By JARROD POTTER
VFL SEASON PREVIEW
CELEBRATING 10 years at Casey Fields this season, the Casey Scorpions will one way or another look quite different in its milestone VFL campaign.
Since its switch from Springvale in 2006, the Scorpions have had plenty of near-misses and close calls in the finals race, including the minor premiership in 2012.
In season 10 the Scorpions have lost plenty of its VFL-listed experience over the off-season as former captain Evan Panozza, vice-captain Mitch Gent, Will Petropoulos and Sean Corrigan have left Casey Fields.
In their place will be former Gold Coast Sun Jack Hutchins, the 2016 captain, alongside Tim Smith (vice-captain), Bryce Rutherford, Eddie Morris and James Munro in the leadership group.
While the VFL list is missing the extra level of experience, Melbourne’s list looking its strongest in years and Casey coach Justin Plapp is the main beneficiary of Paul Roos’ recruiting hard yards.
Even though last year’s tall timber Max Gawn, who has established himself as Melbourne’s number one ruckman, and Jack Fitzpatrick, traded to Hawthorn, are also big absences from Casey’s 2015 ranks, the Demons’ depth will fill the coffers at Casey.
Christian Petracca, Jack Grimes, Lynden Dunn, Jack Trengove, Viv Michie, Alex Neal-Bullen among others should feature in the Scorpions line-up at times throughout the year – giving plenty for the Casey faithful to cheer about.
Casey Scorpions general manager Matthew Young thinks while the ins and outs will dictate a lot, it still boils down to injuries from either the AFL or VFL side.
“The Melbourne list a lot stronger from the bottom end – lot of good kids – but from our point of view it will be about injuries,” Young said. “We’ll probably struggle, so player welfare and management will be crucial. If we have our best core group in week-in week-out, we should be competitive.
“Coach is really confident that we’ll have a good year and with all clubs, it revolves around injuries and the pre-season form has been really good – especially the last couple of games.”
Beaconsfield tandem Damien and Daniel Johnson have switched from SEFNL to the VFL this year and look likely to feature in the seniors, as will up-and-coming Neerim Neerim South prospect Kody Wilson who has got inside duties written all over him.
“Kody Wilson – inside mid and we think he’ll be a replacement for Mitch Gent,” Young said. “Came last year for us from the Ellinbank comp – played all the practice games in seniors and performed pretty well.
“Got to go through selection, but should feature in the squad for round one.
“The Johnson boys from Beacy … come back after a stint at Beacy and premiership players who should play a bit for us as mature age players.”
The likes from the TAC Cup as well – James Freeman, Jake Lovett, Jake Di Pasquale, Lachie Batten, Aloysio Ferreira among others – should make the grade as well and add a bit of young spark to the Scorpions.
In their last practice match before the season start, Casey surged to roll Box Hill 18.7 (115) to 13.8 (86) to finish its pre-season on the best possible note.
Not missing a beat, Christian Petracca showed why he’s a top-draft pick as he blitzed it against Box Hill through the midfield and across the flanks. He should feature in a few more Scorpions games at least before he likely makes his way into the AFL ranks.
Also impressing from the AFL side of the list were Neal-Bullen (36 disposals), Jayden Hunt (23) and another Demon returning from injury Trengove (22).
Tim Smith was a powerful presence in the Scorpions’ forward line and will be tapped on the shoulder to burden the side’s scoring alongside the myriad of Demons’ up-and-comers.
But that’s all in the past now, pre-season is done and dusted as Casey starts its 2016 campaign under lights at Casey Fields on Saturday, battling Frankston in a Round 1 night-time showdown from 7pm.
