DeeSpencer

Thanks

Jeffo came from Oakleigh/Wesley before Casey. He’s a nice snap, but also a very nice drop punt when he hits them clean. I thought his miss to the city end was right on the distance out and angle that a drop punt is a perfectly good option. Snapping from outside 40 gets tricky. His 4th quarter miss could’ve been either a left foot snap, a right foot checkside or a drop punt. Most teams seem to favour left foot over the drop punt or checkside, opening the angle up seems to be worth the higher chance of miskicking.

Spargo was the best of the rest, should come back in to the side. Mentha flashed some really high quality stuff. Kentfield played about a good of a 7d 1g game as you’ll see, he genuinely crashes packs, can’t wait for next year. Adams was solid with ball in hand and he did make a number of nice spoils but it was more of a shut down defensive performance (on a good opponent) than the kind of complete game that would have him in line for afl footy. Some of that was probably role related as the only real tall defender. But overall he’s promising but not there yet.

Having now watched the replay I was underwhelmed with Howes. He was good, especially for a return from concussion, but not exactly a cut above. Good work rate and positioning but the intercept marks were almost all uncontested and the ball use was overly safe. We wonder why it takes until the 3rd quarter to break down Werribee or after half time to take care of North in the seniors and you can see that reflected in a player like Howes. Not sure he had a single kick that wasn’t down the line or sideways across the backline. And even if he doesn’t take the game on with kicking (which I understand to a degree because he’s not a reliable kick under pressure) he should run and carry the ball more.

He looked good today, long kick for a small, but he has spent most of the VFL season doing stuff all. I suspect he's not someone we'd be interested in for a variety of reasons

Tom doesn’t deserve to be dropped but I won’t be critical if he is. There’s a greater good at play here and dropping Lever again would be a story.

It’s a bit of an indictment that it came against North but I thought the last quarter today was the first time in weeks we started to tackle with some genuine intent. Oliver especially was dishing it out and others went with him. We have to find a way to do it more consistently

Spot on. He was also second in average speed in defence on the ground today. He’ll be a completely different player with a preseason.

First year Jeffo was rubbish in the VFL with just the most minor of flashes. Last year he looked fine in the VFL. This year he’s looked too good for the VFL and mostly not good in the AFL with just the most minor of flashes. He’s a year 4 or year 5 guy which is frustrating for a first round pick but sometimes that’s what it takes.

Kind of shocked he’s about 1 from 100 in taking contested marks even with getting clean hands on the ball so often. That has to flip, got to be purely confidence and some strength under the ball because he marked it with ease in juniors. His reading of the play and decision making are both excellent. Hopefully we see some more on ball time because we need that smarts in the corridor

Spargo's a free agent so I suspect he'll make that decision for us, but I don't think it was a huge coincidence that our best run of form this year involved him in the side. It's hard to quantify the value of a player who constantly gets to the right spots with and without the ball except you notice the absence when he's not there. Sparrow's a role player, no one will want him and he's worth more to us than forcing him out. Frustrating but hardly a surprise he never made it as a midfielder. The other 4 I agree with. Except we missed our window on Salem, can't imagine there's any interest there. Lever probably gets us a useable pick, I'd happily trade him but probably stays for leadership if we trade others. Fritsch is another we missed a window on. To me it was clear as day last year to cash out whilst he had probably had good value. Early 2nd last year might be a 3rd this year. Glad to take whatever we can get there. Get what we can for Oliver. I don't mind them not accepting Geelong's rubbish offer last year but I doubt its improved. Hopefully we get a useful pick and ditch the bulk of the contract. The one you've missed is Tracc who has to go if we can get a proper return. Doesn't run, doesn't tackle, butchers the footy. If it's time for a rebuild then call it.

I’ve always thought McVee most reminds me of Heath Shaw who played his whole career as a back pocket who locked down when required but also had a sweeper type role and got plenty of the footy (and used it well). You let that guy take the kickouts. Switch to them. And they still get their 20 touches without having to run like mad like a flanker should. And if you’ve got good upfield defence and mobile talls you alternate the tricky match ups anyway. I’ll be very annoyed if Judd leaves. A second round pick is a lottery ticket that you lose as often as you win. Sure, you can do better than Judd but odds are you’ll do worse. Plus a 3-4 year lag until the guy starts producing more often than not. I’ll also be subjected to watching a heap more Blake Howes which might drive me insane. AMW has talent but could never make it through a preseason, was a mile off consistent afl footy in 2024 and then blew his knee to pieces, he’s a hope and a prayer not a solution.

