ignition.

I guess it doesn't too much. It's just rare to see someone his age drafted. So I was nit-picking. Regardless, he's ready to go and if he's anything like that highlight package he looks like a beauty.

What are your thoughts on Tyler Keitel for some added depth? From the WAFL, 2023 leading goal kicker (57 goals from 18 games), age 27, 196 cm, 91 kg, ready to go. Averaged 3.2 goals/game, 5.1 marks, 13.9 disposals. Has a booming kick on him, marks 55m out and slots them through. Looks like he can take a mark as well. https://www.afl.com.au/video/911692/wafl-showreel-r3-tyler-keitel-highlights?videoId=911692&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1682230200001 My only concern is the 27 years of age, however, he appears far far more capable than Schache while Tom McDonald and Ben Brown will 31 years of age next year. Worth a look at, at least from a rookie stand point.

Perfectly said. You wrote in one sentence what I tried to in the opener ;) I just hope the club can find someone to fill the void with the low price tag talent that exists out there. The difficult thing is finding it.

It's safe to say we have a forward problem, a BIG (man) forward problem, which needs to be filled. The outlook for our full forward and centre half forward options are bleak. McDonald and Brown's days are passed, Schache would be lucky to be classed as VFL standard, and the Grundy experiment failed. Sure, Gawn can have a stint up there, but that's just it, a stint. Fritsch is an excellent medium forward (in an ideal setting he'd be the 'third' forward), Melksham is 12-months away and that's IF he re-finds his form. van Rooyen has shown plenty of promise (as a BIG tall) but is still a few years off entering his prime. Petty also offers quality. But as we saw, the lack of depth in relation to injury hurts. Quality small options exist with Kozzy, Chandler, and Spargo. So my question is, how do we fill this 'BIG-man' void and fast (with the premiership window open)? The initial problem I see is that tall forwards don't come around too often, and if you need to trade them in they cost an arm and leg (e.g. ~$1M/year contracts). Alternatively, they're drafted, but they take years to develop and thus this option won't work with our current list and premiership window. One solution I can think of is at the state league and minor league levels (e.g. Metropolitan Leagues and Country Leagues). There are a small few blokes you know could have a chance at the next level. Some do indeed get lucky, such as Michael Hibberd, Bayley Fritsch, and Harry Taylor. Therefore, I'd love to see the club scour the statistics sheets to identify the various league's leading goal kickers (ideally between the age of 21 - 26). Shortlist 10-12, invite them down to the club to compete against each other, then cull the list down to 6 (or so) and then have them compete against the likes of Lever and May (or have them try and out mark McDonald, Brown, or Schache). If a couple show enough promise sign them up as rookies. It's highly unlikely we'll find Curnow or McKay, but surely there has to be better forward talent out there who will excel once placed into a full time AFL environment. At least enough to provide us greater depth than McDonald/Brown/Schache. What are your thoughts? Any other ideas or targets at AFL clubs?

Apologies if there is a thread on this already. All I can say is if big McKay goes to Essendon and the AFL compensate North with a first round pick directly after their current one (pick 3) the system is beyond rigged and manipulated (like the Mac Andrew last minute rule change a few years ago). If it goes through, count us out of the Reid race and rub salt into the wound by diluting our draft pick as a consequence of losing Jackson. I don't blame North for trying, but let's face it... Ben McKay is no star worthy of Pick 3. He was selected at Pick 21 in the 2015 draft and hasn't set the game on fire down back, nor come close to All Australian selection. They should get an early second round pick at best. Clubs should be doing everything they can to retain their free agents.

Definitely JJ. Last week was his best game to date, aside from that he's been average at best. Fritsch is an instant in who consistently kicks 2+ goals a game. Can go be placed at CHF (where Smith currently is who can go back or forward). Sub spot can be with Hibberd or JJ depending on the opposition.

The team is nearly perfect. Injuries aside, it's just missing Fritta (and now Petty). Fingers crossed the list can stay relatively healthy as we lead into September. Go Dees!

Just horrible news. A young man marred with mental illness who left the game in his pursuit to happiness. Unfortunately it was not found and this is the result. Just horrible. I feel deeply for him and his family.

I thought Hibberd would be competing with Smith if fit. Although, I guess the opposition would also impact selection.

Hello! Don't think I've ever posted here. Just want to congratulate Redleg on their 10+ year thread after reading the OG post.

A year or two ago I would have been jobsmacked and frustrated by this, but now think it's great. Other posters above have made some excellent points and here's mine. I don't believe there is much if any correlation between someone's ability to play (or be a star) vs coach, understand, communicate and teach. There are many cases of average players being legendary coaches and vice versa legendary players being average or poor coaches. Mark Williams would know the character and quality of Conca as a person having come out of the Richmond system. He wouldn't recommend anyone if he didn't believe in them. Choco is one of the game's great educators and Conca can continue to develop his ability to educate. Better yet, being new to the coaching/player dev team he'd come cheap (I hope) and should offer a high impact on cost/benefit ratio with the soft cap.

