Go young, go early

THIS season Casey Scorpions have gone young.
The baby-faced VFL Scorpions feature a number of TAC Cup alumni from the Dandenong Stingrays and Gippsland Power, including ex-Stingrays Matt Rennie and Dale Gawley and Gippsland Power ball magnets and hard nuts Garfield’s Eddie Morris and Ellinbank’s Nate Paredes.
Fresh off a premiership with Narre Warren is former Stingrays defender Ryan Morrison. Also with a premiership of a different kind on his resume is former Eastern Ranges midfielder Daniel Welsh (Gembrook-Cockatoo) – who jagged three goals in the Ranges demolition of the Stingrays in the TAC Cup grand final at Etihad Stadium last year.
VFL state representative and steely defender Evan Panozza will lead the Scorpions again, with long-time captain Kyle Matthews (Blackburn) and former vice-captain Luke Tynan (Port Melbourne) pursuing careers elsewhere.
It comes as Rohan Welsh’s charges have left in dribs and drabs, not to mention the loss of Melbourne-listed pair James Magner and Tom Couch leaving a hole in the Scorpions midfield.
The Demons have drafted strongly, but are determined to use the likes of Daniel Cross, Bernie Vince and top draft picks Christian Salem and Jay Kennedy-Harris.
Added to the Melbourne rookie list is Devon Meadows/Dandenong Stingrays alumnus James Harmes and newly-promoted Alex Georgiou will likely play a fair few matches down at Casey Fields too.
The Scorpions will head out to Windy Hill for their season opener against Essendon VFL on Saturday from 2pm.
CASEY SCORPIONS LIST CHANGES
IN: Edward Morris (Gippsland Power), Nathan Paredes (Gippsland Power), Jake Thomas (Gippsland Power), Daniel Welsh (Eastern Ranges), Ryan Morrison (Eastern Ranges), Matthew Rennie (Dandenong Stingrays), Joseph West (Dandenong Stingrays).
OUT: Kyle Matthews (Blackburn), Danny Nichols (St Albans), Michael Riseley (Sydney Hills), Luke Tynan (Port Melbourne), Chris Clay (Richmond), Luke Hill (Southport), Jordan Pollard (Frankston).