Delisted 41. Levi Casboult

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Levi Casboult. The point of attack who can’t kick for goal.

This isn’t Major League, The Mighty Ducks, or The Bad News Bears. Hollywood might disagree, but there is no place in professional sport for players with humorous, position specific shortcomings that they must overcome for the team to succeed.

Carlton can’t afford to carry a liability, nor can it tolerate every inside 50 becoming a morbid sideshow. They simply aren’t in any position to be so wasteful.

Casboult is, at the moment, waste personified.

This season his return from set shots is three goals, six behinds and a further five attempts that have failed to score. To break that down further, as if it wasn’t illuminating in and of itself, in six matches Casboult’s contribution to the scoreboard stands at twenty-four points. Four points a match.

As exceptional as Casboult's marking is (he ranks equal fourth in contested marks league-wide), when it results in a set shot the end product is often no better than a minor score. Too regularly it’s nothing at all.

A spliced drop punt from the boot of Carlton’s number 41 has become an eventuality so certain it’s no longer deflating.

Across fifty-eight games in five seasons Casboult has returned 56 goals. In fairness to him, this has been affected of late by poor and diminishing delivery into forward 50. Only once, last season did he kick over twenty goals on the season, finishing with 24.

Under the watchful eye of Saverio Rocca the Blues spearhead – a disingenuous noun if there ever was one – improved. He appeared to have a routine, a studied and deliberate approach and a steadier, lower ball drop.

Without him Casboult has lapsed into bad habits and poor form. With footy department spend subject to it’s own salary cap whether to retain a specialist skills coach for just one player requires little debate.

We’re past the point of diagnosis and remedial action. The teething problems we were warned about and hoped would come and go still persist. Casboult will never be a good kick.

This is to say nothing of a player who stands a tick under 200cm and tips the scales at near enough to 100kg, plays in one of the most combative positions on the field and seems too preoccupied to physically impose himself on the game.

With Casboult no longer operating as a relief ruckman - under Bolton such role doesn’t exist for him – any decision to explore an alternate avenue to goal becomes less complicated.

At 26 years of age I consider whether it’s persistence or patience keeping him in the side. The argument could be made that we have little alternative but to persevere, given the options available or, as the case may be, unavailable.

The Blues certainly hope players the ilk of Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow and Jed Lamb, among others, form an equal opportunity offence that becomes dangerous, versatile and efficient. It has to.

Whilst nothing stands further apart from certainty than potential, those jostling for a spot in Carlton’s new-look forward line possess encouraging temperaments and technique when kicking for goal.

In Saturday's VFL fixture at Preston City Oval Kristian Jaksch, a peripheral figure to that point, kicked to keep his side in touch late on.

Forty-five meters out, on just better than a forty-five degree angle, the former first round draft pick put the Sherrin through the big sticks post high.

The week before, on the same ground, it was young Jack Silvagni who made light work of two regulation set shots.

On Sunday eveningboth Jed Lamb and Andrew Phillips steered through vital kicks at critical junctures of a testing and tense slog against the Bombers.

All did so with a calm and confidence in stark contrast to Levi Casboult. It was almost a surprise to see Carlton players competently kick for goal.

That’s not to say the aforementioned players don’t require patience. Jaksch still lacks size in his upper body to be a bonafide key position player, whilst Silvagni, McKay and Curnow require time to grow into their bodies.

Football is as much a game of decisions as it is ability.

A decision about Casboult’s immediate future hinges on his ability to convert marks into goals.

He cant. He never will.
 
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He has enough tools to make it IMO and his field kicking doesn't seem to be as much of a problem. Play him as a roaming CHF who predominantly plays between the arcs plucking grabs left right and centre. Use him as the get out of trouble option out of defence similar to how teams utilise their ruckman considering ours have trouble holding marks (they were good on Sunday though).