Trading Lever would be smart so I expect he’ll get a 4 year extension soon

There’s not a lot of positives right now but people here have always been too high on JVR and trying to blame the club for his lack of development doesn’t add up. Gawn was a great captain for a long time. But since the start of ‘24 he’s reached a different phase on his on field ability. And I’m not convinced he’s some great off field leader. He’ll go down a legend of the club, that doesn’t mean he’s totally beyond reproach right now.

Stafford kicked a heap of goals. Chaplin spent his career playing on said forwards. Not to mention BBB and Melksham at the club during his tenure. Gawn’s played 88 and 84% tog in JVR’s last two games. JVR wouldn’t have played 30% in the ruck combined in his last 2 weeks. He was sent back to Casey after a long leg rope in the side and able to get some touch back. That’s life on the fringes of an afl team. He’s simply not that good and not that talented right now. Time to turn things around but he’s an undersized big straight line clunker who struggles to get up in the air, isn’t holding his marks or using his size to impact the game. He needs to find his physicality and have a huge summer becoming more agile because he’s outside of a nice set shot he’s never really had the skills required to be more than a workhorse.

Caleb's first year was overrated as most fans often do with first year kids but also the wing is a low value position. The highest value outside runners play half back. Karl Amon at Hawthorn for instance. Or NWM at St Kilda who spent year 1 on the wing and then moved back. Caleb doesn't kick the ball like those guys but his counter attack run can be of similar value. Plus he has to develop his game in multiple roles. If we're going to get full value for the pick we took him at he needs to end up playing on ball like Max Holmes and Bailey Smith, half back is good education for that. That's very different to moving a developing key position player who's finding his rhythm. Especially when moving forward means moving to our forward line aka death valley.

Spargo for Sharp and Fritsch to sub would do me, give the concussion guys an extra week. We need big changes but Casey is so devoid of talent. No point exposing Kentfield when he had no preseason unless his Casey form becomes undeniable. It’s good, not undeniable yet. Also think Jeffo is getting judged a little harshly. He hit 2 targets inside 50 today (JVR and Kolt for the unpaid free kick) which alone puts him ahead of most of the side. Give him one more against a lesser opposition.

If Viney would actually play to his limitations and with more mids that gave balance around the ball he’d be fine. I’m not overly happy with him either! But I can see the effort that’s for sure.

Oliver is horrendous with the ball. Tracc doesn’t run and his tackling efforts are a joke. We need to move off both for just league average midfielders if we can find them. These 2 are making us worse.

Bowey in the pocket, kick long to your opponent. Gawn’s finished as a leader

We are coming against the player who has the second most frees for of any non ruckman in the competition. Our players have to be specifically drilled to aim their tackles super low or aim their tackles high across the chest and as hard as possible.

I don’t think you can judge recruiters based on cat B rookies. They are a total role of the dice. On pure talent Joel Smith was a tick (I won’t say anymore). Corey Maynard could play a bit too. The rucks especially are a big gamble. Bradtke could play a little. Did alright for Frankston in the VFL. KFW wasn’t good, but that’s the risk of signing guys who by definition haven’t played much footy/haven’t played for 3 years. This kid has a former AFL club employee for a father, his brother made more money kicking a footy than any afl player did at one stage and basketball athleticism. It’s worth a shot.

Maybe we go full Neeld and let Oscar Berry have a go first up

You think the draft is that week? I don’t, there’s always quality right at the top. If we hand them pick 4 or 5 that’s significantly better than pick 7 or 8 that gets blown out by academies. I also think last years draft had about 20 guys who would go in pick 10-15 in a normal draft of which Lindsay was one. To get 1 of those in Lindsay was nice. But we missed out the chance to get a couple of them by sliding the Lindsay pick back, or sticking with our 2nd rounder and keeping the first this year.

It’s grim but as it currently stands we don’t have anyone better than Kade Chandler. If Petty could settle in a role and give consistent effort and energy he’d be an option. As it stands Bowey is the only one heading in to the right direction.