Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

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Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

July 10, 2013, 12:51:55 pm

There are is no doubting that Levi Casboult is one player on our list who polarises supporters opinions. Many believe he is a long-term project who will end up being very good for us, others believe he doesn't have what it takes and should be delisted or traded as soon as possible.

His positives are his clunking strong overhead marking, his bulk & ability to split a pack coupled with being able to pinch-hit in the ruck. His negatives are the complete inconsistencies & "yips" he kicking for goal plus there are times in a game where he appears lost and doesn't know where to position himself.

It has to be said that he is a "work-in-progress" but there is no guarantee that he will indeed complete the course, its all in the lap of the gods right now.

One area that I'm wondering about his ability to play in a key forward post, preferably full-forward, and whether he could be used to lead out from the goal-square towards the oncoming midfielders and mark on the run (can he actually mark on the lead ??). With a bit of luck, he may end up with the ball closer to goal which could reduce the inaccuracies he suffers from.

Therefore, and based on our desperate need to create a forward-line that has some sort or menace about it, if I was Malthouse, I'd be playing Casboult at full-forward for the remainder of the season to either fast-track his development & influence on a game and/or make the final decision on whether he should be retained or not.

The season is shot, lets use our remaining games to find out more about a small but select group of players so decisions can be made with the benefit of trial & error, not a knee-jerk reaction.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #1 – July 10, 2013, 01:09:02 pm

Yeah I was saying similar stuff in other threads - essentially we need to know if he can play or not.

Stick him at FF and let him worry the defence (he can mark and they know it). If he doesn't grab it the ball's on the ground with the sharks circling (Betts and Garlett) and opposition clubs know that. Suddenly the respective defences have a lot more to worry about.

Casboult out of the square to about 20-30 metres will cause headaches, crunch the defenders going back with the flight (they're out of the contest) and let our smalls hurt them. Fly in the ointment is Hampson going down - Kruezer can ruck all day but will need some relief occasionally so who does it?

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #2 – July 10, 2013, 01:15:03 pm

Agree. Then all he needs to do is learn to kick for goal

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #3 – July 10, 2013, 01:19:34 pm

Quote from: age on July 10, 2013, 01:15:03 pm

Agree. Then all he needs to do is learn to kick for goal

LOL absolutely but at least from that range he 'might' kick more than he misses.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #4 – July 10, 2013, 01:29:50 pm

Any sort of angle and he misses.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #5 – July 10, 2013, 01:56:00 pm

Quote from: spf on July 10, 2013, 01:09:02 pm

.........
Casboult out of the square to about 20-30 metres will cause headaches, crunch the defenders going back with the flight (they're out of the contest) and let our smalls hurt them. Fly in the ointment is Hampson going down - Kruezer can ruck all day but will need some relief occasionally so who does it?

Yep. Just concentrate on one on one or pack marking rather than leading out. Greater chance of getting goals. Kreuzer can rest up there, can't he? Or get Walker to spent a few minutes up there.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #6 – July 10, 2013, 01:59:00 pm

I'm keen to see Mitchell play Full Forward and wouldnt mind seeing a bit more of Casboult in the ruck and around the ground.

I think the latter needs to improve his ruckwork and general field play so he can be the 2nd ruckman as well as take his turn down forward.
To me he wont make it as a genuine KP Forward but as a two edged player who can hold his own in the ruck and crash a few packs around the ground he might be useful.
We need a more physical ruck type around the contests and I think Casboult has this in his game unlike the other threerucks who ballet dance around the ground.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #7 – July 10, 2013, 02:02:24 pm

A better forwards coach and a better development team/coaches could help Casboult immensely IMO !!

I reckon 1 pre-season with the right people working with him and he could improve out of sight.

The problem is finding the right people to work with him.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #8 – July 10, 2013, 02:30:43 pm

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on July 10, 2013, 01:59:00 pm

We need a more physical ruck type around the contests and I think Casboult has this in his game unlike the other threerucks who ballet dance around the ground.

I think Darren Jolly and Sam Jacobs might not quite agree with you about a lack of physicality in regards to two of our three rucks. Although it is generally accurate that Warnock avoids wrestling like it gives you rabies, but that is fair enough as most opposition rucks use wrestling to negate his tap dominance.

In terms of ruck work and contested forward marking, despite his size Casboult seems to lack core strength. He is far too easily moved out of position, if he cannot run and jump at the ball he often fails to even make a contest. It is a massive weakness for a 200cm player, only Warnock has a similar defect but at least Warnock wins the center taps as a ruckmen. Both Casboult and Warnock hate taking the front position under the high ball, Rowe, Hampson and Kreuzer do it all the time. Hampson and Rowe often backs into packs, and Kreuzer has taken several marks running with the flight of the ball. I cannot recall ever seeing Warnock or Casboult do it!

