Casey Scorpions forward Danny Hughes hauls in a mark against Frankston in his side’s 98-point win at Casey Fields on Saturday. Picture: Nigel ClementsBy Marc McGowan
THE Casey Scorpions produced their most dominant display of the year to pummel Frankston by 98 points in miserable conditions at Casey Fields on Saturday.
The hapless Dolphins kicked just four behinds after quarter-time compared to the Scorpions’ 16 goals from 35 scoring shots to fall to their 11th defeat from 12 matches.
Casey’s final term was its most fruitful with 9.12 to Frankston’s solitary point.
But coach Peter German was most impressed with his players’ effort to keep the Dolphins goalless in the third quarter when the visitors had the aid of a huge wind to the Tooradin end.
“The boys adapted to the conditions and played to our structures really well,” he said.
“We basically had two sets of game plans – into the breeze and with it.
“The last quarter was our most productive, but even our first quarter, when we kept them to three goals, and then no goals in the third quarter when they had the howling breeze (were great, too).
“It was indicative of our attitude, really.”
It was the type of day that suited the likes of Scorpions hard man Jimmy Taylor and he did not disappoint in just his fourth game of the year after struggling with a knee injury in the pre-season.
Taylor returned to his stellar 2008 form with a brilliant shutdown job on Frankston playmaker Justin Berry, who was playing his 100th match.
Berry’s frustration boiled over as early as the first quarter when he conceded consecutive 50m penalties against Taylor to gift Casey its sole major of the opening term.
That left the Dolphins only five points ahead and, despite Dale Whelan benefiting from a Jack Watts (23 disposals) turnover to score Frankston’s third goal late in the quarter, they did nowhere near enough with the wind.
But the Dolphins surprisingly still led at the 20-minute mark of the second term before a classic pick-pocket major to Michael Stockdale ignited the Scorpions.
Stockdale’s running goal was the first of five, including two to forward Brad Miller (20), in less than 13 minutes before half-time that blew Frankston out of the water.
The difference was 27 at the long break and Casey turned the screws further in the third quarter.
The Scorpions dominated around the ground, particularly through midfielder Clint Bartram (31 and seven tackles) and ruckman Paul Johnson, and Michael Newton (22 and nine marks) slotted the only major of the quarter.
Watts also lifted his rating after a quiet start, while James Wall (24) played an important role as the spare man in defence.
Not even the loss of prolific onballer Shane Valenti (corked hip) could stop Casey as the Dolphins pierced their 50m arc just six times for the term.
The game became a procession in the last quarter.
Matthew Whelan (27), who was impressive in defence, started the rot with a goal off the ground and Watts and Miller added further majors in the first nine minutes.
Only five straight relatively easy misses later in the term prevented the Scorpions’ bid for back-to-back 100-point victories after they annihilated Bendigo in the previous round.
Miller and Newton finished with four goals apiece and 21-year-old Ryan Creed also managed multiple majors in his best performance at this level.
The win maintained Casey’s top-four spot ahead of a difficult four-week period against Collingwood (fifth), Coburg (seventh), Geelong (ninth) and North Ballarat (second) before its round-18 bye.
German admitted it would be a stern test for his in-form side.
“You can’t look too far ahead, but we just know we’re a chance to put ourselves up in a good spot if we make the finals,” he said.
“But we’re also one game away from slipping down to eighth or even out of it because it’s a nine or 10-team race.
“There’s no doubt that the really tough games are coming up now.”
The Scorpions face Collingwood at Trevor Barker Oval in an ABC-broadcast clash on Saturday from 1.10pm.
