By Peter Sweeney
FRANKSTON has won just one game this season – and occupies bottom spot on the 13-team VFL ladder … but don’t for one second believe Casey Scorpions coach Brad Gotch is heading to the seaside on Sunday expecting to surf home with an easy win.
Frankston Park is tighter and smaller than Casey Fields and Gotch knows there is “some adapting” to be done.
“It’s tougher down there and we will have our work cut out. But at least we arrive (at Frankston) with growing confidence,” Gotch said.
Such came last Sunday, when the Scorpions were 43 points too good for Box Hill, Hawthorn’s reserves side.
There was just 10 points in it at the last change, before a five goal to one last quarter from the Scorpions destroyed the Hawks.
However, Gotch said the final scoreline was not a true indication of the game – even though the most the opposition kicked in a quarter (the second) was 1.5.
‘The final score flattered us a bit. There wasn’t that much difference in the teams,” Gotch added.
“They (Box Hill) battled hard, very hard and made us work for the whole game. Hawthorn has a lot of injuries and Box Hill were undermanned.
“We battled hard to get free of them. What won it for us was our stronger bodies. They (Box Hill) weren’t able to sustain it for the whole game.
“But they battled hard, very hard. What I was most happy about was that we found some consistency. Sunday was more of a four-quarter effort than we have put in for some time.
“It’s important at this time of the season that we find some consistency. We’ve been too spasmodic of late and it’s good to find some consistency – and play over four quarters.
“We’ve just got to get the right chemistry in the group.”
It’s not only the smaller, tighter ground at Frankston which concerns Gotch.
On Saturday night, Melbourne’s AFL side plays Port Adelaide in Darwin – and the Demons are likely to take two or three “travellers”.
“Darwin’s a bit far away to rush an extra player or two to if something goes wrong,” Gotch said.
“We might lose out there, but the likes of Jetta and (Aaron) Davey are nearly ready to return. They’ve been out for a while, so I imagine they will play for us rather than going straight back into the AFL.
“Who knows, we might get them this week. They would be two handy ones.”
One Demon Gotch was “over the moon” about having back was the big imposing figure of Warnock.
“He’s so stable – and he gives our back six something,” Gotch said.
“He breeds confidence in the group.”
Casey sits sixth on the ladder.
In the reserves, Casey only kicked seven goals – and yet, they nearly won by that amount, in keeping Box Hill to just one goal.
Casey won 7.11 (53) to Box Hill’s 1.7. (13). Casey sits fourth on the ladder, while Frankston, Sunday’s opponent, is last.
