David Collins, pictured playing against Bendigo earlier this season, ran amok through the midfield for the Scorpions, accruing 34 touches in a best on ground performance. 80063 Picture: JARROD POTTER
By JARROD POTTER
THE Casey Scorpions took another step towards their first VFL premiership since 1995 with a come-from-behind 19-point victory over Sandringham to clinch the minor premiership.
After slogging out three back-and-forth quarters, Casey was left with an 11-point margin to bridge in the final term.
Tim Smith’s screamer closed the gap before a pair of Jack Fitzpatrick stand-and-deliver full forward majors and the match sealer from Captain Courageous Kyle Matthews helped claim top spot in the VFL.
With Melbourne’s season relegated to a question of draft position, a number of the Demons’ best were brought down to Casey to give the Scorpions the edge. This included Mark Jamar (38 hitouts), Brent Moloney and James Magner (24 possessions each), the latter a former Berwick and Beaconsfield junior in for his first run at Casey, helped provide the arsenal needed for victory.
Of the Casey boys, former Beaconsfield midfielder David Collins (34 possessions) continued his great run of form as of late, with Evan Panozza and Luke Hill (28 hitouts) also contributed instrumentally to the win.
“It certainly is a lot of hard work,” Casey coach Brett Lovett said about securing the minor premiership. “We’ve got a very young list and to get that reward at the end of the season is good.
“As we know, finals is a whole different ball game and it gives us a great opportunity – the double chance and home final – to win the big one.”
The experience of the Scorpions midfield unit stood out to Lovett, with the in-and-under specialists Moloney and Magner making sure they could negate the worst aspects of a howling breeze across Casey Fields.
“I thought we really ground away for the whole four quarters,” Lovett said. “Very challenging wind across the ground and it made it very hard to use the skills – all about getting in and being strong at the contest.
“Thought our clearance work was good with a very experienced midfield this week.”
PREVIEW
CASEY faces Werribee on Sunday afternoon after securing top billing at the conclusion of the home-and-away season.
Casey has the luxury of choosing any Melbourne player this week before the VFL finals limitations lock in from the semi-finals onwards, so there’s every chance a Melbourne-laden Casey team will take the park against Werribee on Sunday afternoon – the only team in the VFL the Scorpions have yet to defeat this season.
With the Demons’ season well and truly over despite a final home-and-away match remaining on the schedule, chances are Melbourne will send back Sam Blease and Luke Tapscott this week to qualify for the remainder of the finals’ campaign.
Werribee will be limited in its choices with North Melbourne to feature in the AFL finals – but Cam Pedersen, Ben Speight, Ben McKinley and Majak Daw will prove large problems for Casey to overcome.
“We’ve only played them once and they got us by 78 points, so certainly we learned a lot about how we prepare games of footy from that match,” Lovett said.
“Went down there with a fairly young side and we definitely weren’t playing to the strengths we have all year.
“It will be a lot closer this time – if we go in with the right intent and attitude, we can beat anyone in the competition.
“I’m sure now that it’s finals, both sides have to come with that, so it will be a strong contest.”
