Casey Scorpions in VFL First Qualifying Final

[Rogue 585]

Gawn tap down, chases it 20 minutes get it in dispute weaves through a few players, kicks it 40 metres, chases it down tackles opposition player gets free, then 50 metre penalty and kicks the goal... was epic, he is so good for a big guy

Wow, sounds great. Gawn is an exciting prospect.

[Whispering_Jack 30,024]

I agree.

I was at the game and it was obvious that Casey was short of class whilst Port was probably playing close to its best list.

Add Maric, Nicholson, Bate, Fitzpatrick, McDonald and others who I may have forgotten and you'll have a fairer contest.

BTW Gawn was outstanding and totally dominated the centre contests, but was alone in there. His work around the ground, and even on the ground in totally inappropriate conditions for someone of his height was so impressive.

He's come a long way and will be going further!

I believe Sam Blease is eligible too and Robbie Campbell coming back will also make a difference. Juice will also be better off for the run today. I just hope Melbourne doesn't pull the plug on players as was apparently done in the past.

[DeeSpencer 25,679]

Biggest problem I see is that Casey just don't have the midfield. Guys like Bate, McDonald, Fitzy, will improve the team, but really its only Nicholson and Maric who will help the midfield and they probably aren't true mids anyway.

Port with their array (Valenti, Batsanis etc) of experienced midfielders will always be too strong.

[Demon Dynasty 17,109]

Biggest problem I see is that Casey just don't have the midfield. Guys like Bate, McDonald, Fitzy, will improve the team, but really its only Nicholson and Maric who will help the midfield and they probably aren't true mids anyway.

Port with their array (Valenti, Batsanis etc) of experienced midfielders will always be too strong.

This ^^

First time at the Borough ground in a bloody long time. No Barrasi or Skilton in sight this time lol. But i was looking forward to a contest, albeit it was a pretty daunting one with Port not losing a game all year.

Having experienced the old cheese factory's wonderful wafty aromas floating over the ground the last time around, and a constant desire to add some of my own fertiliser to the turf as a result, I was relieved to see it was no longer maturing the yellow stuff 39 years on. That was my first VFA experience and it scarred me for life lol.

Beautiful day but the wind was very unpredictable. At times it was just a strong constant breeze. Other times it would blow a gale for 10 to 15 seconds at a time and from different directions. Footy's always pretty ugly under those conditions.

We were with them early but agreed, their midfield started smashing us with their clearances and run and spread from about the 5 to 10 minute mark in the 2nd. Gawn was pretty good but seemed to be tapping to no one in particular. For a big guy he is able to get to many contests which is impressive and held a few nice marks as well.

The address at quarter time emphasised the mids cracking in and appIying the pressure to the contested footy. But seemed as if it was Port who stepped it up after then. I guess the Scorps have so many players coming in and out of their squad from week to week (in particular through the middle), it's hard to get the consistency and structure there for 4 quarters. McNamara (at least i think it was him) was real quiet in first half (not alone) but looked a little better from about half way through third, providing a little run off half back and around the edges. Stockdale ok in patches and at least worked hard to present and give an option. One terrible clanger down back in the 3rd though.

Juice got a little but when under pressure seemed uncertain at times. Although this could have been the lack of presenting and space being made by his mates at times. But one run into 50 in particular, under no real pressure, should have resulted in him spotting up at least one target but he turned the ball over with a terrible attempted foot pass. Dunn took a few nice marks but seemed a little down on the day.

There was one piece of play in the last where we took it from the back line all the way which was probably the highlight for me. Also who is No. 27 for the Scorps down back? Huge unit that boy and has a massive hoof on him.

Fev had his kicking boots on and got the Scorps started. He also attempted 3 assists that i saw, none of which resulted in a goal unfortunately. He tends to just play from the goal square as a genuine old fashioned FF, or did today anyway, probably under instruction.

