THE PINK PUSSY CATS by KC from Casey

The Casey Scorpions held on to their finals hopes with a rousing eight goal victory over the Geelong Cats at Casey Fields. It was a fitting outcome for the club on its annual Pink Ribbon Day in support of breast cancer research.

The Scorpions came into the game with only eight senior AFL-listed players and two rookies against the Cats who had senior premiership player and Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel in their ranks along with a couple of others who had been selected to play in the AFL team whose game against Adelaide was cancelled due to the untimely death of Phil Walsh. The Cats were expected to dominate but their team performance was subdued, perhaps due to that situation.

Casey led from the opening moments of the game, built up a strong lead of 31 points with the aid of a stiff breeze by the end of the first quarter, doing so without conceding a goal. It then scored the first goal against the wind early in the second term and defended strongly with Jack Fitzpatrick, Evan Panozza and Oscar McDonald holding tight and creating plenty of run as well to ensure the home side had a handy lead at the main break. At half time, there were eight single goal kickers and the team led by 22 points.

Once again, the Scorpions were well served in the ruck by the experienced Mark Jamar who disposed of giant Cat Dawson Simpson and gave his on ballers headed by Viv Michie, the constantly improving James Harmes, Ben Newton and Jordie McKenzie an armchair ride throughout the game.

With the heavens opening up to bring more rain at the start of the third term, Casey pressed home its advantage in the difficult conditions so that they led by 35 points at three quarter time, a lead which proved to be too much for the visitors. The Scorpions stormed away to a big victory and a place in the top eight with its 48 point win turning Geelong which had inflicted some big defeats on them in recent seasons into meek little pussy cats. Justin Plapp would be well pleased with the form of some of his youngsters.

Harmes was a prolific ball winner while goal sneaks Jayden Hunt and Tom Papley kicked three goals each. The latter has been a clever small goal kicking forward for the past two seasons with the Gippsland Power where he has kicked 22 goals to date this year. After a quiet first half Hunt, who scored his first goal late in the second term, proved a real danger player for the Cats with his pace and attack on the football. Former Gold Coast Sun Jack Hutchins played another solid game and is putting up his hand to be redrafted at the end of the year.

Next week, Casey plays in a make-or-break game at home against Port Melbourne to who it lowered its colours at North Port Oval in May. A win would secure a place in the top eight but a loss will make things hard with some tough contests ahead of them.

2015 Peter Jackson VFL

Casey Scorpions 5.3.33 8.3.51 11.6.72 14.9.93

Geelong Cats 0.2.2 4.5.29 5.7.37 6.9.45

Goals

Casey Scorpions Hunt Papley 3 Newton 2 Byrnes Jamar McKenzie Moncrieff Morris Paredes

Geelong Cats Blease Hollmer Jansen Kolodjashnij Maas Read

Best

Casey Scorpions Jamar Michie Harmes Papley Fitzpatrick Hutchins

Geelong Cats Bartel Jansen Ruggles Kolodjashnij Horlin-Smith Rees

Statistics

Jack Fitzpatrick 17 disposals 9 kicks 8 hand passes 8 marks 6 tackles 1 hit out 89 dream team points

James Harmes 1 behind 29 disposals 13 kicks 16 hand passes 6 marks 11 tackles 135 dream team points

Jayden Hunt 3 goals 1 behind 12 disposals 9 kicks 3 hand passes 6 marks 1 tackle 74 dream team points

Mark Jamar 1 goal 13 disposals 11 kicks 2 hand passes 4 marks 2 tackles 38 hit outs 96 dream team points

Max King 3 behinds 11 disposals 9 kicks 2 hand passes 3 marks 6 tackles 12 hit outs 76 dream team points

Oscar McDonald 9 disposals 7 kicks 2 hand passes 2 marks 31 dream team points

Jordie McKenzie 1 goal 28 disposals 14 kicks 14 hand passes 3 marks 9 tackles 120 dream team points

Viv Michie 26 disposals 20 kicks 6 hand passes 5 marks 4 tackles 104 dream team points

Ben Newton 2 goals 1 behind 18 disposals 10 kicks 8 hand passes 1 mark 8 tackles 95 dream team points

Dean Terlich 19 disposals 11 kicks 8 hand passes 2 marks 4 tackles 69 dream team points

With the injury toll at Melbourne and to a lesser extent at Casey, the Scorpions' development team was overrun by Sandringham at the end and lost by 29 points.

2015 AFL Victoria Development League

Casey Scorpions 1.5.11 2.6.18 4.9.33 4.13.37

Sandringham 2.2.14 2.8.20 5.10.40 9.12.66

Goals

Casey Scorpions Rennie 3 Waters

Sandringham Zijai 5 Williams 2 Ong Weickhardt

Best

Casey Scorpions Gains Fisscher McDonald Keilty Corrigan Petropoulos

SandringhamMurdoch Zijai Maitland Markworth Verma Persson

Disposals K Wilson 23 Plummer 21 Pattison 19 Petropoulos 18 Muir 17