It added to Whanganui's other frustrations in the game, where two players were sin-binned, while there was controversy on the home team's second try after the assistant referee raised his flag on the touchline, but then immediately took it back down, as confused defenders stopped chasing the ball carriers.
But 50-50 calls aside, Caskey has other areas he wanted to work on this week ahead of hosting Wairarapa-Bush at Cooks Gardens for the defence of the Bruce Steel Memorial Cup.
"Probably one of the big ones was our tackle effectiveness.
"We're not the biggest group of guys and [Mid Canterbury] out-sized us a lot.
"We weren't onto it enough for chop tackles – chopping them down.
"They got on the front foot, and we were scrambling a lot of the day."
Caskey was not reflecting on workhorse flanker Jamie Hughes, who is used to being one of the smaller players on the park, and produced at least eight such tackles in Ashburton.
Whanganui's phase work could likewise have been better, but in the high winds at the Showgrounds meant the visitors were always going to be forced away from their natural game.
"We had to shorten it up, and go up the narrow channels."
Waitokia's absence means it is likely Craig Clare will drop back to fullback, with Dane Whale regaining the No 10 jumper.
In other possible changes, lock Peter Travis Hay-Horton was also replaced at halftime with a sore shoulder, and was scheduled to undergo a fitness test on Thursday night.
Hooker Dylan Gallien is away, so Jack van Bussel will come up from the successful Whanganui Development XV, as will in-form flanker Ben Whale, while midfielder Timoci Seruwalu has been away in Queenstown, but could be a late inclusion depending on the backline reserves.
Covid-delays and personnel changes mean Wairarapa-Bush no longer has the same calibre of squad which made the 2019 Meads Cup semifinals and won four straight games in 2020 before losing the Bruce Steel back to Whanganui in their last match.
They lost 42-10 at home to Thames Valley, after two players were sent off and another sinbinned, while last week they went down 61-17 in Timaru to South Canterbury.
Former All Black Zac Guildford has return to his family's province, after last playing for them in 2016, while turning out previously in Heartland for East Coast in 2019.
His midfield partner Ueta Tufuga is the only brother remaining of the four Tufuga siblings who helped lift the side.
In the forwards, lock Andrew McLean brings plenty of experience, alongside flanker and captain Johan van Vliet.
But while Whanganui start as favourites, Caskey knows nothing less than a similar scoreboard to what the other frontrunners managed against the Masterton union will suffice.
"We need to front up and every game is vital from here on in.
"We've got no room for anything else but wins – it's there in front of us."
At Level 2, the WRFU offered 200 tickets to the general public on Thursday.
While they won't be a large crowd, Caskey hopes they will bring encouragement.
"It would be good to get a few more people in there. The boys always like playing in front reasonable support and hearing a bit of noise."
