NOT too many surprises should be in store when Casey Scorpions and Werribee Tigers go head to head for the right to play Williamstown in the Preliminary Final.
It will be the third time in the past 10 weeks the clubs have squared off.
Werribee drew first blood with a two goal win at Chirnside Park in round 14 then more recently, in round 21, Casey staked its revenge with a decisive 44-point win at Casey Fields.
Both clubs come from different back drops for this cut-throat final: Casey must rebound from its embarrassing and humbling 97-point defeat against Port Melbourne while Werribee advanced after a hard-fought win against an undermanned Box Hill Hawks.
The Scorpions have been wildly inconsistent over the past six weeks. They lost by 128-points against Geelong in round 18 then came out the following week to defeat Sandringham by 61-points.
Casey coach Brad Gotch can’t dwell on last week’s inept performance. He must concentrate on the positives from the Scorpions’ big wins against Sandringham, Werribee and Northern Bullants, whom they belted by 100-points in the final home and away round.
Gotch forecast there would be changes, as many as six to the Scorpions team, which fielded just seven Melbourne players against Port Melbourne.
Indeed, there could even be more. Melbourne listed/rookie players who could come into the Casey team include Matthew Bate, Neville Jetta, Sam Blease, Rohan Bail, Jack Fitzpatrick, who all played for Melbourne against Port Adelaide last week.
Ruckman Robert Campbell, who injured himself in the weights room, is also qualified for selection.
Certainly, it will be a different look Scorpions team and it would need to be.
Apart from Brendan Fevola, who again was outstanding, and defenders Matthew Warnock and Evan Panozza, Casey had few, if any, other players who had a positive impact.
Fevola will prove a key, once again. He’s in super form as evidenced by the 49 goals he’s kicked in the past seven weeks. It will be interesting to see who Werribee coach Paul Satterley assigns to him.
When the clubs played three weeks ago, Fevola kicked six while Jetta, Bate and Kelvin Lawrence each chipped in with two goals.
Werribee will also have a number of qualified North Melbourne players who last week played against Richmond. The Tigers would love to have the services of Hamish McIntosh, who was clearly their best player against Casey in round 21.
McIntosh would certainly boost the prospects of the Tigers midfield brigade – Messrs Gleeson, Sharp, Martinello, Tuck and O’Dwyer – gaining first use of the ball. The merging Majak Daw will appreciate the presence of McIntosh.
Ben McKinley and Robbie Castello have provided Werribee with a potent mark/crumbing combination. It’s likely Matthew Warnock, who did a splendid job last week on Patrick Rose, will take McKinley.
It’s not as apparent who Brad Gotch will deploy on Castello. He can ill afford to let him kick three or four goals.
It’s just as hard to know which Casey Scorpions will turn up. If it’s the one that took the field against Werribee in round 21 then they’ll go close to winning, but if it’s anything like last week the Scorpions will exit the finals in straight sets.
Last Modified on 09/09/2011 15:22