We picked him up late in last year's draft. This year has been a development year for Rohan. He has some really good attributes and has got good running ability. Rohan found some form late in the season and managed to play a game against the Kangaroos in round 19. Unfortunately, he only lasted about 30 seconds before injuring his quadriceps. That'll make him hungry for next year. Now that he's had a taste, he knows what is expected of him at AFL level. We see him as a midfielder/half-back, because he does run-and-carry the ball and has an enormous work-rate.
Clint Bartram
'Barty' finished the season off really well. His last six games were in defence and he did some really good jobs for the team. He showed some improvement in his game – particularly his kicking and decision-making. We know he is a competitor and he's very quick. He has good endurance and can play on different types of players.
Matthew Bate
Matthew was very good and durable. He played 20 games and missed just two for the season. He is a really important player, because he takes good opposition defenders and plays a lead-up role. His kicking also improved during the year, under Josh Mahoney. Matthew's conversion for goal was the best in the side. His flexibility also improved as he spent time in the midfield.
Daniel Bell
'Belly' had a really frustrating year with thumb and shoulder injuries. When he got himself back into the side against Port Adelaide in round 15, he was having a strong game before he hurt his shoulder. He's a strong competitor but unfortunately he had an injury-interrupted year.
Jamie Bennell
One of the real positives for the club this year, playing 16 games in his first season. His attitude has been first-class and he's learned a lot, because he's played on some good players like Stephen Milne, Mathew Stokes and Leon Davis – those dangerous opposition forwards. Jamie has got some real excitement – he can provide run-and-carry and is a clean ball-handler. We're looking to physically develop him over the summer.
Sam Blease
Sam unfortunately broke his leg, so we didn't get to see him this year. He is still at school – he was 17 when he was drafted – so he's going through his rehabilitation at the moment. He has got a really important pre-season coming up. We really want to get his injury right and then get him playing lots of football against men – that's the way to fast-track his development.
Cameron Bruce
'Brucey' had another very consistent year. The great thing about him is his flexibility. He played midfield, forward and played down back and did fantastic jobs on guys like Brad Johnson. Even in the latter part of his career, he showed some improvement again, so he is always working on his game. His leadership is important around the club.
Simon Buckley
Simon played round one, but then unfortunately had hip issues, so he's now going to have some surgery. Similar to Daniel Bell, he had an interrupted season and when we got him right, he played some games at Casey and then broke down again. It was disappointing, because he played 14 matches last year and this was a really important year in his development. Unfortunately, it was stifled by injury.
Kyle Cheney
Kyle is a kid with a great attitude and it was good for him to play 12 games. He was in and out of the side early on but he produced some consistent form at Casey and he broke his way back into the senior team. Kyle played multiple roles and on different guys as a defender. He has really good courage and backs into packs. We expect him to improve in the next 12 months.
Aaron Davey
Aaron had an excellent season. His pre-season was the key. He got himself fit and his preparation off the field was as good as it's been. To play every game and have more than 500 disposals – particularly with his ball use – was a credit to him. Early in the year we played him behind the ball, where we could use his run-and-carry, and then as the season wore on, we played him forward of the ball. It was good to see he got his fitness level up to play in the midfield and impact games for long periods.
Lynden Dunn
'Dunny' just forced his way into the side through good performances at Casey. He had a really good second half of the season. He was able to play down back and as a lead-up forward but he predominantly played in the midfield. What makes him an important player for us is that he has really good endurance for his size. His attitude to persevere and break his way back into the team was really pleasing.
James Frawley
We were really happy with James' development this year. The key to it was that he had a good summer and put on some size. He's a really strong kid and it was great to see him play on some really good players – like smaller marking forwards such as Jason Porplyzia and Brett Ebert and talls Nick Riewoldt and Brendan Fevola. We think he's going to be a fantastic player for us. The next stage of his development will be to play on the most dangerous opposition forwards week in, week out.
Colin Garland
Again, injury ruined his season. He played the first game and then, unfortunately, suffered a stress fracture in his foot. We really missed him, because he does give the team some flexibility. He can also play on different types of opposition forwards. His rehab is going really well and we would expect to have him up to full speed for pre-season training.
