The early morning rain had abated, but Victoria Park was like an ice-skating rink as the Casey Scorpions and Collingwood Magpies struggled to stay on two legs as their round 21 Peter Jackson VFL contest kicked off. Inaccuracy riddled a slippery and contested game. The Scorpions - looking to secure a certain top three spot - eventually running away to win by 45 points as Davis Harrigan reports.
It was all Casey in the first quarter, the Pies registering just two points. Will Petropoulous opened the Scorpions goal account, while Rian McGough and Dave Collins chipped in with a major each. Collingwood’s ball handling let them down immensely, and the swirling wind and muddy ground made both the first quarter and the remainder of the game tough and hard footy. It was the Scorpions by 21 points at quarter time.
The momentum shifted in the second quarter. Lachlan Wallace opened Collingwood’s goal account halfway through the term. After Scorpion Josh Tynan pegged one back, a major to Magpie Josh Thomas and a very lucky bouncing goal from Paul Cribbin moments before the half time siren brought the margin back to just four points in Casey’s favour.
After half time, Scorpions players Tynan, Tim Smith, Jack Fitzpatrick and Matthew Bate stood up to provide the Scorpions with targets. Although sporting several AFL listed players including Brent Macaffer, Ben Johnson (28 disposals), Simon Buckley and Andrew Krakouer (24 disposals), the Magpies were continuously pressured into “rushed” football.
It was the Scorpions who found their aim and had more opportunities for goal in the second half. Tynan, Smith and Petropoulos all scored two goals each. Collingwood finished with singles to Thomas, Wallace, Cribbin, Peter Yagmoor and Jarrod Witts.
After losses to both the Northern Blues and Geelong, Scorpions coach Brett Lovett expressed his approval at both the effort and standard of the team in the testing conditions.
“In the last two weeks our attack on the footy and in contests has been down quite a bit, so we made sure the contested ball was a strong part of our play.
“We had thirty shots at goal today. Our ability to still win the ball and attack was good, and we just kept pushing the ball towards our forward players.”
Magpies player Brent Macaffer, in his third game back from a knee injury, summed up his thoughts on his own game, as well as discussing his thoughts on his return two weeks ago.
“I really wanted to work on my tackling, I felt I did it pretty well.
“In my first game back, I wondered if my knee was going to hold up. I got involved in early contests and a few touches settled me down.”
In the final week of Peter Jackson VFL action, Casey face the Sandringham Zebras at Casey Fields in the ABC TV game, while Collingwood will face the Werribee Tigers at Victoria Park.
Casey Scorpions 11.19.85 d Collingwood 5.10.40
Photo: Morgan Hancock
Last Modified on 21/08/2012 10:45