When he does mark a ball inside 50 is there any chance he can handball it off to a midfielder or half back (which we seem to do around the 50 arc anyway). I remember Stevie J used Hawkins in that '11 grand final when he was monstering Reid but couldn't kick straight. If he can find a handball target theres less pressure on him to kick the goals and his confidence stays up because he is the best mark in the league.

At our stage of this reset Casboult has to play I think he's much more than his set shots as deflating as they are. We have no options who are ready to take his spot and the key forward position has been Carlton's problem for the best part of a decade. Why we got rid of Saverio Rocca baffles me similar to how Lloyd stopped his coaching with Daniher (who has similar accuracy issues).

I need more convincing he isn't part of our team for the next few years as our baby key forwards develop, unless we land a ready made KPF through trading/free agency.
 
MitchRobinson12 said:
He has enough tools to make it IMO and his field kicking doesn't seem to be as much of a problem. Play him as a roaming CHF who predominantly plays between the arcs plucking grabs left right and centre. Use him as the get out of trouble option out of defence similar to how teams utilise their ruckman considering ours have trouble holding marks (they were good on Sunday though).

When he does mark a ball inside 50 is there any chance he can handball it off to a midfielder or half back (which we seem to do around the 50 arc anyway). I remember Stevie J used Hawkins in that '11 grand final when he was monstering Reid but couldn't kick straight. If he can find a handball target theres less pressure on him to kick the goals and his confidence stays up because he is the best mark in the league.

At our stage of this reset Casboult has to play I think he's much more than his set shots as deflating as they are. We have no options who are ready to take his spot and the key forward position has been Carlton's problem for the best part of a decade. Why we got rid of Saverio Rocca baffles me similar to how Lloyd stopped his coaching with Daniher (who has similar accuracy issues).

I need more convincing he isn't part of our team for the next few years as our baby key forwards develop, unless we land a ready made KPF through trading/free agency.
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Understand and appreciate those points.

He doesn't impact games - physically or otherwise - often enough for me. He suffers from a lack of versatility and has just one weapon: is a good mark.

I can't even think about his burning Buckley against Freo without breaking out in a rash, but that's a great example of guy with little footy instinct.

Like Boyd and Patton (they appear to have more ability, granted), he is another in a string of KPF who were monsters at underage level and therefore were likely having shots < 20m of goal. How he's gotten so far with such a debilitating deficiency is remarkable, really.

They'll persist with him, but with with little conviction. Maybe they'll attempt a trade at seasons end (like the one rumoured last year), then try to on trade picks to GWS so they've enough points to claim their academy picks.
 
Our forward line would not function without the structure Casboult provides. He also takes the best defender and is often double or triple teamed. Who is capable of contributing under the same circumstances? They can't miss shots at goal if they won't win a one on three contest in the first place. He is the bailout option for under seige midfielders needing to get rid of the ball and no other forward on our list breaks even under these circumstances.

Our backline will be under enormous pressure without having him as an outlet option. No kick down the line is a safe option if the target is likely to be out marked more often than not. Who else can win or break even in a marking contest when the ball is kicked to an area the opposition knows it is going and sends spare defenders? Our defenders will get caught out in scoring range if they cannot find a free option and they stop using the long bomb because it keeps rebounding back as we cannot win or kill a contest on the wings.

Our ruckmen will get less rest if they have to compete in the forward line as well as the rest of the ground, if the other one is on the bench for a rest. Which of our other forwards can win a stoppage hit out? It will mean both rucks will need to stay on the ground at all times so one doesn't have to constantly be up with the play. You cannot ask Rowe to ruck in defense as he will be minding the biggest opposition forward. Casboult gives the rucks a break when the ball goes deep forward and one ruckman is having a spell. No other player in the team wins hit outs unless they are third man up.

Casboult has issues with goal kicking, we all know it. Calling for him to be dropped because of this ignores everything else positive he brings to the side.

I recommend you watch what he does more closely if you believe he doesn't impact games and try to imagine the outcome if he was replaced by Jones or KJ as the number one KPF. Which of the dozens of contests he gets to each game would we break even or lose if he wasn't there?

