Young Blood

You would have to ask Plapp.. From afl.com The Casey coach added omitted midfielder Angus Brayshaw (25 disposals) was clean by hand at ground level and "showed signs of what we need him to be doing contest to contest" 'Showed signs' doesn't sound to me like he is a must add this week. My Dad was at the game and said in his opinion he did OK and worked hard around the contest but didn't stick out.

Yeah I think especially for someone his size and the player that jumps more then any other position I'm worried that he might need longer.

I don't think Brayshaw will come in this week. By all accounts he did the right things on the weekend for Casey but they want to see him do it consistantly. I think you could be right. If he is unable to train this week we might see Vince out again. Petraccattack has got it pretty right I think

Agreed. Who care's whether or not Cripps has a fractured jaw. Is it going to change anything? nup. Hogan and Lewis need to sit and suck it up like their supporters. We're sounding like collingwood/carlton/richmond supporters right now with the whinging.

Another frustrating thing to come out of this is that Lewis' track record is worse off once again. Lewis is at his best when he is playing on the edge, getting underneath the oppositions skin. It just adds that extra caution for him when he returns and moving forward. But then he's also a pro and has dealt with that a for while. Both very dumb acts from both. Hope they both come back and really make an impact to make up for their stupidity.

Surprised to see ANB over other fringe players like Bugg and Harmes who I think add more especially defensively. I guess he can roll through the middle and win stoppages. Where I've seen St, Kilda chew us up is with their outside run. Hence why a shorter quicker side is by design I think. Really important to have players who can push back quicker when we turn the ball over. Also why Spencer is out of this one on a fast Etihad ground. It was too risky to have him in this week but I'm sure we'll see the two ruck combo in the next few weeks.

Yes Harmes needs to stay in to keep developing. I think he puts in pretty consistent efforts around the contest.

Yup! and a nice side step.

Melbourne's game style is to play on as quickly as possible across half back because its the only way you can find free players across half forward. Opposition teams are so good and running back now. So the handball to a runner out of the backline is vital. Yes we're stuffing this up but we have to keep at it. Frost, Harmes, Salem and Jetta are great because they have that burst pace to get free and aim for a penetrating kick up to half forward

I definitely think Dawes has had enough games to put together consistant performances and it just isn't happening. I thought his positioning was terrible yesterday. Lead into congested, out numbered areas and second efforts were just not there. Pederson if fit is much more dynamic and I hope he comes back in soon.

I thought Frost played one of his best games in the red and blue. Did he get caught trying to break the lines a few times? yes. Did he make mistakes by hand that a lot of players did yesterday? yes. But I think Frost, Jetta and Hunt all used their pace to attack from the backline and I think Roos would be really pleased. I thought he competed much better in the air than he has in the past. I thought Frost took the game on and was one that kept us in the game.

So the team could lineup like this? That's a lot of demon players (or at least players who have/will play AFL games) CASEY SCORPIONS B: Garland O McDonald Terlich HB: Grimes Hutchins White C: Brayshaw Michie Hunt HF: Petracca Pedersen J Smith F: Kennedy-Harris Weideman Hulett FOLL: Mitch King Trengove Neal-Bullen I/C (from): Ambler* Damien Johnston Kielty Munro Rutherford Scott T Smith Wilson

Yup, I think this is the team. Lumumba needs another week at Casey I think. Even then I'm not sure who he would replace in the backline with Bugg playing so well. I think they won't go with the three talls (Pederson/Frost/Hogan) just because with the cap they will need players to play multiple positions and a good tanks. Harme's seems the fitter forward. I think Frost and Watt's collectively fill Pederson's role as a lead up forward playing up the ground. Harmes can roll through the middle and tag on a wing or across half back too. Will need his tackling skills. Will be interesting to see if Kennedy can hold a position in the side. It is hard for someone who has limited touches to show a lot but hopefully he follows in Kent's footsteps by showing aggression and pressure when the opposition have the footy.

Hope that Harmes is building his tank. His aggression around the stoppages was terrific last season but his fitness wasn't quite there. If he can build his endurance I think he could be a key player for us. Has terrific strength for a player his age. Shows when taking contested marks or getting his arms free in stoppages. Great tackler too. One to watch

I hope moving into the end of next season it becomes: B: Jetta, T-Mac, Dunn HB: Bugg, Frost, Melksham C: Tyson, Petracca, Salem HF: Brayshaw, VandenBerg, Kent F: Garlett, Hogan, Weiderman Foll: Gawn, Viney, Jones/Vince IC: Oliver, Watts, Harmes, O-Mac If everything goes as plan thats a solid team. Depth Backs: Lumumba, Garland, White, Grimes, Terlich Forwards: Kennedy, Dawes, Hulett, Newton, JKH, Hunt Mids: Stretch, Neal-Bullen, Michie, Trengove, M. Jones Ruck: Max King, Spencer, Mitch King

YES Life would be a heck of a lot easier if Mills and Hopper were free for us to pick. They are both better mids IMO then Parish/Oliver.

