Melbourne rookie-lister Danny Hughes was pivotal in the Casey Scorpions’ match-|winning third term against the Coburg Tigers on Saturday. 30003 Picture: Stewart ChambersBy Marc McGowan
IT WAS never going to be a dull day, but the Casey Scorpions’ 42-point victory over Coburg at ABD Group Stadium on Saturday produced more than even the pre-game hype promised.
Melbourne’s number-one draft pick Jack Watts made his senior VFL debut for the Scorpions and Richmond superstar Ben Cousins turned out for the Tigers after a five-week hamstring injury.
But the match will be best remembered for the all-in brawl that started right on three-quarter-time and continued for several minutes.
There were no punches thrown, but the melee almost spilled into the stands as spectators flooded onto the ground for a closer look.
And ABC television was there to capture all the action.
VFL officials have fined both clubs $800 for their role in the fracas.
The dramatic scenes overshadowed Casey’s exciting performance against a Coburg line-up that not only boasted Cousins, but also AFL team-mates Trent Cotchin, Troy Simmonds, Andrew Raines and Kayne Pettifer.
Neither side impressed in a scrappy opening term, but it was the hometown Tigers who held a seven-point advantage after kicking the first two majors of the day.
Watts (16 disposals) snapped the Scorpions’ sole goal for the quarter after gathering the ball in the goalsquare.
Mathew Whelan and Michael Newton combined to give Casey the lead for the first time five minutes into the second term and the Scorpions’ offensive run-and-carry game began to take a toll on Coburg.
But a late dribbling goal to Andrew Horne kept the hosts within two points at the long break.
Casey and Melbourne rookie-lister Danny Hughes turned the match on its head with a brilliant third quarter.
Hughes booted the first goal of the term on the run and added two further majors late in the quarter after strong marks.
Defender Tom McNamara (20) was Casey’s other goalscorer as the visitors’ pressure and tackling helped keep the Tigers to just two points for the quarter.
Scorpions backman Alex Silvagni added to the occasion with a mark-of-the-year contender late in the term.
The wild three-quarter-time incident seemed to stir Coburg into action and Pettifer slotted his second major in the opening minutes to reduce the margin to 23 points.
Nick Liddle followed suit soon after and when Tom Hislop kicked a behind the difference was just 16 with plenty of time on the clock.
Enter Watts.
The 18-year-old roved the ball off a pack then turned his defender inside out before running towards the boundary and miraculously bending the ball back for his third goal.
It was just the steadier Casey needed and, despite Hislop kicking one at the other end only a minute later, the Scorpions were never seriously threatened.
Newton and Matt Moore booted two majors apiece in the final term to give them five and three respectively as the margin blew out.
Shane Valenti (29) was instrumental again, but it was fringe ruckman Tim Mohr (24) who really impressed with his work around the ground against the more experienced Simmonds.
Casey coach Peter German stopped short of calling the performance his side’s best of the year, but was pleased to see his team pick up its second straight win.
“We got the ball inside 50 today nearly 70 times, but we’ve got to make sure we use the ball better,” he said.
“We did waste a bit of it, so there’s still a lot of improvement to go, but certainly as a team we had almost 90 tackles today.
“People are talking about 90 tackles with St Kilda, well, I think that that’s the sort of intensity we’re playing with.”
The Scorpions have the bye this weekend before resuming against the Box Hill Hawks at Casey Fields on Sunday, 17 May at 2pm.