Once you do that, it is easy to understand why the MC continues to select him despite his obvious troubles with goal kicking. The effort in contests is there and he provides support to every other area of the ground so is vital to the entire game plan. If Casboult is not our most important player he would be pretty close to it and we would certainly be a worse side if he was not playing.
 
Get over it not the only one he adds much more than just goal kicking . Singling one player out given Sundays calamity capers and our ongoing failure to make the most of our opportunities team wide is wrong and disrespectful to the effort he puts in .
 
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He's not a bad kick in the field of play just when he goes for goal. Maybe he can just roam around 1-1/2 kicks from goal as a high CHF and pass it to other leading forwards who are better kicks.

In any case bolts will work it out just trust in the bolts.
 

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If Levi kicked at 70% he would be one of the game's most valuable players. One strategy might be to play him at FF and clunk them right in front of goal - the problem is no other player on the list has the physical size, mobility and work ethic to do half the job at CHF and what he does around the ground, the same point made by others above is extremely important to understand.

Another way to look at things is to ask the question - who are the other two talls we don't have in the forward line ? The answer is - in development and injured.
 
Said it earlier during preseason but this is an interesting little challenge for Bolts and coaches to see if they can address this kicking flaw as coaches and player development should. So far it has been deplorable!

How this has been allowed to fester for 7 years is a massive indictment on our club :mad:
 
is the club doing anything to help him out?? they brought in big SAV and his accuracy changed dramatically. need to get a kicking coach in for him.... dare I say it... and don't shoot me down too quickly... how about the big FEV? :eek: once he straightens up, maybe a different ball hold, things might just change as they did last year.
love watching him play.... though once he's marked the ball, I need to walk away from the tele....
 
HereComesJuddy said:
I thought this thread was about the TV show.
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yer i thought it was the books (which are fantastic btw)

They were discussing it on On the Couch last night, and Gerard Healy quickly mentioned what I've been saying on here for years - the Jim Stynes hand underneath the ball, ball drop. I still reckon it's worth a go

They also mentioned he's had 14 shots at goal this season, for 3 goals. I died a little on the inside
 
Sector 7G said:
Bolton said yesterday that if he had any more shots at goal at training his leg would fall off.
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That might help :)


Anyway, absolute contested marking gun. One day he'll just click.

Off topic- glad Matty Wright continues to play well for you guys. Classy player.
 
Lots of talk about "Casboult should be dropped" around here. I notice there was even a thread started about it. Rightfully short lived...
Maybe some perspective is needed on the Levi discussion...
Let's say that Casboult misses two "certainties" per game. Yes, everyone would prefer he kicks them, but the net gain of having him in the side is far greater than twelve points.
When our defenders need a "get out" kick down the line, who's there to take a big pack mark and relieve the pressure?
When the ball is banged deep into our forward line, who attracts 3 or 4 opposition backmen, allowing us free players?
Who crashes packs and sits opposition players on their arse, time after time?
Who leads up the ground and gives the ball carrier a strong and safe target?
Who runs himself into the ground and lays bone crunching tackles?
The answers to the above questions are:
Levi.
Levi.
Levi.
Levi.
And Levi.

Casboult, adds significant value to our side. We all wish his kicking for goal was better, but the two or so goals we miss out on are far outweighed by the positives he brings.
I think it's time people started putting more thought into the game and the team, rather than taking the easy, simplistic, a little ignorant view that "Casboult misses goals, drop him"....
 
I like him as a high CHF. Takes marks and field kicking is good. He was very important last weekend. If he gets 90% of his kicks 60m+ from goal that's ok for me. But if he gets the majority inside 50 and butchers them then that's a huge issue. It's as much about how he is used than just his poor kicking. As a high CHF marking machine he is good for us. Any idiot watching the game last weekend can see he added much to our game.
 

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Delisted 41. Levi Casboult

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