This might be fine when there's no gale blowing and the mids aren't getting smashed by their opposition but i was particularly disappointed the coach didn't move him up the ground a little, maybe to a true CHF position in the 3rd just to give the boys a shorter option as a key big bodied target against the wind. Even for a 10 -15 minute stint maybe. Whether Fev has the tank, desire or ability/agility to play that position, even for a short period, i couldn't say.

He was berated and abused by one Borough supporter right behind the goals early in the 2nd, who'd had more than his fill of Melbourne bitter...hic! The filth was flying. He actually got Fevs attention, more in amusement i think.

He wasn't alone in giving it to Fev on the day, but some of the peeps on the boundary alongside this donk, one middle aged bloke in particular, told him to zip it at one point. Of course this didn't go down too well, and the fists started flying, with very few connecting on either side lol. Copper did his part to split them and at one point he was pushing this donk backwards so far that i thought me and my boy were about to be in amongst it haha. But the calvary came eventually and he was carted off in the Divy van lol.

It was around about this point that i heard 'Billy Borough' up the back yell out "Stick him in the change room and give him a cold shower mate!!".

Brought back memories of the good old days at pie park or windy hill

Unfortunately it was all one way traffic after half time. The worst part however was hearing every other Port supporter yell out "BOROUGH" every time they got one. Which unfortunately for us was way too many times....arrgh.

The best part of the day was the easy parking beforehand, being able to get out on the ground with son and have a kick during the breaks and getting right into the huddle to hear the coach's rant at quarter time.

Hopefully the Demons can send a few senior bods into the guts and off half back for the next final. They're sure going to need it. Good luck to the boys in the Semi.

[DemonDave 1,089]

Interesting to note with the reserves game, the scores were level when the siren should have gone but there are special rules for when the ABC is telecasting games in finals, meaning the game effectively goes till a golden point. This is why as soon as that point went through, the siren went. I was with the Port media communications manager just after it occurred and I certainly wasn't previously aware of the rule.

The last Casey game I went to was the Geelong massacre, and now today. Think I might stay away from now on!

I thought Gawn was great around the ground, but we were smashed in the middle and he broke even at best against Fanning and Skipper.

Stockdale was just about our best, kept cool under pressure when others didn't.

McNamara and McDonald were excellent in the middle in the first quarter, but faded after that.

Shane Valenti absolutely tore us apart at the stoppages as did

a host of other Burra mids.

Dunn was very ordinary today, had no impact whatsoever on the contest, for a guy of his AFL experience, he should find the going much easier at this level but he barely had a dozen touches. It doesn't make his job easy that the ball is kicked to Fev inside fifty nine times out of ten, but he needs to learn to get his share of the footy.

Worst on ground for mine was Ben Waite, how does this guy continually get selected? Mystifying.

[KC from Casey 7,063]

Worst on ground for mine was Ben Waite, how does this guy continually get selected? Mystifying.

Let me help solve your mystery for you.

Ben Waite is a very good Reserves player who  does not "continually get selected" but has been picked in the Casey Seniors from time to time when a player of his size and type is needed to fill a vacancy. 

Today was just such a time with a few of the team's taller players being called up to play for Melbourne in tomorrow's game. Casey lost Tom McDonald this way last week, Matty Bate and Jack Fitzpatrick this week.

The last time Waite was chosen in the Seniors to replace a player in the seniors, he kicked four goals.

Had it not been necessary for him to be selected in the Senior side, Waite would most likely have played in the Reserves today and, since they lost by a single point, he could have made the difference in their game.

Not such a mystery then, is it?

[Guest Gareth Keenan]

A few forgetting about Jetta going back into the Casey side too.

[Little Goffy 14,522]

It is kind of a shame Myles Sewell sees to already be tagged gor GWS in the Rookie Draft, it would have been fun being the club that finally gave him a chance.

The Sewell, Mclean, Valenti joint Liston winner scenario would be awesome, you could just throw the trophy in a pit and let them scrap for it.

