Dee-licious

A good hard fought end, but we couldn't get the chocolates. Yes the umpires were killing us, but the lack of polish by our VFL listed players really killed us. They are so good at tackling and being hard at it, but when they find themselves on the outside, there is a lot of turnovers. O Baker – had a really good 2nd and 3rd quarter. His speed was really important today and the pace of Marvel and the Dogs meant that he stood out a little bit more. The most obvious one for a call up if needed. C Wagner – Another really good game. You can see why he is often the emergency or coming back into the AFL side, he owns VFL players and is too quick and big for them. His delivery inside 50 was fine, his finishing much better. I don't know where he fits in the AFL side though. Could he play on the wing and make an impact? Can he play Melksham's role? J Jordan – started like a house on fire and then was moved out of the guts in preference to Maynard, JKH and Wagner. You can see that he is getting to a lot of contests and often is being pushed aside by more experienced opponents. It I starting to come together and he will be a really nice player. His kicked is fantastic and he is a big tackler as well. You can see him and Baker on either wing and actually having an impact on a game in the AFL. McDonald – Good and bad. He looks so much better playing deep in the VFL as the final defender. His experience was really important down there. A couple of issues when him and Hutchins going up together and not working well enough as a team. He was swung forward with about 10 minutes to go in the match. We went to him a couple of times but not great entries. I don't really see forward craft here though. JKH had a lot of touches but was not influential the way Wagner, Baker and Jordan were. His game has so much to like about it, but it doesn't seem to translate to the AFL level because he doesn't get to play the in and under role. Maynard – started really slowly and made his way back into the game in the second half. He is a long way off the guy we had over the last 2 years who was a clearance beast. I really thought that we could see him come on this year but the injuries have seemed to cruel him. Keilty – Drunk’n said that he has no confidence and it shows. He marked beautifully and got into great positions, but 0.3 and all kickable says all you need to know. I really want to keep him around in the rookie list for another year as you can see he is developing nicely, but there are kicking issues that need to be worked out. Bedford and Chandler – they are the same player and you just want to see another 12 months to see where they get too. Great tackling game from both. They played that Spargo high half forward role for quite a lot of the game. Would have been nice to see them deep in the forward line more often to see their goal game. Bedford great crumbing goal. Bradke – 2 goals, there is a lot to like in here but he is too slight to really have an impact on the game and not good enough when it hits the ground to make up for it. As a positive, he marks well and kicks well. So there is a lot to work with there.

Size, speed and class of the dogs is hurting us. There are too many AFL listed players in good form and with serious AFL experience against a Casey side which has 6 players who have played AFL (Oscar, Oskar, Maynard, Corey, JKH, Keilty). It does not scream experienced. Oskar has been really good. He has looked like an AFL player in a VFL side. His run has been important and would be useful in the AFL side today. Looks like he could come in next week really easily. Best on for us by a mile now. The one twos he does are something that we dont have a lot of in our team other than maybe Salem. Jordan has been quiet on the disposal count in the last 2 quarters but he has had 9 tackles and his pressure acts around the ball will be quite high (not available on the app). I'd expect him to have a debut against the Swans or North in the final 2 rounds to see how he goes. Considering he is the youngest on our list - really good prospect. A little like Baker last year, you could see that it was there even though there were quiet games. Wagner - Does what he does. He is a very good footballer, and worth keeping around for another year and see what he can do for us. He is quick, can kick, and is smart. Bradke - Did nothing until a good mark in the final few minutes of the quarter. Such and nice mark and kick (goal) but he is a giraffe. Hopefully will develop over the next 3 years. JKH - I am feeling like he isn't having the impact that he should be. I assume tagged as he has had a lot of attention off the ball. Maynard - tagging job on Wallis and done a good job (9 touches) but Wallis has got forward and kicked 2 goals. McDonald - depending on how you see McDonald is how you see his game. You can focus on how he has lost a couple of contests badly, you can talk about how he is coaching out there, you can talk about him (or Hutchins) getting in each other's way, or you can talk about his clean disposal. Feels weeks away. Chandler and Bedford are the same person. They tackle and are never in positions to kick goals as they play too far up the ground.

And another goal assist for Baker with Mitch White.