Err mii gawd! Where? How much? Shut up and take my money...!!! I'm a men's US12.

Finally got my posters framed. Quite happy. Frames from eBay.

With Barassi unfortunetly out of the celebrations due to COVID-19, I hope to see John Beckwith or Hasa Mann get the opportunity to present the cup. I ran into Beckwith in the MCC quite a few years ago, posibly 2012, and realised a week or so later who I was sitting next to and talking to. He was quite the gentleman.

Is anyone else seething by the fact that he will more than likely go to another club? After the Bulldogs developed Jamarra Ugle-Hagan and drafted him at No.1, the AFL decided to move the goal posts. Here we have a young man that we put so much time and money into developing though our Next Generation Academy. The AFL implored clubs to invest in these development programs to bolster the inclusion of indigenous communities and new-generation migrants. We did that. If Mac Andrew were a Collingwood, Hawthorn, or Essendon NGA prospect we wouldn't have heard the end of it, yet the Melbourne camp has been relatively quiet.

I've been scouring the site and web looking for an old photoshopped picture someone on here made of Jack Viney (with his long hair) holding up the premiership cup. I believe it was done leading up to or just after he was drafted. It was around the time of the Jack Viney drinks cups of concrete for breakfast jokes 😂 Would love to see it again, side by side one of the real ones.

LOVE IT! Who did your framing?

Funny you mention that. Recently I was offered a lucrative contract, ~salary increase of ~35%, by a competing company. Without a doubt I ummed and arrhhed. I had ZOOM meetings with key figures in the USA and Germany along with the local GM. They seemed like a nice bunch of people to work with. However, this week I formally rejected the offer despite my current employer being unable to match it (they did provide some additional incentive but it was far far less lucrative). In the end I chose to stay for several reasons. My current employer is far bigger with many more long-term career pathways. I also consider the products and services we sell to be some of the best in the market, so they better suit my values when working with customers and clients. In the end I figured I'd be happier with my current company and colleagues as opposed to going to a smaller name in the market with few career options and products not as well established. Call my stupid for turning down such an offer but I'm pleased with my decision. On the note of Cerra, he was coming home regardless. I feel at the Dees he had guaranteed development, culture, and success in front of him. He opted to go for the larger salary and unsupported promises. I question if he has the ultimate drive to win a premiership or if he's merely looking to stretch out his high-paying career for as long as possible.

Thought about this today, and bias aside Cerra has made an incredibly poor decision or lacks the ultimate drive for career success. Perhaps Carlton offered more, regardless they are a club in tatters. If I were him, I'd be very concerned about my development and long-term future there if ultimate grand final success was a factor in my decision. If this is not the case and cash were the ultimate driver then we haven't missed out on too much. Maybe he was just convinced by a better sales pitch. Who knows. Poor decision regardless.

Owe here we go. Hopefully nothing. https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/tiktok-video-shows-afl-star-luke-jackson-in-heated-conversation-with-police-outside-metropolis-fremantle-ng-b882026735z PS anyone got access to the video or passed the paywall?

This is a thread to discuss Corey Ellison in our Casey Demons side. I saw earlier in the year that the young 20 year old had a 6 goal game playing up forward before the VFL season was cancelled. Prior to that, my understanding is that he was predominantly playing down back and doing a number on some AFL listed players (both Ben Brown and Sam Weideman were holding down the CHF and FF spots). He looks to have some serious size to him; reminds me of a young Neitz (frame-wise). I'm curious how he'd develop in the AFL system. Given lack of exposure to the U18 system, does Ellison stand a chance as a late pick or rookie selection? and if in the AFL system do you think he can prosper (does he have the fundemental skills and attitude)? Reading an old post of Knightmare's on BigFooty it looks like he's been highly rated for his contested marking. Can some of the die-hard Casey followers shed some more light on him please? Thank you https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/928637/vfl-100-plus-ways-to-debut https://www.afl.com.au/video/647523/vfl-showreel-r13-ellison-explodes-with-six-goal-super-show?videoId=647523&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1626004800001

I noticed them on the site. Thought it was a master stroke. Best to embrace it! What a great week! The Dees won, Buller grew by a few mm in the earthquake, and the gruyere was on special at Leo's. :)

Got my posters ;) Will run out of wall space at this rate :D

Just no, don't start now. Nascent summed it up above: 59.24 for the season, 12.4 over the three finals games. I've said it once and I'll say it again. The biggest problem with Fritsch is we don't have two of him.

It wasn't just the front on contact to Gawn. He also collected Kozzy high and late (can be seen in the game highlights at ~8:40). IMO that has more weight with the MRO. Likewise, the deliberate knee to the kidney of Oliver as he was going for the mark (Oliver was paid a free kick).