Casey Scorpions see the light

By Peter Sweeney
THE switch was turned on at half-time at Casey Fields on Sunday – and it not only lit up the dim and dark ground.
Light, finally, shone on the Casey Scorpions, who this week have a bye and had gone “bye bye” in Sunday’s first half, then suddenly came to life.
Down 29 points at the main change, the Scorpions were two points in front just eight minutes after play resumed, when ever-reliable skipper James Wall marked and goaled.
What made the five goal turnaround in minutes most impressive, was the fact they weren’t playing the winless Frankston Dolphins, or the Cranbourne kindergarten, but the Essendon seconds, aka the Bendigo Bombers.
The Bombers had arrived at Cranbourne East sitting third, having just lost once. They left sitting fifth, with hot pizza in their stomachs but, probably, cold tongue in their ears.
The much loved and hated but always maligned Brendan Fevola was one of the main reasons for the sudden change of fortune – and the switch in how the game was going.
Fev’s only first-half goal – in the second half of the second quarter – had put Casey to within five points, before Bendigo rallied.
But the Bombers had no answer in the opening minutes of the second half, when Fev put on a show. That’s when he kicked four goals, and put in like he hadn’t previously at Casey. However, it wasn’t only the big sticks that he had his eyes on.
Fevola dived full length to keep a boundary line ball in play, he dived full length to try to mark a kick already past the post and he took a one-handed juggled grab when an opponent had hold of the other hand.
He got the crowd roaring, cheering, oohing and aahing. And, normally, Casey Fields is quieter than a funeral service.
On field, it had become the same as off it. The chemistry and closeness between Fevola and his Casey comrades, especially Jeremy Howe, who got hugs rather than high fives, was like that of a mum and her newborn.
At three-quarter-time, when both sides had each had 24 scoring shots, Casey coach Brad Gotch told his team to take no notice of the scoreboard. He insisted that would take care of itself – if the team took care of each other – and delivered on what they had shown, and promised.
“Delivery is one of the most important things in life,” Gotch said. “Think about every kick and mark. Think about every process. Keep fighting and scratching to the end. You have worked your butts off to get back in this game, don’t rest on your laurels and give it away now.”
Gotch needn’t have worried.
When Lucas Cook marked and goaled – stretching the difference to 17 points – it was the right recipe to start the last stanza. It also signalled a telephone call from the Bombers to the local Encore Pizzas, who delivered plenty of tucker for the visiting players to tuck into when they trudged from the field.
However, whether they had the appetite to scoff down such was debatable, as a spray from coach Shannon Grant would surely have been on the menu prior the pizza.
Bendigo was out of the blocks like the finalists in the Stawell Gift, kicking 6.5 to 2.2 in the opening quarter. Casey worked back to within one straight kick in the second quarter, before the Bombers rallied to lead by nigh on five goals at the main break.
Then the game became as moody as Melbourne’s weather. How can you explain how Bendigo kicked six goals in each of the first two quarters (six straight in the second) and then just one goal in each of the last two terms?
In contrast, Casey kicked two, five, eight and four goals in the four terms to be 27 points too good.
Still, that’s footy. And that’s life.