Thought it might be worth making a thread to talk about the guys who didn't play in the premiership last year, and what we think we can expect from them this year. As the boys have been saying all off-season, these guys are probably going to be important in driving the team to maintain its standards for this year, so I'd like to talk about where these guys might fit into the team going forward. Who is going to break into the team? Who are they going to replace? Who is going to surprise us, for better or worse?
12. Toby Bedford - Now coming into his fourth year with the team, andyet to make his debut for the club (sorry, played two games in 2020), so I don't think it'd be unfair to call this a make-or-break year for him. Has been hurt by the lack of Casey games, but by all accounts has been doing all of the right things there when he's been given the chance. Obviously competing with Spargo, ANB and Pickett for a spot in the first team, but I'm not sure if he'd be first cab off the rank given Laurie, Melksham and Chandler are also waiting in the wings.
16. Bailey Laurie - Really excited by his talent, and see him as a classy, influential midfielder in the long-term. I'm sure we'll see him at some point during the season, though probably predominantly as a forward. Of the nine players on our list who have yet to play a senior game, I think he's the best placed to have an impact in 2022.
18. Jake Melksham - Not sure what's been holding him back over the past couple of years, but I think he'd want to have a chat with Tom McDonald to find out what he did to get his agility back after a couple of down seasons. Will probably struggle to find his way into the team given the younger teammates who are competing for his spot, but from what Tomlinson said about his determination in that recent interview, I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised that he can still have an impact this year.
19. Fraser Rosman - Seemed to be talked about as more of a project player when he was drafted last year, and given his lack of Casey games I'm not expecting to see a lot of him this year. Seems physically ready, so might be a chance to come in for a taste on a wing if Brayshaw or Langdon ever get injured.
20. Adam Tomlinson - Obviously comfortably best 22 at the start of the year, but now question marks over where exactly he fits back into the team with Petty doing such a good job in his place. Can he play on smaller opponents, taking Hibberd's place maybe? Or will he play tall, and free up Lever and May? Will be interesting to see exactly where he fits in, but I've got no doubt he'll play a big part in the team.
26. Sam Weidemann - Like I said in the JVR thread, I think he's underrated by some here, and given a good run at it I think he can be a 40+ goal a year forward. He dominated at Casey, and he was good in the first team in the back half of 2020, so I think I have at least some evidence there to back me up. A lot depends on the form of McDonald, but Weid will definitely get some chances in the team next year. I just hope he takes them this time around, because if he doesn't arrive this year then he probably never will.
28. Majak Daw - Obviously only there as back-up to Gawn and Jackson. Would like to see him debut for the club, but would much rather see Gawn and Jackson have injury-free seasons.
29. Jayden Hunt - Would fancy his chances of reclaiming a spot in the team. A lot depends on how Hibberd goes next year, and whether or not Rivers and Bailey have a form-dip that many young players are prone to having in their 2nd-3rd seasons, but he and Tomlinson are the most likely of the non-2021 premiership players to play in a 2022 premiership.
33. Oskar Baker - Not sure where he fits into the team at the moment. As I understand it, he's being trained as depth for the wing position, but I'm not sure what standout attributes he has to challenge Brayshaw or Langdon to be a regular member of the 22. Coming into his 5th season now, so wherever he ends up playing its make-or-break time.
34. Deakyn Smith - I understand he's pretty highly rated internally, but I don't think I've ever seen him play. He's starting the year a long way back in the queue, so I'm not really sure what his prospects are for this year. Just making his debut would probably be a solid achievement.
37. Kade Chandler - Happy he got another year, because he does appear to have a few tricks as a forward, and he seems to be popular at the club, but I don't think he's shown enough yet to think he's going to make a big impact on the team next year. Happy to be proven wrong though.
38. Mitch Brown - With due respect to Mitch, he's probably not getting anywhere near the team next year unless something goes catastrophically wrong. His main role next year will be to give the Casey midfielders someone to kick it to.
42. Daniel Turner - Another one who seems to be rated highly internally, and who probably would have debuted by now if he were at another club, but he's going to find it difficult to break into the team next year. The goal will be to get a full season of matches at Casey, continue developing as a player, and present as a long-term option in defence from 2023 onwards.
44. Joel Smith - The poor bastard just always seems to get injured whenever it looks like he might be ready to make an impact. Is obviously being trained as a back-up medium defender, but given the competition in that part of the ground he might get more of a look-in as a back-up medium forward to Bailey Fritsch. He's shown some promise in that position before (especially in that preseason game where he ****ed up his groin but we kept him on the ground anyway) but it seems like Goody is a big proponent of only playing players in the positions that they've been trained to play in, so I'm not sure how much we can expect to see of Joel in 2022.
??. Luke Dunstan - Will definitely play a role in the team in 2022. He'll obviously come in for Viney when Viney misses his customary 6-8 weeks with a foot complaint, but he'll also keep guys like Harmes, Jordon and Sparrow honest and take their place if their form dips.
