FOLLOWING Casey’s Round 4 clash, VFL coach Rhett McLennan provided his reflections on the contributions of AFL-listed players following Casey’s loss to Brisbane at Casey Fields.
Jack Henderson
(25 disposals, 6 clearances, 8 tackles)
“Jack battled really hard through the midfield. His running patterns and power were strong, and he led the way at the contest.
“He’s had an interrupted pre-season, but he’s building nicely and looks close to putting himself in the frame.”
Andy Moniz-Wakefield
(23 disposals, 5 marks, 1 tackle)
“Andy probably had a frustrating day. He spent some time in a defensive role, and his opponent was able to get off the chain at times.
“At his best, his pressure and tackling make him really hard to play against, so there are some learnings around positioning and impact that will help him moving forward.”
Tom McDonald
(23 disposals, 8 marks, 2 tackles)
“Tommy was fantastic and did everything we asked of him.
“He won his position convincingly, used the ball well and made strong decisions with it.
“It was a big tick for him in his return to VFL football.”
Ricky Mentha Jr
(19 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 marks)
“That was Ricky’s best game of the season, and it came in defence.
“He found plenty of the ball early and showed strong intent both in the air and at ground level.
“His ball use was a real highlight and a clear step forward.”
Riley Onley
(15 disposals, 4 marks, 1 tackle)
“Riley played a new role in defence and adapted well.
“He showed strong instincts and used his athleticism to impact contests.
“His offence and ball use improved as the game went on.”
Jed Adams
(14 disposals, 8 marks, 1 tackle)
“Jed’s continuing to build consistency with another strong performance.
“He used the ball well, intercepted strongly and showed improvement in his defensive positioning.
“His form is putting him in the frame for opportunities at AFL level.”
Thomas Matthews
(1 goal, 5 tackles, 5 inside 50s)
“That was Tommy’s best game of the season.
“He brought great energy, was able to break from contests and applied strong pressure.
“It was a really encouraging performance from him.”
Kalani White
(9 disposals, 8 hit-outs, 3 tackles)
“It was Kalani’s first game back and he took on a significant ruck role.
“He competed well in the air, showed strong skills and gave us a presence both forward and in the ruck.
“A really promising return.”
Oscar Berry
(8 disposals, 1 mark, 1 tackle)
“Oscar had a tough day with the volume of inside 50s coming in.
“But he continues to build his craft and physicality, and he’s becoming harder to play against each week.”
Patrick Cross
(7 disposals, 6 tackles, 4 marks)
“Paddy only played about 50 per cent game time but still had an impact.
“His work rate and contest effort were strong, and he provided presence up forward and through the midfield.
“We felt his absence in the second half.”
Luker Kentfield
(1 goal, 5 tackles, 16 hit-outs)
“Luker spent most of his time forward and had a shorter stint in the ruck.
“It was a tough day for our forwards with the way the ball was coming in, but he competed well, took some strong marks and kicked an important goal from a centre clearance.”
