bing181

Yet. He wouldn't be the first to take a few seasons to find his feet at AFL level. Can only be a positive if he does.

Depends what you mean by hype. For me, he's the Cam Pedersen replacement - pinch hit in the ruck, bring the ball to ground and make a contest up forward, keep oppo players honest and take one of their defenders. If he can do that effectively at AFL level he's earned a place on the list, at least. Agree re Campbell, though mainly as a Max replacement. I can't see Campbell and Max in the same team, but could imagine AJ + Max.

He wasn't the subject of the review, and the review was conducted as much as anything by Shand. "The review of the men’s football department is focusing on the operations and overarching environment of the AFL program. This review is being conducted by President Brad Green, CEO Gary Pert and external consultant Darren Shand."

Interesting.

Injury-related e.g., even if they're able to play, players carrying/nursing/recovering from injury miss training or can't train fully. Also playing more younger players who don't have the fitness depth. In both cases fitness is compromised.

You have to ask yourself if the pressure (curse?) of following up on the premiership has finally been lifted. Perhaps last season was the season we had to have to finally bury it.

It's uncanny.

What's particularly encouraging, even exciting, is that those 4 could form the backbone of our talls (forward and elsewhere) for the next 10+ years. Even Johnson is "only" 24.

Essential to have a competitive Casey team, makes a real difference to our younger/developing/fringe players.

I don't question that it's going to be different. Just moving Windsor back will make it different by giving us more drive from the backline. No doubt there are other changes in the works. What I question though is whether it's going to be some kind of scorched earth, start from zero different.

I don't know that it'll be completely different. Time will tell, will probably have to wait for matches to start. What I've taken from training reports is that there seems to be more clarity about the game plan, about what's expected, and what people's roles are. With that comes more intent and better application. Feels like we lost our way a bit with all that last season - though equally, having key playmakers out/compromised through injury, plus paying a lot of kids, can't have helped.

While there's a whole debate about supported employment for people with disabilities, using "sheltered workshop" as a put-down is pretty low. Even for you.

Trusting your teammates.

This kind of response comes up all the time here, and it's such a weak, flawed argument - not to mention, confirmation bias.

You don't have to justify yourself. Thanks again for the great insights, which I'm sure the vast majority of us here really appreciate.