Our two goals have been huge efforts by Oskar Baker. That one from the backline, bursts through and sends it to the advantage of Wager for the goal

Oscar much better when he is the last line of defence. I dont know why we ever let him out of defensive 50. Jordan tackling his way to a debut.

Jordan playing in the guts and starting to play well. Needs to lower the eyes a little more (or possibly people need to give him better options? Hard to know on TV). Has a good kick on the boy. Playing on Mitch Wallis apparently. Baker does look too good for this level, but needs to be in the game a little more. His defensive efforts have been good in the first quarter. Got into the game as the quarter went on but his stats were padded with 3 touches in the back half in the last little bit of the quarter. JKH doing what he does - in and under getting the ball. When he makes a mistake, he goes and fixes it. Bedford once he puts on some more muscle will be a nice small forward. C Wagner is not as dominant as he has been in the last few weeks. Oscar is in frame but hasn't really done anything? He has lost one contest for the quarter (resulted in a behind), has disposed of the ball nicely. But he isn't playing last line of defence and that might also be an issue we need to fix up for Q2. Our VFL defenders are really in trouble. If they get some space, our defenders are left miles behind. When we are going forward they tend to put it on the head of White. I'm not sure who has been getting the inside 50s - I'd say 50/50 for VFL/AFL listed. But lets face it, there arent a lot in the VFL who you'd want delivering to you as a key forward. You can see why Jordan, JKH, Wagners and Oscar have been our emergencies lately as there isn't a lot there.

Only a matter of time before their speed ended up with a goal over the top. 7 - 1 - we have had more of play in our half but cannot get a shot on goal (including a air-y from Maynard in the goal square).

No Stretch and no Oscar. I am hoping just a flu.

Not wanting to pile on. Saw him at Queens Birthday so still around the club doing functions. Didn’t seem to be struggling moving so have no idea at all.

Where is Oscar?

When he is on he looks like a B level AFL player, but he also goes missing badly as a half forward. He feels more like a good VFL player than an AFL listed one but hell what do I know!

Wagner, Stretch and Oscar(?) hold overs for tomorrow.

Weid not named on the Melbourne website. Oversight? Also so good to see so many players back. 14-15 will play! Also where is Oscar McDonald? Maynard didn’t get up. Its starting to look like a fitter list again. A little too late, but nice to see.

Just being smashed around the ball and turnovers are killing any good work we do. Without May it could be seriously ugly. We are missing the Maynard’s, JKH, Sparrowe, Stretch.

Lock May in for next week.

No Weid and JKH? KK in the guts.

You could make the case for some big changes if the injuries come up: Weiderman, Salem, ANB, Lewis, May, Hibbard, Hannan. Goody also mentioned KK and JKH. The only time you make 4+ changes are when you have a heap of players who are best 22 coming back. We could make the case that 7 changes are just getting our healthy bodies back and Wagers, Lockhart, Petty etc are just heading back to the 2s.

6 Gawn - just a giant of the game and one of the best in the Comp now. 5 Hore - did he role nicely but disappeared after half time. 4 Viney - lifted in the second half and looked likely 3 Frost - Gave us run and carry we are missing 2 Trac - just does what others can’t and moved into the midfield to get us going 1 Hunt - should have had more but lead tackled and did the right things.

Live he was fine. And in the top 11 players of ours on the ground. Yes he isn’t best 22, but he is that 23-26 player we need when injuries hit. He works hard and continues to play out the game. Not an issue at all.

Weiderman best on for us. Has had a really solid game. Could have been a lot better with 2.3 but has been all around the ground, taken some good marks, hit some great kicks. If he had the 4 goals he really should have had, we would have been talking about him coming back next week. Probably another game in the 2's to build up the confidence. He really is a cut above at this level, however, he really is doing all the work himself, whereas in the AFL he relies more on people hitting him on the chest.

Weid at about 80%. Playing like Petrarca - its almost falling for him to dominate but things just aren’t perfect.

Honestly think calling him a spud was kinder than saying he’s a Dawson...

Congrats to the whole family @Drunkn167 can’t wait to see Dec out there today.

Has Maynard been playing? Didn’t play last week and is not named this week either for Casey?

The commentators are really excited. If I was Power (coach) id be annoyed that the game against A/VFL opponents ends up being against 10 Afl lister players and in the second half only 4 are out there. Not surprising that the Aust team are coming over the top.