??. The Rookies - Taj Woewodin, Jacob Van Rooyen, Judd McVee, Andy Moniz-Wakefield, Blake Howes. Not expecting much from these guys - I think any of them debuting would be a pretty big achievement - but you're welcome to argue otherwise.
12. Toby Bedford - Now coming into his fourth year with the team, and
16. Bailey Laurie - Really excited by his talent, and see him as a classy, influential midfielder in the long-term. I'm sure we'll see him at some point during the season, though probably predominantly as a forward. Of the nine players on our list who have yet to play a senior game, I think he's the best placed to have an impact in 2022.
18. Jake Melksham - Not sure what's been holding him back over the past couple of years, but I think he'd want to have a chat with Tom McDonald to find out what he did to get his agility back after a couple of down seasons. Will probably struggle to find his way into the team given the younger teammates who are competing for his spot, but from what Tomlinson said about his determination in that recent interview, I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised that he can still have an impact this year.
19. Fraser Rosman - Seemed to be talked about as more of a project player when he was drafted last year, and given his lack of Casey games I'm not expecting to see a lot of him this year. Seems physically ready, so might be a chance to come in for a taste on a wing if Brayshaw or Langdon ever get injured.
20. Adam Tomlinson - Obviously comfortably best 22 at the start of the year, but now question marks over where exactly he fits back into the team with Petty doing such a good job in his place. Can he play on smaller opponents, taking Hibberd's place maybe? Or will he play tall, and free up Lever and May? Will be interesting to see exactly where he fits in, but I've got no doubt he'll play a big part in the team.
26. Sam Weidemann - Like I said in the JVR thread, I think he's underrated by some here, and given a good run at it I think he can be a 40+ goal a year forward. He dominated at Casey, and he was good in the first team in the back half of 2020, so I think I have at least some evidence there to back me up. A lot depends on the form of McDonald, but Weid will definitely get some chances in the team next year. I just hope he takes them this time around, because if he doesn't arrive this year then he probably never will.
28. Majak Daw - Obviously only there as back-up to Gawn and Jackson. Would like to see him debut for the club, but would much rather see Gawn and Jackson have injury-free seasons.
29. Jayden Hunt - Would fancy his chances of reclaiming a spot in the team. A lot depends on how Hibberd goes next year, and whether or not Rivers and Bailey have a form-dip that many young players are prone to having in their 2nd-3rd seasons, but he and Tomlinson are the most likely of the non-2021 premiership players to play in a 2022 premiership.
33. Oskar Baker - Not sure where he fits into the team at the moment. As I understand it, he's being trained as depth for the wing position, but I'm not sure what standout attributes he has to challenge Brayshaw or Langdon to be a regular member of the 22. Coming into his 5th season now, so wherever he ends up playing its make-or-break time.
34. Deakyn Smith - I understand he's pretty highly rated internally, but I don't think I've ever seen him play. He's starting the year a long way back in the queue, so I'm not really sure what his prospects are for this year. Just making his debut would probably be a solid achievement.
37. Kade Chandler - Happy he got another year, because he does appear to have a few tricks as a forward, and he seems to be popular at the club, but I don't think he's shown enough yet to think he's going to make a big impact on the team next year. Happy to be proven wrong though.
38. Mitch Brown - With due respect to Mitch, he's probably not getting anywhere near the team next year unless something goes catastrophically wrong. His main role next year will be to give the Casey midfielders someone to kick it to.
42. Daniel Turner - Another one who seems to be rated highly internally, and who probably would have debuted by now if he were at another club, but he's going to find it difficult to break into the team next year. The goal will be to get a full season of matches at Casey, continue developing as a player, and present as a long-term option in defence from 2023 onwards.
44. Joel Smith - The poor bastard just always seems to get injured whenever it looks like he might be ready to make an impact. Is obviously being trained as a back-up medium defender, but given the competition in that part of the ground he might get more of a look-in as a back-up medium forward to Bailey Fritsch. He's shown some promise in that position before (especially in that preseason game where he ****ed up his groin but we kept him on the ground anyway) but it seems like Goody is a big proponent of only playing players in the positions that they've been trained to play in, so I'm not sure how much we can expect to see of Joel in 2022.
??. Luke Dunstan - Will definitely play a role in the team in 2022. He'll obviously come in for Viney when Viney misses his customary 6-8 weeks with a foot complaint, but he'll also keep guys like Harmes, Jordon and Sparrow honest and take their place if their form dips.
??. The Rookies - Taj Woewodin, Jacob Van Rooyen, Judd McVee, Andy Moniz-Wakefield, Blake Howes. Not expecting much from these guys - I think any of them debuting would be a pretty big achievement - but you're welcome to argue otherwise.
Last edited:
