EXCITING forward Liam Jurrah, who has missed most of the season with an ankle injury and has also had to deal with a much-publicised off-field incident, could be a chance to return to the VFL next week.
Coach Mark Neeld was hopeful Jurrah would return to play for Casey next weekend, if he could prove his fitness.
“We want Liam to have a bit more conditioning before we put him out there to play a game of footy,” he said.
But as the season draws closer to the end, Neeld said he won’t be giving games away to players not deserving of them.
With five matches remaining several Demons will be looking to press their claims for a berth in the seniors.
Young forward Lucas Cook, who was an emergency against Richmond in round 15, has yet to debut for the Demons, but could be in the mix to play before the end of the season.
But Neeld said Cook still needed to keep pressing his claims strongly in the VFL.
“I’m not one to give games away. Lucas missed the pre-season, so he’s been at our football club for two years and has yet to complete a full pre-season,” he said.
“He started late [this season] and missed a few games and halfway through the year in the VFL, he’s just starting to string some games together.
“We think that Lucas is going reasonably well at VFL level, but he hasn’t played yet enough footy to really warrant AFL selection. It’s not the correct thing to do by Lucas to put him into the side just yet, because he’s not ready to go.”
Neeld said it was also still touch and go whether midfielder Jordan Gysberts had the fitness to run out AFL matches. Gysberts has missed a considerable amount of the season with injuries to his ankle and jaw.
“Jordan was a high draft pick and he’s had an unfortunate run with injuries,” he said.
“He broke his ankle at the start of the year and then he came back and broke his jaw - it’s not ideal, so he’s been back for five weeks.
“Having missed a chunk of footy, being a midfielder, he’s really working on his game fitness and he’s not too far away - if Jordan continues the form that he’s in.”
Neeld said second-year rookie Michael Evans was still a fair way off from playing in the AFL, as the midfielder has missed most of the season with a back injury.
“He certainly hasn’t [got AFL match fitness],” he said.
“He’s had two games in the VFL and to be ready to play in the AFL is certainly not for Michael.
“He’s got a lot to gain by playing in the VFL in the short term - [he’s] just getting used to playing and the rigours of playing, recovering and getting up again.”
Neeld said defender Jack Watts was a chance to return from an ankle injury this round and utility Cale Morton was right in the mix for a recall.
“Cale played really well last week in the VFL for Casey against Frankston,” he said.
“He’s in pretty good form Cale, so he’ll go close.”
Coach Mark Neeld was hopeful Jurrah would return to play for Casey next weekend, if he could prove his fitness.
“We want Liam to have a bit more conditioning before we put him out there to play a game of footy,” he said.
But as the season draws closer to the end, Neeld said he won’t be giving games away to players not deserving of them.
With five matches remaining several Demons will be looking to press their claims for a berth in the seniors.
Young forward Lucas Cook, who was an emergency against Richmond in round 15, has yet to debut for the Demons, but could be in the mix to play before the end of the season.
But Neeld said Cook still needed to keep pressing his claims strongly in the VFL.
“I’m not one to give games away. Lucas missed the pre-season, so he’s been at our football club for two years and has yet to complete a full pre-season,” he said.
“He started late [this season] and missed a few games and halfway through the year in the VFL, he’s just starting to string some games together.
“We think that Lucas is going reasonably well at VFL level, but he hasn’t played yet enough footy to really warrant AFL selection. It’s not the correct thing to do by Lucas to put him into the side just yet, because he’s not ready to go.”
Neeld said it was also still touch and go whether midfielder Jordan Gysberts had the fitness to run out AFL matches. Gysberts has missed a considerable amount of the season with injuries to his ankle and jaw.
“Jordan was a high draft pick and he’s had an unfortunate run with injuries,” he said.
“He broke his ankle at the start of the year and then he came back and broke his jaw - it’s not ideal, so he’s been back for five weeks.
“Having missed a chunk of footy, being a midfielder, he’s really working on his game fitness and he’s not too far away - if Jordan continues the form that he’s in.”
Neeld said second-year rookie Michael Evans was still a fair way off from playing in the AFL, as the midfielder has missed most of the season with a back injury.
“He certainly hasn’t [got AFL match fitness],” he said.
“He’s had two games in the VFL and to be ready to play in the AFL is certainly not for Michael.
“He’s got a lot to gain by playing in the VFL in the short term - [he’s] just getting used to playing and the rigours of playing, recovering and getting up again.”
Neeld said defender Jack Watts was a chance to return from an ankle injury this round and utility Cale Morton was right in the mix for a recall.
“Cale played really well last week in the VFL for Casey against Frankston,” he said.
“He’s in pretty good form Cale, so he’ll go close.”