Brad Green
A really consistent player when he played. Brad hasn't missed a lot of football in his career but this year, unfortunately, he had a few injuries. He broke his jaw against Richmond in typical Green fashion – going hard at the ball. And then he had a scaphoid injury, which ended his year. Similar to Cameron Bruce, he is a really good leader and his consistency throughout his career has been a highlight.
Jack Grimes
We were really happy with his season. He missed the first part of the season but was able to play the middle part and impress. Jack's a class player, who handles the ball really cleanly and offers leadership. He mainly played half-back, but we see him becoming a damaging midfielder in the next few years.
Mark Jamar
Unfortunately, he is another one whose season was interrupted by injury. When he was actually out there, he was, along with James Frawley, probably our most improved player this year. He worked really hard in the gym over the summer and improved his explosiveness and was then able to push forward and kick goals. This was a good effort, as we mainly considered him as a ruckman. It was good to see him make an impact on games. The key for 'Russian' is to get over his injuries and play more next year and keep that level of improvement up.
Neville Jetta
At the start of the year, we didn't see Neville playing a lot, but he showed in the second half of the season he could be a dangerous forward. He has also got some physicality about him. Neville came to the club with a really determined attitude and didn't just want to play at Casey – he wanted to break into the Melbourne team. And to play 15 games was a real credit to him. With a strong summer, he will only improve on this year's performance.
Paul Johnson
Paul played most of the year and carried the ruck for much of it, because we had injuries to Jamar, Spencer and Meesen. He played some good games, but his standout performances were on the competition's best ruckmen – Dean Cox and Aaron Sandilands. What he has to work on is his consistency because he can play well one week and not have much impact the next.
Nathan Jones
Nathan showed some real improvement, particularly in his disposal. He is a very durable guy, predominantly in the midfield, although he also added some flexibility with some jobs down back. His decision-making and kicking improved in the second half of the year. A lot of people look at Nathan as a 27-year-old, but he is still only 21, although he has played a fair bit of football now. He is a strong competitor and remains an important player for us.
Liam Jurrah
Where do you start? In the first half of the year, he played at Casey and then broke into the team mid-way during the season against Essendon. We all know how exciting he is, but he gives his teammates a lift as well. He is a real headache for the opposition, because who do you play on him? To play nine games and have 31 shots at goal in his first year will make him more determined. He is going to be a really important part of our future and create an exciting forward line with Jetta and Jack Watts.
Addam Maric
When he did play, he showed some real improvement, although he has a long way to go. We've been working with him on the defensive part of his game as well. He is a very good kick and he is a good inside-50 player. He showed in his six games that he has class. He just needs to get fitter over the summer to maintain a higher work-rate.
Stef Martin
Stef basically played in every position on the ground this year. He started the year down back and did some really good jobs. He played on guys like Brett Ebert and Mitch Morton and was able to hold his own. Then he played forward and was able to kick goals and then, in the latter part of the year, he played in the ruck. We're looking for him to be that flexible player but he will also work hard in the ruck and midfield areas over the summer. He is a really important player, coming off just his second year where he played 19 games. Settling him down in one position will help his consistency.
James McDonald
Again his tackling and ferocity was first-class. He did have some injuries and played under duress, but he overcame them to play 18 games. James is an example of what you can do when you don't have the footy – he continually chases and harasses. We're really looking forward to his leadership again next year.
Brock McLean
Although he had some really good games, Brock was down from his normal standards. That was due to an interrupted pre-season – he wasn't able to get the miles in his legs before Christmas – and I reckon it took its toll on him. We all know what a good stoppage player he is and what damage he can do in the midfield, so to give Brock every chance, we're going to make sure we get him right for pre-season. We've got no doubt he'll bounce back to his best.
Tom McNamara
Tom is a tall defender who started the year well at Casey. He has good flexibility and is a really good kick and decision-maker. Tom missed several weeks during the middle of the year, but to see him fight back and earn some games late in the season was good. That should give him some encouragement for next year, knowing what's expected – he needs to get fitter and stronger. Already he has shown attributes that can make him a really good AFL player. To get a taste of it was really pleasing for him.
John Meesen
He only played four games in the early part of the year – and showed he had improved his competitiveness from the previous season. But he was another to be struck down and miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury. He is in the same boat as our other ruckmen and needs to get fitter and stronger, so there is some competition between them.
Brad Miller
Brad started the year well. He had more shots at goal this year, compared to last season, but he let himself down with inaccurate kicking. We really value him in our leadership group. He is really good at teaching our young players, like Jurrah and Watts. Brad is a selfless player, but he didn't have a big enough impact on games because he didn't finish off his work in front of goal.
Brent Moloney
He had a really consistent year and stood up. 'Beamer' was actually omitted at one stage last year but came back and played some really good games before being injured. He was really determined over summer and didn't miss a session, which really showed in his game. He is physical, loves a contest and was our leading clearance player. The guys love playing with him too, because he brings some energy to the team. He is part of our leadership group and does a great job with our younger players.
Cale Morton
Cale continued to develop. Last year, he predominantly played as a wingman, but this season he played as a lead-up forward – kicking three goals against Geelong – and also played down back on the likes of Adam Goodes. He really worked on the defensive side of his game and he showed he is really durable. Cale played 20 games last year and 21 this year. He also really improved his marking which will be an asset for him moving forward.
Michael Newton
When he did play, he let himself down with his inaccuracy in front of goal. He could've really impacted on games if he had kicked straight. Michael had a good year at Casey and he has improved his defensive pressure, but he was kept out because we had Jurrah and Jetta coming through. He has worked on facets of his game but he needs to bring his Casey game into the AFL.
Ricky Petterd
It was a pleasing season for Rick because he's had some real issues with his hips and groins over the past few years. For him to play 18 games was a real positive. He played his best football as a forward, where he was able to mark and use his defensive pressure. Ricky finished with 19 goals and he curbed several dangerous running defenders, like David Wirrpanda. He also showed some flexibility in the midfield and down back.
Jared Rivers
It's been well-documented that he hasn't been able to play much in the past few years, so to get 20 games out of Jared was really pleasing. He showed a lot of courage going back with the flight. Jared has become a leader in defence, particularly with Matty Whelan and Paul Wheatley not playing a lot of football this year. He really stepped up in that department. Jared only had half a pre-season and had a consistent season, so this will be a springboard for next year. He will have a bigger impact in 2010, because he is a smart player.
Russell Robertson
'Robbo' had a pleasing end to the season. It's been well-documented he didn't get into the team at times because we were getting games into younger players, but his attitude was first-class. He went back to Casey and kicked goals and improved his tackling and chasing. To come back and impact on games late in his career was fantastic and great for the club.
James Strauss
James had an injury-interrupted year. It was disappointing we didn't get as much football as we would've liked into Watts, Blease and Strauss. Unfortunately, James had a back injury and he also had shoulder surgery but he has some great attributes – he is a good kick and is powerful. We rate him really highly and he's a great kid but he just needs to have a very big summer.
Colin Sylvia
Col had the breakout year we've been waiting for him to have. Col was consistent, after preparing himself really well but his only blip was a suspension where he missed three matches and had to come back through Casey. Apart from that, he was able to kick goals, playing as a midfielder/high half-forward. He is a dangerous player, because he is a really good mark for his size and can break through tackles. His decision-making also improved. Col worked really hard to get where he is now but he has to continue that momentum into next year.
Matthew Warnock
Matty had a really consistent season last year and he continued it in 2009. He missed the last four games due to ankle surgery but he did some really good jobs on guys like Warren Tredrea and David Hale. The next step in Matty's development is to play on the gun forwards like Jonathan Brown and Nick Riewoldt. His preparation, attitude and work-rate are first-class.
Jack Watts
It was a difficult year for Jack because he was completing year 12, which takes priority. He'll be able to dedicate a lot more time at the club next year, once his schooling finishes, but we know he is going to be a really good player. His speed, agility and finishing in front of goal are his strong attributes. Jack has added three or four kilos since last year so the next step for him is to add another few kilos. The key is we'll have him for the whole pre-season and that'll help him play consistent footy next year. We know the tall, key-position players take longer to develop, so we've got to make sure we develop him at the right speed. And the more football he can play against men, the greater he is going to improve. It was a shame a thumb injury kept him out later in the year.
Paul Wheatley
A fantastic clubman, Paul had a disappointing year with injury. He had a great pre-season but broke down on the eve of the season with soft-tissue injuries. It was pleasing he was able to play in the final round because he is a really popular figure at the club, along with Matty Whelan, and deserved that. Although he didn't play a lot of football, he didn't drop his bundle. He also spent a lot of time with our young defenders. Unfortunately, his injuries brought a premature end to his career at Melbourne.
Matthew Whelan
Matty was like Wheatley and had a lot of soft-tissue injuries. He was also in a similar position to 'Robbo', in that we gave games to our young defenders, like Bennell and Cheney, at his expense. What he was able to do with our younger players was take on a leadership role at Casey. He did play 10 games and again brought his physicality to the side. Guys love playing with him because he is a great competitor and he should be really proud of his career.
Austin Wonaeamirri
'Aussie' had a horrendous year with injury. He played the first NAB Cup game and did his hamstring and then came back and did a cartilage in his knee which we couldn't get right. At the moment, he is spending a lot of time on the bike and is on a strengthening program. He'll be really determined to get out there and play with the likes of Davey, Jurrah and Jetta, because they are a really tight bunch. It was disappointing for 'Aussie' because he showed so much in his first year. It should make him hungrier. He's got to make sure he prepares himself well because he is going to be a really important player for us and he was really missed in the forward line. He is a really good inside 50 kick and decision-maker, plus he adds forward pressure with his chasing and tackling.
Rookie List
Rhys Healey
Rhys played some really good footy with Casey early in the year. He is a big midfielder, a really good clearance player and is strong over the footy but he had a quad injury for the last 12 weeks of the year. We're really happy with his attitude in the way he goes about his footy but we've just got to get him out there for next year.
Daniel Hughes
Daniel showed some really good improvement. He came off a hip injury last year and, from a modified pre-season, he was able to play some good footy at Casey. He is a really explosive, lead-up forward, with really good speed and is powerful. Daniel really takes the game on and we see him as a really important player. He will be a really difficult forward to match-up on and he can also play in the midfield. It was a really good development year for 'Hughesy'. He's just gone in for another hip operation and he will have a limited pre-season.
Jordie McKenzie
Jordie played three games this year. He is a really good stoppage player and is a tough competitor. We were really pleased with the way he developed and he'll be doing a lot of work with our midfield group over the summer. We think he is going to be a really good player because he's such a natural around the clearances and he does read it well off the ruckman's hands – similar to Sam Mitchell. He just needs to put on some size and he's been able to add some kilos this year.
Jake Spencer
Jake is a physical ruckman who played six games this year. He is only 20 years old. He had some injuries in the middle part of the season but he was able to work his way out of a flat period during the year, which showed a fair bit of character. He jumps hard at the opposition ruckman and is a real competitor. He's got some areas he needs to work on, like his kicking and ball-handling, but he learned a lot this year against some good opposition players. He is a determined kid who will be pushing hard for the No.1 ruck spot next year.
Shane Valenti
It was a year of real perseverance for Shane. He kept performing at Casey and didn't break into the side until late in the season. Shane has got a fantastic attitude and just simply finds the footy. He is a very good kick and decision-maker, plus he can play a number of roles. Not only is he a very good stoppage player, he can also play up forward.
Trent Zomer
Trent had an up-and-down year at Casey. He started the year as a forward and then went down back. The main area he needs to work on is his second and third efforts. His first effort is good but, as a big forward, he needs to work on getting back onto the ball quicker. That's an area he has been working on and he has shown improvement.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
