. Also reckon Langford could have a crack at it. He’s a smart runner and his tanks probably better than Windsor’s last year, doesn’t have the pace but that height on a wing would be nice.

T Mc was in a different group, probably put 20 seconds on Laurie, Woey, Melk, Petty. Sharp perhaps 10-20 seconds on Kynan Brown who would’ve been 10-15 seconds to Chandler, Sparrow with the others like McVee in that group not far behind. The biggest unknown is just where the Billings, Viney, Salem, Rivers, Petracca, Clarry, JVR group fit in. But judging to the gaps between the other groups running at the same time I don’t think the leaders of that group were far behind the Sparrow mark.

Nothing too special in the drills after the time trial. Choco with some point to point kicking that didn’t go all that smoothly but wasn’t a disaster either and a few other smaller drills. Chappy took a big forwards group (both in height and numbers) for some work on kicking inside 50. A focus on how to legally block for both the high kick to the hot spot and the flatter kick to the lead in to the pocket. Backs and mids were doing a 2/3rds ground ball movement drill to get the ball out from the backline. Focus seemed to be on short accurate kicks to leads. I tried to watch the new guys. Langford - looks very comfortable in main training. Not the most pure kicking action and I think he’ll miss targets with depth control. His strengths look like really fast accurate hands and he just know where to run to get the ball. Plus Size (XL20) - a lot of lap running. Did some basic kicking drills and the ball comes off his boot fast and low with good accuracy. AJ - missed a few kicks in the drill immediately post the time trial but generally looks comfortable out there. In a drill moving the ball from a contest under pressure in backline he looked comfortable bending down to get it and evading pressure. Dished out on a long lefty handball and generally when he marks he extends his long arms nicely. Jeff Junior kicks the ball like the son of Jeff/academy player, he can spin it for a ruck. Natural mover. Tall. Thought he fumbled a couple of marks but just naturally he’s marking way up high. There’s some tools there for sure! The other kid Toby has some go and a nice left foot, hide him away for a year please! Watched a bit of Kentfield, he did a decent time trial given he’s a huge lad. Skills are nice and he moves pretty well. Not blown away but if Casey aren’t hopeless he’ll do more than his 4 touches a game this year.

Jeffo seems to have gone MIA after the time trial. PickettFence the main suspect

Time trials in groups. Big lumps: Luker, Jeffo May Flankers: Pickett, Howes etc as above. Sestan a fair way off. The better running players are having a go now. T Mc is dominating his group ahead of Petty, Melk, Woey, Laurie Sharp is gapping to Brown, then a similar gap to Langdon, Chandler, Sparrow, McVee with Windsor a fraction off the back Billings gap to Viney gap to Rivers, Tracc, Kolt, Salem gap JVR group with Clarry off the back. Wait..Clarry has overtaken JVR.

So less than 5 years as a footy GM at a club with a proven coach, proven list management team, proven culture before he got there, no other footy administration experience, no other business executive experience aside from a year in a job they created for him when he’s bailed back to Melbourne. Hired out of a law career by his good mate Tom Harley. I’d like to know a lot more about what he’s actually done at Sydney than being impressed purely because it’s on his resume. Unless he’s totally brilliant he can go be the Pies head of footy.

Texans, Rams, Bucs

I dream of footballers not wingers. Langdon is a really good winger. Caleb could do that and more. Go Caleb? Go Dees?

If he has a full summer I expect him to be around the mark but there’s a lot of unknowns and options. I think he has to bring defensive pressure and/or the ability to find the footy leading up to the wings to really establish himself as a lock. Could easily happen. But the sample size is still low. I saw enough to be positive but I’m not quite convinced yet.

Jeffo 3rd in the B+F in an ordinary Casey team. AJ 7th in a premiership team where the top 4 probably all would’ve won Casey’s B+F. Jeffo less consistent because of his role and age. I’d say both are probably around a similar mark going in to preseason. Jeffo has the advantage of more time in the system, the potential quicker development of youth but is still a few years away from his physical prime. AJ has the advantage of becoming professional for the first time and a mature body. Probably hard to split it but I favour the guy who will have the mature body and might be set for a defined role.