[picket fence 17,144]

Let me help solve your mystery for you.

Ben Waite is a very good Reserves player who  does not "continually get selected" but has been picked in the Casey Seniors from time to time when a player of his size and type is needed to fill a vacancy. 

Today was just such a time with a few of the team's taller players being called up to play for Melbourne in tomorrow's game. Casey lost Tom McDonald this way last week, Matty Bate and Jack Fitzpatrick this week.

The last time Waite was chosen in the Seniors to replace a player in the seniors, he kicked four goals.

Had it not been necessary for him to be selected in the Senior side, Waite would most likely have played in the Reserves today and, since they lost by a single point, he could have made the difference in their game.

Not such a mystery then, is it?

Thanks KC, who else from Melbourne can come back next week ? and given your knowledge care to take a stab at a likely side for next week?

[DemonDave 1,089]

Let me help solve your mystery for you.

Ben Waite is a very good Reserves player who  does not "continually get selected" but has been picked in the Casey Seniors from time to time when a player of his size and type is needed to fill a vacancy. 

Today was just such a time with a few of the team's taller players being called up to play for Melbourne in tomorrow's game. Casey lost Tom McDonald this way last week, Matty Bate and Jack Fitzpatrick this week.

The last time Waite was chosen in the Seniors to replace a player in the seniors, he kicked four goals.

Had it not been necessary for him to be selected in the Senior side, Waite would most likely have played in the Reserves today and, since they lost by a single point, he could have made the difference in their game.

Not such a mystery then, is it?

Thanks KC, I dont normally mean to tag a guy as 'hopeless', and dont see every game. But the last senior game I saw in person was the Geelong massacre, and Waite had one appaling decision go against him in the second quarter, and spent the best part of 40 minutes of the game complaining to the umpires about it.

It is good to see younger players such as Petropoulos and Purdy impress at times this year, while frustrating seeing somewhat more seasoned players such as Matt

Fieldsend running around in the twos as he was this week.

If Waite was selected as the big bodied hard-working half forward type, could this job not have been left to Lynden Dunne and or Newton when resting from the ruck, and thus clearing the forward 50 out for Fev (which they did do quite well).

Any news if big Robbie Campbell will be back this week, and why James Wall wore his number on the weekend?

Looking further forward, next years Scorps defence will be severly depleted with Warnock chasing games eleswhere and Tim Mohr a certainty for mine

to be rookied somewhere..

[PeterJames 46]

Are we sure the Melbourne listed players will be playing at Casey? If so we will soon know who's decision it was to rest them in previous years.

[Whispering_Jack 30,024]

Are we sure the Melbourne listed players will be playing at Casey? If so we will soon know who's decision it was to rest them in previous years.

KC provides a fairly comprehensive run down on the eligibility of players on his match report thread - Abandoned.

As to whether the club's going to hold players back from playing for Casey in the finals, I think that's pretty much guesswork. It's hard to find out at Melbourne whether any given player is injured so who knows?

[Guest Gareth Keenan]

Players who needed surgery were sent off for surgery, which is fair.

Not sure anyone was "held back" though.

[monoccular 17,424]

Will get downright ugly from now on

No need to talk about Fev like that !

He can't help his looks.

[Elwood 3184 1,301]

Players who needed surgery were sent off for surgery, which is fair.

Not sure anyone was "held back" though.

There's probably little difference between the two things when players can wait a few weeks for the surgery. It's a fine line and depends on the type of surgery involved.

As long as we are in an alignment with a VFL club then it's only right that we should provide it with the best possible support whilst also looking after our club and out players' best interests as well.

You have to feel for poor old Box Hill who are no longer independent and are totally subservient to Hawthorn to the point where Clarkson's decision to rest eight of his best players decimated Box Hill's finals campaign. I suppose that if we were in the same position, we would have done the same thing.