Yeah I would have voted Oliver....

Yeah Davos I think its still Curnow for me too. With Either Weid or Oliver at 7. I just think we're not seeing it now but Curnow could be something special. The way he moves with the ball, his size and athleticism, contested marking and leading is great. Has huge potential and could be useful playing different roles for the team next year like a lot of our young guys do while developing under Roos. I think he could be the player of the draft. But who knows. I'm a nobody. (ps I'm ignoring the recent run in with the law Charlie had with my comments) Would still be happy with Parish though

I've watched a lot of match replays and all the highlights of Parish (yes they're just highlights I know I know) I believe the experts that he can read the play well, uses the ball well and is a good outside midfielder in the way he can burst away from packs and spread well. But I haven't seen any really solid contested football from him. He bounces around in congestion occasionally and gets the handball away quickly before or just as he's being tackled. But I'm really not sure about his contested football. When you look at Hopper's highlights (Brayshaw and Petracca's from last year too) they can do a lot of different things. The main thing you see from these three is real hardness and commitment to the contest including tackling. Hopper, Trak and Brayshaw can win one on one contests all over the ground. I don't see this much at all from Darcy. It is what Roos has pushed most is commitment and hardness which you also see from Harmes, Stretch and ANB. If we are looking for an outside mid who can spread and use the ball well then I think he's great. If he can work on his defensive side and build up his strength he could be terrific.

funnily enough Mathieson had decent results with skills in the combine Clean hands test Kieran Collins 29 (out of a possible 30) Darcy MacPherson 28 Tyrone Leonardis 28 Daniel Rioli 27 Rhys Mathieson 27 Mitch King 27 Jade Gresham 26 Bailey Rice 26 Darcy Tucker 26 Declan Mountford 26 Kurt Mutimer 26 Jordan Snadden 26 Kicking test Mitchell Hibberd 24 (out of a possible 30) Nick Coughlan 23 Darcy MacPherson 22 Thomas Glen 22 Matthew Allen 22 Jade Gresham 21 Nick O'Kearney 21 Rhys Mathieson 21 Declan Mountford 21 Jordan Snadden 21 Ben McKay 21 Charlie Curnow 21 However I agree with others that under pressure as a 'contested ball winning midfielder' he is predominantly (not highlights on Youtube) sloppy with the ball. I'v watched a few of his Falcon games. Reminds me of a Collingwood midfielder type, the way he wills the ball on.. If we went with Curnow or Francis at 3, I would prefer Tucker or Balic at 7. I think they could terrific outside runners who are creative with the ball (ala Salem/Brayshaw) and can build their intensity and contested game. Balic reminds me of Stretch but taller and with a higher ceiling.

This is great. Thanks so much for uploading this. You get a good look at Curnow, Tucker, Francis, Parish etc. In a full game. See how they position themselves and get an idea of them in and around the contest. Would really love to see more footage of Curnow in the midfield. He looks terrific running into space with those long arms and marking ability. Nice finisher and user of the ball. But would just like to see more of his contested ball work in the middle of the ground. He pretty much plays one on one in most of the footage I've seen. Still preferring Curnow. I just think he has the most potential out of he and Parish. Parish could become a Sloane type player at best. But when you compare him to our previous years midfield drafted players he just doesn't use his body well and is not as good defensively. Of course he can work on those things. But I just think Curnow is a natural smarter footballer and would love to see him playing for Melbourne.

Parish isn't super quick either...

I was dead set on bringing another solid midfielder in Parish to lineup alongside Viney, Pettracca, Brayshaw and Dom. But this kid just looks like a terrific natural footballer. Seems to have good awareness of time and space around him, marks and uses the ball well. The question mark for me is still his competitiveness. Would like to see or hear more of his tackling and intent at the footy. We hear of him being a possible high fwd / midfielder but I haven't seen much of his contested ball winning/stats in that area as a midfielder. Definitely looks terrific on the lead and in contested marking situations. Recovers well when the ball comes to ground and has nice agility in his ability to turn off of his opponent. Just wish there was more on his defensive side.

What gives you the impression they're thinking outside the square? I would have thought they might want another marking tall (ala Francis) to replace Dixon.

Yes this is I think why we will pick Parish over Curnow. We want to keep our string of compeditive high intensity/tackling young players to go with Brayshaw, Harmes, Petracca etc. Essendon are in the same boat as us. Want a mid and a key position player. We will make life annoying for them if we pick Parish. They might go with the combination: Matherson or Balic and Curnow or Francis. Gives us much more options I think if we stick with Parish at 3.