DeeSpencer

Any reason to drop Bernie who well and truly did his job on one of the games most underrated stars and replace him with Brayshaw who's getting a lot of credit for his draft status and not his football? Bugg is severely limited that's for sure, although pot luck tells me he kicks at least 1 of the 3 or 4 shots he missed most days. But I think he has to stay as others play better alongside him. His voice is strong and he gets the other forwards defending as a unit. Garlett massively stepped up the efficiency of his pressure with Bugg next to him and Hogan chased down a speedy kid. I think we'll find enough goals even with Buggy butchering a few easy chances but we can't afford to not have our forward pressure game working with the state of our midfield and backline's defensive issues.

I think someone has to replace Hunt who looks like he's really struggling and he's too important to keep playing whilst injured and risk something long term - and a long term drop in confidence. Could be Vince and bring in a midfielder but Higgins is dangerous so Bernie tagging and bringing in a different defender makes sense. Frost is in a different role but brings speed to replace some of what Hunt brings and frees Lever up and Frost is about the only ready to play defender we've got a Casey as far as I know. Brayshaw mid or half back the other option but I'd rather Lever at half back. Stretch in on Hartung's wing is another option with Jones or Tyson more on ball. Lever was very good on Waite in Hobart but unless Brad Scott is stupid he won't have Waite just sitting around half forward as he did in Tassie. It will be Lever one out deep if that's the match up. Just as Chris Scott did. North played 22 and swapped players at half time, compared to our 24 and took off good players for the second half. And the score at half time was 8.3 to 6.4. 11 points hardly a lot between the sides. The main difference up until that point of time was the number of goals Majak Daw had conceded, it was 3-4 in the first half alone. Take Majak out and it would've been much more even. Midfield spread and defensive one on one failures will determine if we win or lose against North. Cut out the errors that lead to easy goals. Really I'm far from a Frost fan but I just see Lever struggling left deep one on one and Hunt just doesn't seem right and I hate playing unhealthy players especially so early in the year. I'm very keen to see a legitimate Casey game soon because I've got a sneaky feeling Harry Petty will be a player and I'd pull a Sheedy style move and chuck him in if he's up to it.

Plan B got us back in to the game against the Cats. Where we lost the game was being unable to just get to half time 2 goals down as we conceded 2 in the last 5 minutes to make it a 4 goal margin. We had the loose man back then and just needed some smarter ball use and a couple of better defensive efforts to kill the clock. I actually think against Brisbane they went to plan B too early when they really should've kept attacking in the 3rd up 4 goals and tried to get it back to 6 plus. Brisbane faded out at the end of every quarter against the Saints and did at the end of the last. We should've doubled down on attack instead of defending. We became too defensive in a game that was starting to resemble wet weather and wasn't going to be won just with numbers back and tempo footy. The current issue with the team is that they can't defend by any means aside from attacking. They midfield transition and defensive one on one skills just don't seem up to it. Even when we drop a number or two back we have to keep winning the ball and moving it to keep the scoreboard still. Now, part of that is modern AFL footy, going hard in to your shell only invites more pressure. But we desperately need to find 4 quarters of consistent midfield spread - Roos alluded to that on Saturday night - and we need to get stronger contests from the backline. I'm more concerned with those deficiencies than the ability to curb momentum. Play close to 120 minutes of midfield spread and pressure and be strong down back and other teams might still have momentum but it won't be as costly.

Frost for Hunt (inj) is the obvious one. With the bonus it gets Lever back in his rightful position and hopefully keeps the speed in the back 6. I guess Vince stays as the midfield group and gets the tagging assignment on Higgins. I'd consider Wagner for Brayshaw which would allow Bernie to go to half back and Gus on ball or vice versa. Or both to have back and Lewis to fall down a well. Salem as a mid is a positional move that just has to be seen through for a lot longer yet. He's so smart around the contest and we need that. Don't judge his game on possessions. Bugg can't mark and can't kick it through the big sticks but his pressure work and contesting was very good so he stays for one more week. ANB is on the watch and see list after another turnover filled game. His form last year and fitness get him the nod for now but we have a lot of midfielder/forward types at Casey.

Name a young player we’ve ruined by playing in the 2’s for too long in the last decade? Always the opposite. At training Gus has shown flashes of good Footy but has always regularly made bad turnovers and hasnt shown a lot of zip. He’s missed a lot of games with injuries the last two years. A couple of weeks or even a month or so in the twos won’t hurt him

Fair enough, I only asked if you were at the game because it's harder to see set ups on TV. I'm just deeply concerned we aren't moving with the times and the teams that get their speed up and defensive systems right will get a jump on us.

I've seen Buddy kick 8 on the Eagles and the Dogs smashed by 80+ by the Giants and I truly think the zone defending the peaked with the Hawks and Dogs 15-16 is now a liability and one paced midfielders and flankers are in big trouble. You can probably sneak one back flanker and one midfielder in who aren't quite at top pace but everyone else needs to run. And not just fast but with sustained fitness. That's what it takes to beat Richmond or GWS. A younger Brisbane side does represent a chance to extend that midfield time but I'd also like to get some rotations with others happening through there. In this hypothetical side of mine I've always dropped Garlett which is a big part of why I'd like Tracc forward. Jeff's in need of a long spell in the 2's to get his contested footy and positioning right.