The MCC is about the cushiest gig in the world. Grand final locked in for 50 years. Waiting list for decades. State government providing support for mega concerts in the offseason. And if you’re happy to jack fees, jack prices, tolerate a decline in behaviour and standards across the actual club you’re rolling. No way you’d leave that to take on the MFC unless you don’t have the appetite for the Shane Warne stand rebuild. In which case I’d ask why do you have the appetite for Caulfield and grinding away as a club CEO.

We’re doing ourselves a disservice if Caleb is limited to the wing. For instance if a team has tight defensive wingers and sags a half back off he should be straight to half forward and fed the ball. Disco was a fun story in the back half of 2024 but I think there’s a bit of overrating if people expect him to be a walk up start. Jeffo’s probably still a ‘26 candidate after a handful of games in ‘25 but he could surprise. I don’t think they drafted AJ purely for depth, his mid year vfl form would’ve had him in the team! Heck, they picked Disco off a quarter of Casey v Frankston. We’ll see how that plays out. I suspect Lindsay starts back but it McVee, Salem and Bowey have those spots locked they might look to use him elsewhere. Petty is training back, although there’s a question of what happens if Lever, May and McDonald actually out play him!

Get ready to see Riv playing on ball because some of his footy down back last year was gross where as his midfield stuff was really good, he needs the challenge as is ready for it. Any evidence Pickett is good in the middle? Averaged 1 centre clearance a game. He’ll keep getting chances in there but I expect he’ll rotate forward after the clearance as usual. Langford’s strengths should be overhead marking, clever running and footy smarts. He’ll help in transition running but hurt in pressure. He’s a competitor so should contribute but a 190cm+ teenage who tests slow just isn’t going to be a good pressure player.

Nibbler played a lot of midfield in 2024 and Chandler and Kolt took over more of the high half forward duties. I’d have those 2 and Viney spending more time forward as the main defensive two way running guys. And hopefully Spargo in contention too. I still think Lindsay starts at half back competing for a game but if they are confident he can play wing from the get go that opens up opportunities to use Windsor as a half forward with spurts on ball. Or forward/wing with Langdon rotating forward. C; Langdon Rivers Lindsay HF: Viney JVR Windsor FF: Pickett AJ/Disco/Jeffo Fritsch Foll: Gawn Tracc Oliver Int: Langford Chandler Kolt That’s a team that can create damage if they get the ball moved in quickly to space. Midfield rotations and depth to run and power a more spread out attacking game with more switching and dare off half back is the crucial factor tho. We packed in the more attacking plan last year because it was clear our midfield didn’t have the legs for it.

I love Caruso. He can be our list manager, JT can stay as our recruiting boss, Lamby we'll use elsewhere. They sure loved Hannaford and they clearly saw Angove as a need, chasing that speedy wingman.

Vikings, Lions, Chiefs

Talked about finishing up some work for his boss. Heads back to Werribee for the family day. Does seem a ripping bloke.

I believe JT when he said best available was the plan this year and I think if Tauru was available at 11 or Langford gone at 6 we would’ve taken him. May and Gawn nearing the end and high quality talls don’t come along all that often. When they line up with your picks you take them. That said, we certainly weren’t ever going to take 2 talls with our first two picks. The only other viable option was to trade 11 back with Freo, take Reid or Hynes and then secure a tall in the second round like half the league did. But we decided to take our best available and roll the dice on a 24 year old rather than an 18 year old tall and it’s not crazy.

6 guys, 3 spots. JVR, Disco, Jeffo, AJ, Fullarton, Kentfield. Or really 4 guys, 3 spots given Kentfield is super raw and Fullarton seemingly not a huge part of plans right now. JVR plays permanent forward. AJ adapts to afl training and takes the forward/ruck job. Jeffo and Disco have a proper battle for the full forward role. Of course that assumes Melk doesn’t get involved somehow or they go with 2 tall forwards and use Langford as another bigger body.

These are the highlights of probably his best 3 vfl games. He does a good job or presenting and jumping at the footy.

Was he saying he did a couple of preseason sessions at Casey or Shaun Mannagh did? I think he was saying he did and then decided to finish his apprenticeship. Certainly one for the JT files if they nearly had him at Casey a few years ago. Edit: JT draft wrap confirms they had him in line to come down to Casey a few years ago.

no pick. Either AMW is a Cat A or we are holding a spot for train on/mid season. My guess is reports were right and AMW is an A.