binman

Sure. But all the above does not go to your implication my two comments were somehow contradictory.

The two statements are not contradictory are they? We're in ok shape down back, but will be improved by Smith replacing tomo. Just as we will be improved when Petty comes back in. Just as we will be improved when Salem comes back in.

One change this week - tomo out Smith in.

I would be shocked if petty is selected. Interrupted preseason and no preseason practice games. One vfl game with limited minutes is too limited a preparation. And besides, they don't need to take any risks. We are in ok shape down back.

Agree. I was actually just thinking that given fox use clueless dinasaurs like brerereton so much it weird how little air time they give Lewis. I wonder if that is his choice?

We also don't have the same ability to control the tempo of matches or play controlled football if not for 2019. Or for that matter a defensive system as good as it is now. Goody was super clever that season. And brave. I'm positive we could have won a few more games that season if we played more in our 2018 style. But goody took the opportunity the horror run with injuries gave us and introduced new methodologies, sytems and tweaks to the ballistic game style that got us to a preliminary in 2018, but was vulnerable to giving up mutiple goals in quick time and wasn't going to get us go the promised land.

JVR looks like the real deal to me. Not that big so not quite the size for a key forward, at least in the Ben Brown tmac mold but will get bigger and stronger. Great hands and looks a total natural in terms of using his body and of most significance ability to know where the ball drop is going to be and protecting that space. On the second two points he reminds of fritter - not in size or role, just that natural forward craft - which really is the most important thing for forwards. The first goal of the match was a good example of his forward craft. Responded more quickly than his defender to the centre clearance, led hard and despite good pressure never looked like not marking it. Went back and kicked it gun barrel straight - which is anorher pretty important skill for a forward! And seems to have a real intensity about. A competitor. Reminds me a little of a young ox. Howes was in and out of the game, so hard to reallt assess him (that's the first time I've seen him live). But oozes class. Smooth mover too. Like roaman he is a middling height and I'm not sure what his best position will end up being. Needs to put on a fair bit of muscle to be a chance of playing as a mid in rbe ones I'd reckon. Where did he play as a junior? Laurie looks the good also. Behind a few, bur has plenty of time. A full season along as a mid at Casey, another solid preseason and im sure he'll be in the frame for best 22 next year.

I reckon hore is an excellent comparison. Good one on one, smart and good overhead. And like rosman, Marty hore was a middling height that made finding the right role for a bit tricky. Smith is also a good comparison in terms of size, but I think Smith is a bit more dynamic and perhaps a bot more of an interceptor type. Rosman looks to be a more natural footballer than smith I'd have to say. Decent footy iq. Shares Smith's running ability- I think he was an elite 400 metre runner (might be erpung on that) - so a smooth mover.

He was terrific - his best game for casey by all accounts. As was the case in the last game, he played in defence - and quite deep in this game. Looked very natural down back. It is often said half back is a good spot to learn the game because the ball is coming at you, so even if he doesn't end up in defence it can only help his game. He is a funny height - not a small medium but not a key position size, which is a bit tricky re his best position. But down back it means he can take both a tall and medium size forward- and we struggle a bit with latter. He took most kick outs. He has a funky kicking technique, which is no work of art (well not Webber standard art in any case), but he greats great deprh and hits targets. Weights the ball well too, a much under appropriated skill. Huge upside I reckon.

Where did it happen? I was in the stands in the first quarter and we were kicking to the stand end and i don't recall it. Definitely no injury break in play or Willy player taken off the ground - so no concussion i don't think (though its possible they tested him at a break and he didn't come back on) Might explain why they were into him the whole match. They barely gave him a moment of peace - and atone point he got bowled over by his opponent, number 29, when the ball was miles away (i happened to be watching him on binos because of the ongoing niggle and i thought that incident was borderline reportable) Would be amazing given Mitch Brown was knocked out last week, didn't play this week and far as i know no report was made despite it being clearly caught on camera (you can see it in the replay)

Confirmation bias on my part.

