Genuinely astonished that anyone who has watched our dysfunctional forward line in the past 18 months wouldn't think Casboult would be an enormous improvement.
Nothing frustrates me more on this forum than those who believe that any combination of McStay, Freeman, Schache and Close will be able to hold up our forward 50. We've only seen a few key forwards lead a forward line under the age of 23/24 over the past few seasons.
Hogan: One-off kind of player, unusually solid frame for someone of that age, and has had mature alternates in the forward line making it easier for him in Dawes and rotating ruckmen.
Cameron: Quite different to your usual key forward with his skill set. Certainly not comparable to any of our young keys.
Lynch: Had Dixon alongside him, and even then only really started to hold his own in that forward line rather than just show glimpses this season.
Also important to remember that those three examples are all elite talent, a level which despite their talents, McStay, Close and Freeman aren't at. They also played for sides not competing for the finals, so it's hard to know if they would have actually been able to lead a forward line when it matters.
Casboult is not Josh Kennedy or Tom Hawkins. But that's why he might be gettable. What he is is a key forward who can take a contested grab in the perfect age bracket to lead the forward line while Freeman, Close, McStay and Schache develop underneath him. He could finally give our forward line some structure - the main reason we've sent Merrett forward numerous times over the past few seasons.
I'm personally pretty bullish on Casboult's potential to develop further and become a very good key forward, but even if he is just a role player, he will be playing a role we currently have nobody else to play. It makes sense on so many levels. In some ways it reminds me of when Shulz went to Port.
I strongly believe we need a more mature key forward option this trade period, and if it's not Casboult then the other options are Jesse White and Chris Dawes.
The point I really want to make though is that McStay, Freeman, Schache and Close in any form will not be a good forward line next season. Likely not the year after that either. They're too young to hold up the forward 50 on their own - AFL precedent couldn't be much clearer on that. Browny was one of the best young key forwards to play the game, but he only went so well because of Lynch and Bradshaw.
We have some exciting young key forward prospects with the likelihood of adding another in November, but we need someone to lead that forward line until they're ready. Because they just quite simply aren't yet.