YOUNG-gun key forward Jesse Hogan was effectively rested from Sunday’s VFL clash, after he made his long-awaited return from a back injury the previous weekend.

Hogan, who played for Casey against Footscray at Craigieburn on August 16 – his first match since Melbourne’s NAB Challenge clash against Geelong in Alice Springs in February, did not play for the Scorpions against Coburg.

Manger of football Josh Mahoney said the club decided Hogan didn’t have to play, after gaining a taste just before the season’s end.

“Jesse’s program this year was to play and get through a game, which he did last week,” he told melbournefc.com.au. 

“Following the game, we then decided that the risk versus reward for Jesse playing this week was against him playing.

“We look forward to him going into the off-season free of injury and starting pre-season fully fit.”

Casey’s season has now finished for 2014.