He has played a lot more pure one on one defence this year compared to last season, but I think Hunt is most valuable when he get the opportunity to use his pace, run off half back, carry and launch long into our forward half. Territory is his go. He did more of that against Port and looked more damaging as result. He struggles a bit when running at full tilt to weight his short chip passes, but i think has improved in this regard this year, albeit i still have my heart in my mouth when he does kick short (he has poor technique - he drops the ball from quite a height) Whilst acknowledging his weakness with disposal and in on on one situations, I like Hunt in the side. I think his contribution was a bit under rated last year and thinks he really adds something positive to the mix, particularly in the home and away season where his pace can catch teams out, because he gets a bit more space to operate in when the pressure is not at finals like intensity.

They won't play petty this week. But as soon as he is cherry ripe he'll 100% come back in. In all likelihood it will be Tomlinson coming out I'm tipping the Anzac eve game.

He was def on the ground in each quarter- but for how long I'm not sure. Seemed to be pretty high tog % though. And he was on the ground right to the final bell. Late in the game (maybe 5 mins to go)he seemed to limp for a bit after getting across to impact a contest. Heart was in my mouth, but he was OK. They kept him on tbe ground.

There IS daylight between us and the opposition. But the beauty of football is come preliminary final, each game is elimination. The 2018 season is the best recent evidence of the no guarantees maxim being true. The tigers were rhe best team in 2018 by a mile something like 1.70 to win the flag come finals, IRC. They were even shorter to beat the pies in rhe prelim. Got mugged by the pies and a septic.. USA USA USA

Yeah, that's a fair point. We don't have an obvious replacement for fritter. I suspect a medium size forward with the skill set of fritter is not an easy player to find. Back in rhe day there were plenty such players, but the days of such specialisation ate probably largely gone. I wonder if rosman could be an option?

Or should that be dee bate?

There isn't a brown v weed debate is there? I haven't read anyone suggesting bb isn't straight backnin next week. It's a tmac v weed debate.

Makes you wonder why professionals, whose careers depend on such decisions, elected to cut one and keep the others. Jokes. Lockhart was cut because he wasn't AFL level, as evidenced by the fact another ub didn’t pick him up. Bedford and Chandler ARE AFL level. As evidenced both are close to getting into the starting 22 of a premiership side.

No, would be my view. Bedford and anb are not really small forwards as such - not in the traditional definition of a crumbing, goal kicking small forward. Both play that high half forward role that involves running up and down the ground all game. Nibbler is only behind langdon in kms coveted each game. Laurie is a mid or half back. I don't think he has ever played as a forward, either in his junior career or at Casey. Spargo and kozzie also both do a fair bit of up and down the ground running but are certainly more the traditional crumbing small forward. But you need coverage for both, so two playing tbst role at casey Chandler is a forward, but is also being trialled as a mid But can cover them. And AMW is the other.

Agree, must be very tough for Casey Demons and the AFLW team to be playing down at Casey

According to Buddhism, everything in human life, all objects, as well as all beings whether in heavenly or hellish or earthly realms in Buddhist cosmology, is always changing, inconstant, undergoes rebirth and redeath (Samsara). Goody is not a Buddhist.

Watching live, Bedford looked a class above VFL level last night. Quick, smart positioning, hard at it, clever ball use and brilliant lateral movement. Played quite a few minutes in the middle, as did Laurie.

By the by on Brown's game, I watched him pretty closely too. Had a very quiet first half, but was vocal and involved. Worked really hard all game and got his desrved reward with a couple of goals. A couple of things to note. One, the ground is small and he hardly any space at all to lead into or fly for marks. Very crowded forward half. Only once did he get a decent leading lane and Andy MW hit up a nice pass for his first goal. The willy defender played tight man on man on him all night, and took every opportunity to bump and scrag him as did their huge ruckman who was into him all game. I had to laugh, I sat in the beautiful old stand for the second half and there was on old fella, a willy fan, giving it to brown non stop.

Not sure of tog %, but was on the ground in all 4 quarters. Played well, moved well and doesn't look too far away to my eye. Class above VFL level. Beautiful hands. (I went, and had my binos on him quite a bit)