DeeSpencer

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.

Lindsay will be a nice player but if we had our first pick we could tank and get pick 3 this year. Even with academies and a weak top end of the draft that’s likely to be a different grade of player than Lindsay. That’s before the 2nd rounder and all the other picks we tossed in.

JT still a very good recruiter but the trade up, trade up, trade up some more plan has more than run its course and will kill us this year handing Essendon a quality pick. As well as crazily trading away so many useful later picks in a deep draft last year. Our depth is terrible and unlikely to get better any time soon. Have to take our medicine with some bigger draft crops and then turn the list over

There’s almost no kids at Casey worth playing, that would be a silly decision. Adelaide are tall, has to be either Lever or T Mc in for Howes. JVR by default comes in for Petty. Otherwise the million dollar question is who comes out of the midfield or elsewhere. Fritsch needs to be sub. Lindsay might need a rest. Sharp’s no good. Oliver and Viney can’t play in the same side but it’s damn hard to drop either of them either. Spargo in if healthy for Sharp. If they want to pick Henderson or Billings and rest Lindsay so be it.

Looked like cramp. Going to be some really sore boys today playing 3/4’s down a man

sadly he’s just slow

Welcome to the reality bus. Oliver, Viney, Tracc, Salem, Sparrow, Fritsch at high half forward are the problems. Rivers not a mid a problem too.

The first quarter had zero to do with injuries or selection

Those 2 deck chairs wouldn’t have been any help. Backs and forwards haven’t had a chance, it’s a midfield issue

Our senior players don’t run. It’s not fitness

He was also captain the entire time we’ve been good, and I don’t think we have a slow start problem as much as a not very good problem. We get caught out early as times because we’re slow and unathletic, leadership can’t fix that

Viney being a difference maker when he’s all but shot as a player is an indictment on our midfield group. Especially Oliver. Same for Melk forward really. Although they’ve hardly had a chance.

He’s just a horrendous ball user, for someone so powerful he should be a weapon with baulks and changes of direction, not to mention taking tacklers on to release to free opponents. If he doesn’t have a straight line to goal he’s practically useless