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CONFIDENCE is an elusive virtue. Two months ago a self-conscious, inexperienced Casey Scorpions side was flogged by Sandringham in the opening game of the VFL season. Last Saturday the Scorpions illustrated how far they have come since then when they defeated the third-placed Northern Bullants by 37 points at Visy Park. By Chris Weaver- Leader News
The win means that the Scorpions enter the mid-season break at 5-4 and victors in their past three matches. A gritty contest that was beset by constant turnovers and poor judgment from both sides, there was at least one very large diamond among the rough. Liam Jurrah led the way for the visitors, his second successive four-goal haul highlighted by two sweetly struck long-range majors and a spectacularly ambitious last quarter marking attempt. The lean Warlpiri forward was aided by two more indigenous talents, as West Australian pair Jamie Bennell and Neville Jetta combined to tear apart a strangely stagnant Bullants defence. Jetta kicked three goals, two of which came in a final term that was unexpectedly one-sided. The Bullants trailed the Scorpions by three points at the final change, but a wobbly Brad Fisher set-shot 90 seconds into the last quarter gave them the lead for the first time since the opening term. It was Fisher's sixth goal, the Carlton forward again demonstrating why he is too classy for this level. Yet the Scorpions responded admirably, as a game-plan based on tight and cautious transition of the football bore results. Ready to switch match-ups at will, Scorpions coach Peter German swung Alex Silvagni into the ruck, while skipper Kyle Matthews (three goals) spent a productive spell in a forward-pocket. German's side looks increasingly resilient, the coach's confident persona beginning to filter through to a young team. ``Today showed we can possibly beat the big boys,'' he said after the game, aware that this win bodes well for a tough trip to Williamstown in a fortnight. A low-point, however, came during the second term, when a tussle behind the play between Bullants wingman Mitch Robinson and stocky Scorpion Rohan Bail left the latter in the hands of the trainers. The incident triggered a melee, an unfortunate scene that did little to raise the standard of play during a stodgy stanza.``That was a bit disappointing, you don't expect that to happen in this day and age,'' German said when questioned about Bail and the stoush. It will matter little to the Scorpions, knowing that they won the fight that mattered most. $1000 Leader player of the year (votes by Craig Lees): 3 Liam Jurrah, 2 Peter Faulks, 1 Alex Silvagni: 7 Wall, Valenti, 5 Silvagni, 3 Jurrah, Miller, Jamar, Bell, Newton, Matthews, 2 Faulks, Cheney, Dunn, Mohr, Liddle, Spencer, 1 Robertson, Maric, Panozza, McNamara, MacReadie. Casey Scorpions 6.3 7.6 8.7 14.11 (95) d Bullants 3.1 6.2 8.4 9.4 (58) Goals: Casey Scorpions: Jurrah 4 Jetta 3 Matthews 3 Newton Wheatley Faulks Bennell. Northern Bullants: Fisher 6 McCorkell Hartlett Ellard. Best: Casey Scorpions: Bennell Faulks Jurrah Silvagni Jetta Matthews. Northern Bullants: Fisher Ellard Hadley Russell Hartlett Edwards. Reserves - Casey Scorpions 8. 9.2 15.8 20.14 (134) d Northern Bullants 2.3 6.9 9.12 12.14 (86) Casey goals: Waite 4 Sykes 3 Zomer 2 Oldmeadow 2 Scanlon 2 Patti Liddle McLeod Clay Blaser Collins Virtue. Best: Blaser Zomer Williams Collins Waite Snow. |
