By DAVID NAGEL
CASEY Cardinia’s finest footballers have stood up on the big stage playing key roles in the Vic Country Number 2’s 80-point victory over the VAFA (Prem B – Division 4) at St Albans Reserve on Saturday.
Narre Warren trio Michael Collins, Kain Baskaya and Josh Tonna, Cranbourne’s Brandon Osborne, and Tooradin’s Matt Wade all contributed heavily to the country boys’ big day out.
Collins and Baskaya were named second and third best for the VCFL, behind Frankston Bombers’ star Mitchell Bosward, while Collins was voted best on ground by his peers after all players were asked to vote three, two and one after the match.
Collins, speaking at Narre Warren’s 60th Birthday Gala Dinner on Saturday night, said it was a great game of football to be a part of.
“It was an open game, really fast and quick and there were a lot of quality players out there,” Collins said.
“I thought all our boys did well, Kain played well at centre half-back and Wadey was really good all day… I actually gave him one of my votes.”
The Vic2 side led by just 10 points at quarter time before a 6.1 to 2.3 second term saw the margin extend to beyond five goals at the main break. The country boys wasted opportunities in the third quarter, kicking 3.7 to 3.1, before exerting their dominance with a brilliant 7.7 to 1.1 final term.
The strength of Collins, the class of Tonna, and the gut-busting running of Wade, complimented each other beautifully through the midfield for Vic2, while Baskaya and Osborne were pillars of strength down back. Wandin’s Michael Fowkes kicked five for the winners while Sorrento danger-man Leigh Poholke provided a second avenue to goal with four.
Saturday’s win made it two in a row for the country team after a thrilling one-point over the VAFA last year.
**SCORE PANEL
2014 AFL Vic Country (Vic2) v VAFA – Under (B-D4 Grades)
AFL Victoria Country (Vic2) 3.6 9.7 12.14 19.21 (135)
VAFA (B-D4 Grades) 2.2 4.5 7.6 8.7 (55)
AFL Victoria Country (Vic2) Goals: Michael Fowkes 5, Leigh Poholke 4, Ashraf Davies 2, Ben Lavars 2, Beau Cosson 2, Kain Baskaya 1, Matthew Wade 1, Michael Collins 1, Mitchell Bosward 1. Best: Mitchell Bosward, Michael Collins, Kain Baskaya, Ashraf Davies, Leigh Poholke, Jordyn Burke.
VAFA (B-D4 Grades) Best: Cameron Livori, Ben Amberg, Steven Puhar, David Boundy, Samuel Bishop, Michael Meehan.