Were you at the game? The structures that we got right after half time was Lewis as a spare defender. We had 7 v 6 down back and 6 v 5 forward for the entire second half. The associated changes that made that work were: - Harmes on ball to provide speed and run - ANB on a wing to provide run - Petracca forward to be a goal scoring threat and pressure I don't believe playing with a loose man back every game is a sustainable game plan. It's not the one we trained for all summer. It makes scoring incredibly hard for us as well as the opposition and teams with better goal kicking forward than Geelong will take more chances than they did. I think we have to start games with a 6-6-6 set up but it can't be the same slow to transition midfield and wide open vulnerable backline as the first half against Geelong. So we have to look at what worked in the second half and adapt that to a balanced team.

Petracca ran out of puff after a huge first quarter. It's early in the season and match fitness is different to training fitness and I get the feeling Tracc takes a while to build up. Plus we need a pressure player in the forward line and Tracc makes defenders nervous. I'd say that split I'd be going for is 50/50 to maybe 60/40 midfield. He'll play a higher percentage of game time if the forward time is higher as well.

Fumbled a loose ball and missed 2 tackles that conceded goals in the first half. I like him as a player but he doesn't cope with the heat of AFL footy. More so than that he's not a tall marking defender, he's not quick, he's not strong one on one. He's the type of player we have lots of.

FB: Jetta Frost Hibberd HB: Hunt Oscar Lever centre back: Lewis C: Stretch Oliver Jones HF: Hogan Hannan FF: Petracca Pedersen Fritsch Foll: Gawn Harmes Tyson Int: Vince, ANB, Bugg, Brayshaw Out: Wagner, Garlett, Salem (inj), Maynard, Melksham In: Frost, Bugg, Stretch, Tyson, Brayshaw If I was the coach I'd throw out the zone backline and go much more man on man, with match ups that each defender can actually win. Guys like Lever, Hunt, Hibberd and Vince will zone naturally without instruction. I'd get our fittest guys in the midfield - means Stretch starting on the wing and Petracca predominantly forward, he can do the first 5 minutes of the quarter in the middle and then stints through the quarters. Lewis plays as a midfielder who sits behind play. Not so much as a 7th defender but in between a midfielder and half back. A high half forward starts in the center bounce before rolling forward. And I'd tell the forwards to lead and create space for each other and then get the smalls front and center. Now I'm not coach so I think what we really happen is: They'll continue with Lever as a second tall for another week. Wagner out, Lewis to half back - where he can't defend - then bring in an extra midfielder - Gus or Dom. Bugg for Garlett or Hannan maybe. Salem possibly out for concussion but probably plays when he shouldn't. Maynard for another mid.

It's not on the coaches, we dropped Lewis back behind the ball late in the 2nd quarter and kept him there until the end of the game. Up until that stage it was somewhat a shootout and the expectation from the coaches was surely to keep to the plan and decrease the 2 goal lead. Unfortunately we let that lead blow out to 4 goals right before half time by which time I believe the 7th defender was already in place. Plan B - playing with 7 defenders - worked well and got us right back in a position to win with the Gawn kick. The problem with switching from an attacking game plan to lock down defensive mode is you then have be prepared to live with the ball in your back half and play slower ball moving and controlled play with lots of off the ball running and covering. It requires everyone on the same page and that's much more easily achieved during a break in play. I don't think it was just the one bad quarter that killed us today. It was the inability to defend for the entire first half - and all over the ground as well. Forwards couldn't lay a tackle, midfielders couldn't keep up and backs were all out of shape. The first quarter defending was just as bad but I understand why the coaches didn't want to make changes when they were ahead and could've easily been further ahead given our own chances.

Pedersen replaced Tommy Mc just fine and Maynard did an ok job at replacing Viney. I get that Viney combined with Oliver, Petracca etc creates a level of midfield dominance against most sides that can win games but that's not really what I want. I want a team that's proficient in all areas of the ground. The guys we need to replace: - Garlett with a crumber who can get front and centre and lay some tackles - A proper key defender to free Lever up to the third man up role - A pair of hard running, spreading midfielders to cut down opposition chains of play and create ours.

With the ball - yes. Without the ball - I'm not so sure. Maynard kept Gaz in front of him for large parts of the day and played a big role in a really good centre square effort all day. No Danger but they had Gaz, Selwood, Duncan, Kelly and others and without Viney and with Petracca used sparingly after half time we could cover off and get some pressure on Geelong. Too often I see Tyson desperately trying to chase an opponent from a stoppage. Aside from a burst in the 2nd quarter I thought we were really good at avoiding the bad break down clearances where a team walks the ball out.

Yep, but if the replacement is Tyson that's not exactly anything new.