Casboult's "muscle" reputation is primarily based on two tackles in one game both applied to the same player! If he doesn't improve his core strength he will be useless at full forward because he cannot compete with the AFL quality defenders.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #9 – July 10, 2013, 02:33:58 pm

Quote from: age on July 10, 2013, 01:29:50 pm

Any sort of angle and he misses.

Solution: sneaky handball to eddie or jeff whilst walking in to have a shot.
(unless its real close to siren time)

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #10 – July 10, 2013, 03:20:27 pm

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on July 10, 2013, 01:59:00 pm

I'm keen to see Mitchell play Full Forward and wouldnt mind seeing a bit more of Casboult in the ruck and around the ground.

I think the latter needs to improve his ruckwork and general field play so he can be the 2nd ruckman as well as take his turn down forward.
To me he wont make it as a genuine KP Forward but as a two edged player who can hold his own in the ruck and crash a few packs around the ground he might be useful.
We need a more physical ruck type around the contests and I think Casboult has this in his game unlike the other threerucks who ballet dance around the ground.

LP..We will have to disagree on Hampson and Kruezer...both are very friendly in ruck contests IMO.....Kreuzer has been under the microscope in the last week and I think it was Gary Lyon on Footy classified who said he plays like his personality(very quiet) and needs to mongrel up a bit..

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #11 – July 10, 2013, 03:22:40 pm

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on July 10, 2013, 03:20:27 pm

LP..We will have to disagree on Hampson and Kruezer...both are very friendly in ruck contests IMO.....Kreuzer has been under the microscope in the last week and I think it was Gary Lyon on Footy classified who said he plays like his personality(very quiet) and needs to mongrel up a bit..

Imagine Wil Minson with Kruezer's talent. Worth his weight in Gold.

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #12 – July 10, 2013, 04:09:59 pm

Quote from: ElwoodBlues1 on July 10, 2013, 03:20:27 pm

LP..We will have to disagree on Hampson and Kruezer...both are very friendly in ruck contests IMO.....Kreuzer has been under the microscope in the last week and I think it was Gary Lyon on Footy classified who said he plays like his personality(very quiet) and needs to mongrel up a bit..

I take Lyon with a grain of salt. FFS, Lyon was allegedly the softest, sniping money grabber the Melbourne FC has ever had the pleasure to contract! Him asking for someone in the AFL to harden up is like Adolf Hitler asking for someone to offer some compassion, it just doesn't sit right!

While I agree Kreuzer and Hampson are not Mumford or Maric, they ain't Warnock or West either.

In any case, blokes like Mumford and Maric walk a very fine line week after week, they get reported as much as Waite and we hate that!

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #13 – July 10, 2013, 04:12:08 pm

Quote from: spf on July 10, 2013, 03:22:40 pm

Imagine Wil Minson with Kruezer's talent. Worth his weight in Gold.

You'd be sick of him wasting his talent through being reported for stupid acts!

Re: Time To Play Casboult At Full Forward

Reply #14 – July 10, 2013, 04:16:01 pm

I think Mick is trying to groom Levi to play that 'Leigh Brown' style role he made famous at Collingwood. Many of my colleagues and fellow writers at One Week At A Time say the same thing.

Luke Mather even wrote this article about him and Luke is a St. Kilda fan:

http://www.oneweekatatime.com.au/man-crush-loving-levi/

Marking on the run definitely isn't his problem as he's about an 80% chance to stick it if he gets a run at it. I quite like him playing that hit up CHF role, but he needs to build his fitness to the point where he can do it for more than the first half. He doesn't get any smaller as the game goes on so he needs to be crashing packs in the last quarter when we need him to, not just in the first and second when everyone is flying and fully fit.

He's got the exact same kicking issue (high ball drop and not guiding it down effectively) that I had as a young fella and I'd corrected it within about a year of being coached properly at representative level. I can't believe no one has clued onto this over the course of his career and helped him rectify it. I'm just hoping it's not too late for him now.

I think you'll find the majority of his poor efforts come later in games, including most of his horrid missed set shots, so getting his core fitness up has to be a massive priority for him. Johnno Brown and Nick Riewoldt are probably the best hit up CHF's in the business and they both run about 15km a game. I'd be surprised if Levi could even manage half of that at the moment, and that's where the biggest improvement will come.