DeeSpencer

My concerns on him were 1. Size. 2. Composure. 3. Kicking. 4. Fitness. I don't think he'll ever be a perfect kick. His goal snuck in from 40 out, his pass to Watts floated and otherwise he seems to really have to work to get it over 40m, but he chose the right options when he was playing on quickly and making the correct decisions is more important than lacing the ball out every time. He's not going to get any taller but he has no issues in using his nuggety frame to burrow in and to block and bump. Fitness is hard to judge but he didn't show any major signs of struggling to run out the game and his burst speed was evident. Hoping he can keep it up. I was really impressed when he stuck himself next to Jack Viney for a lot of training sessions. Great initiative from Ben and/or leadership from Jack. I think it would've helped his fitness, speed, hardness and confidence. As the season goes on I think Viney could rest forward and work on that part of his game and Kennedy could try his luck with more midfield minutes.

Watts, Vanders and Petracca can provide the marking and goal kicking. Frost can bring the defensive pressure and he found a few marks late in the game on Saturday. He's 22, played 25 career games and missed most of last year. I'm not saying he should be an automatic pick each week but zone defending will suit the McDonald's to a tee and if Frost can make it as a consistent forward he'll do some special things with his pace. There's no point being a young developing team if you aren't going to roll the dice with some high risk/high reward talent! I think the biggest threat to his spot in the team is needing Pedersen to take some of the ruck duty against teams with 2 strong rucks. McKernan goes ok as a 2nd ruck but isn't really a true ruckman and is of similar height to Frost. So this week I'd leave Pedersen out and give Frost a go in the ruck as well as letting him loose forward. Vanders takes Pedersen's spot. Frost keeps his. We then bring in an extra midfielder - Stretch or Brayshaw - to fill the wing spot that Vanders was playing and isn't really suited to.

You don't pass up the chance to get top shelf quality but I think there are a few reasons this won't happen 1. Our lack of first round pick - I expect the AFL to demand Essendon players be traded for even if they are declared as some type of free agents 2. The FD seem to have a lot of faith in Oscar Mc 3. It's still probably a little earlier than perfect to add a big fish in the list build stakes 4. We really could do with a pacy wingman, continual addition of players who can run and kick as well as ruck/ruck forward depth. The best shot of getting them is probably holding our draft picks.

Should note for those not at the ground that it was swirly as always but the breeze favoured the city end by a couple of goals IMO. Made our first quarter look better. Explained to some extent why we had a lot of play in the 2nd but couldn't convert with a packed forward line - we had to open the game up more whilst not being burnt on the over lap. Similarly the 3rd quarter was partially about holding on and staying in the game given we couldn't get the same run on as the first. Once we get up and running in the last I did feel a bit of wind at our backs physically as well as metaphorically. Conditions don't excuse a poor middle half of the game, but might explain some of why the game looked as it did.

Also we still need to work on our last minute game close out. Gawn hit it forward did he not? GWS had 3 coming through the middle opposed to Kent who peeled off from a flanking spot, no on was at half forward coming through with them. It just wasn't quite right. I'd have 3 extra behind the ball but you got to have one at CHF coming through with the runners. And have to do all that you can to kill the centre bounce and/or get a clearance out to a wing and get a kick backwards for a mark or fight for a throw in. Anyway, we did enough. No one was out marking Hogan down in the backline under that high ball. Strong punch. Game over

Not to bag Roos-Goodwin and to note they came up with some great moves today.... But does anyone think our 2nd and 3rd quarter malaise was contributed to by putting BOTH Hogan and Watts behind the ball for the last 3 or so minutes of the first quarter when it was 5 goals to 1 since about the first 10 minutes and we had all the play? 1 man back I can live with. But seems silly to me. We ended up defending and not moving the ball for a few minutes instead of maybe getting another goal.

No. People's enjoyment of his good play and like for him doesn't have to mean they 'rate' him. I enjoy watching him play and I rate him as a young prospect. His disposal picked up in the second half. Around the ground it's not too far off. Needs to nail goals more consistently. Then he needs to read the play better which he'll probably do as he gets more games especially if the team starts playing with more predictability.

I'd say hopefully he irons out a few messy disposals and covers the ground a little better. Because then he'll be B+ at least and we'll be on our way towards the 8. Not sure where we are going to find all these star midfielders to replace him any time soon given we still need plenty of talent around the ground. Brayshaw might have to play half back. Petracca will have to play forward. Who else do we have?

My defence would be to say go and get [censored]. How that is deemed a dangerous tackle is beyond me. No sling, no lift. If you can't tackle a guy to ground then the game is in trouble because there won't be a way to stop strong players. He wasn't hurt was he?

Nailed a key goal and hit quite a few quality short corridor targets (the kick in to Bugg that he dropped etc) in the 2nd half. Won a few big contests as well. If he could read the play better he'd tackle more, get more easy ball and then if he used it consistently he'd be a star of the comp. At the moment he mixes poor play with above average play (see the 2nd half). A reasonable start for a bloke who missed most of last year and is still early days in his career.

Took a number of good marks and otherwise got to the right spots down back. We needed him in the midfield after half time but we don't solve our lack of skill from half back with Lumumba. If the plan was Vince and Salem we should stick to it. The defenders will get more cohesion as they work together. Lumumba can come in and play half back and bit of wing, similar to how Bugg played, but I still think we need one of Jones and Vince back there. We need skill and smarts back there.

Nope we need skills at half back. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Add an extra mid, don't move Vince from where he is needed for Lumumba's lack of skills/smarts

This is having a laugh. Tyson turned it over and didn't exert himself of the game. But we need him in the guts to Vince can go to half back. Along with Jones and Viney he's our only mature midfielder. He isn't going anywhere. If he keeps kicking it as he is there will be a time to drop him, but it's not way!

Lumumba's experience was missing for 2015 as well. I'd like to see it before I believe it. But we certainly need another runner from wing/half back I think. So Lumumba or Stretch. I'd go Billy as he has composure. Which is what we really need.

Well all know he's a defender, but for now there's not a spot for him back there and we need competition for spots up forward. Can't have Pedersen and no one. Need Frost and Pedo fighting each other to perform. I liked his second half. Hopefully he keeps taking a few more marks. His speed is phenomenal and his work rate very good.

Dunn for O'Mac (inj) Brayshaw for Pedersen (or Frost) not really that fussed, but I'd keep Frost. Stretch for Harmes. We finished the game with O'Mac off. Pedersen at full back. So Dunn takes Pedersen and O'Mac spot down back. Stretch is the midfield runner we need. Brayshaw the forward/midfield rotation we need with Vanders playing more forward to provide the extra marking. FB: Jetta Dunn Garland HB: Vince McDonald Salem C: Stretch Jones M Jones HF: Kent Watts Vanders FF: Kennedy Hogan Garlett Foll: Gawn Viney Tyson Int: Oliver Brayshaw Bugg Frost/Pedo 3 changes is a lot after a win, with only one forced. But we need more run and skills. The extra tall isn't needed and we have to play with more dash to stop the moments when we just have no run or dash. Stretch and Brayshaw will deliver it.

Missed a ripper here. Can't get them all right but kicking goals in a terrible Casey team is probably a sign of talent. Bummer.

One good season is a bit over the top but it's fair to say he struggled to nail a regular spot for a long time, which doesn't necessarily mean all that much as some very good players in the history of the game have done that. He finished of 2013 well down back, was excellent in 2014 and solid enough in 2015. But new year, new times, new game plan means everyone has to earn their spot. Too much focus is on Dunn, not enough on Oscar. If Oscar can become a regular and Tom McDonald starts playing more like the first half of 2015 then that's exciting times for the club. I expect Dunn and Garland will push each other for a spot and keep pressure on the McDonald's to keep improving.

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Corr who is a young athletic player, he'll probably go on to Frost who is the same. Marchbank who looks very very handy as a young CHB on to Pedo. Buntine, who is a smart footballer matches up well on to Watts. Average might be fair, but we aren't exactly world beaters. So just thinking out loud I agree with your comment!

No he said he'd need 4 weeks of training, which he's now had and said he'd be close to this week. I didn't know if I'd see him today but they gave him the all clear. And it's nice to keep him under wraps and let Trenners have a moment in the sun. I expect he'll need a minimum of 2 weeks at Casey, making round 4 the earliest possible. We just have to keep being patient. Based on today I expect highs and lows to his form anyway. He might need to be dropped, rested or switched roles for his development. But there will be highs.

7, Fox Sports and Dan Cherny from the Age.

Shiel is who I'd lock down on with Viney. Particularly at the stoppages but also to watch his runs through the middle. Both left footers with similar build, good burst speed etc. Ward and Griffen might play well, I think we have to live with it and hope Jones and Tyson can hurt them the other way. Josh Kelly and Jack Steele are fantastic young players to rotate in to the midfield. Hopefully Vanders is at his tackling and marauding best when he goes in to the middle and Oliver has a stern first test. Gawn v Mumford really is a sensational match up. Hopefully Max can out point him in the ruck, run off him around the ground and protect our mids from him when he follows up the footy at ground level. Pedersen will be a key in that regard. Needs to get his big body between Mumford and our little guys.

Cheers. It was a positive session for a lot of reasons but everything has to be taken with a grain of salt. I can get a bit pessimistic but we are coming from a long way back and have a lot of players with great attributes who have to keep working on their strengths and weaknesses. From Casey I really like the giant ruckman. Hope we keep tracking him. And Aloysio Ferreira the dark skinned lad has a crack and seems to run the lines well. Nice to see H having a chat to him post game and meeting what I presume were his parents. Not sure if he has the size or skills for AFL but seemed lively. The full forward looks like he'll kick a few goals at VFL level as well.

I want to see Pedersen, Frost, Oscar and Matt Jones perform. If those 4 show they are up to AFL then I'll be feeling more confident about our depth. Ben Ken and Harmes can be on that list as well. Dunn, Lumumba, Brayshaw, Stretch and Petracca will walk in to our team easily if those ahead of them can't perform.