I'm at a complete loss with the changes. How are we going to play? I'm going to presume we continue with man on man all over the field and not drop a 7th defender back for the full game like we did after half time. If that's the case Lewis has to play half back and play on an opponent. He can't play wing. It just doesn't work. ANB needs a chance to play wing and use his running power. So if Lewis goes back then Wagner comes out. I'm going to give Lever the benefit of the doubt as a key defender for 1 more week. But only 1. Otherwise it's Frost time. But who comes out of that backline? Lewis? Vince? Harmes and Petracca need to split midfield/forward time. Much like Caddy and Martin. Then we need another midfielder to cover the spot created by Lewis and I'd go with Brayshaw over Tyson. Not sure what to make of Maynard. Did a lot right. Limited Gaz's influence. His athleticism is a plus. Think I'd keep him. Out: Wagner, Garlett In: Brayshaw, Bugg FB: Jetta Oscar Hibberd HB: Lewis Lever Hunt C: ANB Oliver Jones HF: Melksham Hogan Bugg FF: Hannan Pedersen Fritsch Foll: Gawn Petracca Salem Int: Harmes Vince Maynard Brayshaw

Fritsch showed a lot of talent. All he really needs is a forward line coach to help get him leading to the right spots and knowing when to stay down and crumb. Did it a couple of times. Also looks a long kick so why not have a shot from 52? Hannan, very quiet early, gave a fair bit late. Didn't kick his crunch late minute goal but I think he did enough. Similar players but at the same time different enough to work and it's not like we have pure crumbing small forwards or a good 190+ 3rd tall forward available. I like the combination of these two.

He provided the balance around the stoppages in the first quarter and a bit that others didn't. We needed that sweeper when others would dive after the ball. I'm surprised he stayed on after that hit. In fact it's laughable that we have a blood rule when the chances of getting a blood borne disease on a footy field is almost zero, yet when a player gets poleaxed if he stays on he gets to take his kick and keep playing. Salem stayed in the centre square for the next stoppage after that hit and he was miles off the play. A smart team would've dragged him as soon as possible to get his assessed and out of the game until he was cleared.

Salem was very good until he was smashed in to next week by the cheat. Shouldn't have played after that really. Garlett never should've been picked. Terrible game. Completely unwilling or unable to get to the front of the pack and put some pressure on.

First quarter was good but there's no way our young midfielders of Oliver, Trac and Salem could keep that pace for the game. Second quarter was hardly a surprise. Exploited for defensive running in the middle and the backline doesn't stack up one on one or under pressure. Second half we turn the tables with 7 in the backline. Good coaching change but how bad is the game plan that we need 7 back to make it work? Lewis goes from liability to weapon as a spare defender. The other defenders gather confidence to run and use the ball - Wagner a big turn around. Hunt gets in to the game. ANB and Harmes light it up when given a chance in the midfield and we get ball in to Tracc who makes a huge difference forward. But where does it leave us? Lever will get exposed by a good tall forward McDonald played well but still needs help Midfield gets blasted by speed without the ball. Predominantly inside players inside players in Jones and Lewis don't know how to defend a wing. Why is that a surprise to anyone. Forward line entries and pressure are a complete mess and actually get better with a man down up forward, why? How the hell do we line up next week? Do we just start with 7 back?

Weeds - born June 97 - 196cm Fritsch - born Dec 96 - 186cm Not really a fair comparison. Curnow had never kicked more than 2 goals in a game before tonight. So no different to Weeds. This is a year for Sam to develop a healthy, strong AFL body. Apparently with ankle surgery and a long preseason in rehab and not rushed in to AFL games that has hopefully been achieved. At VFL he has to find consistency with getting to and winning contests. If he's body is right he'll be able to rotate in as back up ruck and that will do him wonders.

1-2 weeks to deload, 1-2 weeks to rehab, 2 weeks to train/play. Think if it goes well Tom can be back under the 6 week mark. Just hoping for no further set backs for Jack.

Thanks for laying it out. The club aren't always completely transparent - why should they be if it doesn't help fans and hurts them - but in this case Misson has detailed the plan. I hope they can do more in terms of designing better boots or orthotics to overcome the problem as well as the rest and rehab plan. I think the only time line the club ever put on Viney was a round 1 return being possible if things go to plan. Which they then cancelled a couple of weeks ago and didn't put a set time from on after that.

My questions for Mr Misson are: If Tom McDonald is feeling so much better now after 10 days off legs then why wasn't he given 10 days off legs when he first felt sore 8 weeks ago? AND Why did he play in the AFLX shambles at on the Etihad car park if there was knowledge that he had any sort of niggle that could be exacerbated by a firm surface?

I think he carried a plantar fascia injury for a long time. Not unusual for an AFL player but certainly that alone would've taken some toll on his body even pre surgery. Then there were rumours of a toe injury before what became (or always was) a stress fractured metatarsal. Not an expert by any means but I can imagine that after the period of time off weight bearing they had to then make sure that not only was his metatarsal ok but that his plantar fascia had healed. Then there's the impact on ramping up training on the rest of his legs - soft tissues, knee etc. I'm willing to believe the club when they say that as of Monday there wasn't any set backs with the foot injury/injuries but some associated niggles to carefully monitor. I'm also thinking those associated niggles can carry on for a fair while yet.