Above:The Marusic brothers talk tactics after the half-time address. 67931 Picture: Donna Oates
By Gavin Staindl
SHAUN Marusic has never been known to get nervous.
The Gippsland Power representative said despite playing in front of AFL selectors and debuting for VFL side Casey last week, he never got flustered.
But on Saturday, when he was called up to play for Kooweerup in the Elinbank and District Football League, Marusic, 19, admitted to feeling the pressure.
While his appearance for the Demons was to be his first for the year, it was running out alongside his brother Gavin, 22, and not against him, that got his blood pumping.
One week earlier, Shaun had been called up to make his VFL debut for Casey Scorpions. The only problem was he faced Frankston, his older brother’s team.
Despite being on opposite sides, the match served as a family reunion of sorts, for it was the first time in over eight years the pair would play in the same game.
“I was told on Wednesday that I would be playing for Casey,” Shaun said.
“It was weird because I knew no-one at Casey, but I knew all the Frankston team because I had done pre-season with them.
“I didn’t tell Gav until the next day, but he thought it was pretty cool.”
While Casey won by 73 points, the debate still raged on in the lounge room a week later as to who emerged the better brother.
“There was a moment where we both went for the ball at the same time,” Shaun said.
“Yeah, he got the ball, but I tackled him and (not once) did he get a tackle on me,” Gavin said from across the room.
“But I still got the hands away,” Shaun replied.
“You dribbled it… it hit one of our players…”
“No way, it was an effective handball… I won.”
But on Saturday, with Frankston, Casey and Gippsland all enjoying a week off, the two Marusic boys returned home to play for Kooweerup.
“It was great to get back and play with my old mates and the guys I grew up playing footy with,” Shaun said.
Despite finishing best-on-ground with a ton of possessions – and five straight behinds, Shaun could do little as a superior Bunyip side outclassed the visiting Demons.
