Like any sporting team, they want to win as many games as they can, but unfortunately they can't necessarily do it at any cost.
They have a duty to develop young players, often at the expense of immediate results and, frustratingly, to the benefit of a higher power.
Melbourne and Casey's public disagreement on the VFL club's decision to sign Brendan Fevola is far from the first time a problem has arisen with these arrangements.
But it does have the potential to be a rather public falling out, since every dramatic step Fevola has taken for much of his career has been closely followed by the AFL media.
Melbourne have made it publicly known for a couple of weeks that they didn't want Fevola running around for Casey, with their main argument being that in occupying the full-forward role, he will hinder the development of draftee Lucas Cook and other young forwards.
Melbourne chief executive Cameron Schwab said Fevola's off-field issues have had no bearing on the club's stance, but you could forgive them for being a little hesitant at exposing their young list to what Carlton and Brisbane Lions officials have seen to be a distracting influence with a well-publicised list of personal problems.
Demons officials are not happy about Casey's decision, which they only found about via a press release from Fevola's management. It was hardly the most ideal form of communication between two entities supposedly reading from the same page.
The Scorpions were well aware of Melbourne's view, yet they went ahead with the recruitment anyway. Plenty of people are asking why, since they are potentially harming a financially beneficial deal with Melbourne.
But consider it from Casey's point of view.
The side finished in the finals last year and looked to be a premiership chance but went out in straight sets.
The Scorpions played those two finals knowing they would most likely be the last appearances from their key forward Brad Miller. Melbourne had already announced it would delist Miller at season's end, a decision that was out of Casey's control.
The Scorpions' only hope was that the popular forward would stay on with the club, but understandably he seized the opportunity to extend his AFL career via Richmond's rookie list.
Casey needed a tall forward, and one of the country's best just happened to be available. There was some romance to the story too as Fevola grew up in Beaconsfield, just down the road from Casey's base at Cranbourne East.
It is a win for the club's sponsors, who are guaranteed to get plenty of exposure in Melbourne newspapers and on every TV network as a result. How many other VFL clubs could promise the same to their sponsors?
And the fans are sure to show up, which hasn't always been a guarantee since the club relocated from Springvale in 2006.
There are obvious risks with taking on Fevola, but there are plenty of potential benefits for a VFL club to have him on the books.
The Demons left what was largely an amicable and successful alignment with Sandringham at the end of 2008, and the departure was mainly because of the club's wish to develop a market in the Casey-Cardinia area.
But the fact that Sandringham veteran Nick Sautner was well and truly entrenched at full-forward was noted by those who wanted to see Melbourne's key forwards developed.
What this means for the alignment with Melbourne is unclear, but, in looking further afield than the AFL, you can see why Casey has taken the risk.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
