Above: Melbourne midfield dynamo Colin Sylvia drills a long goal in the last quarter of the NAB Challenge match at Casey Fields on the weekend. By Marc McGowan
JUST over 8000 local fans flocked to Casey Fields for the Australian Football League (AFL) Challenge match between Melbourne and North Melbourne on Saturday.
The crowd was almost 2000 less than last year’s corresponding clash featuring Essendon and Hawthorn, but Casey Scorpions general manager Brian Woodman was satisfied with the turnout.
“Given Melbourne and the Kangaroos don’t have as much drawing power as Essendon and Hawthorn, it was a good result,” he said.
“There were lots of families at the game, so it was really good.
“People also had the chance to get on the ground and have a kick at half-time.
“We were really pleased again and I know the AFL was very pleased with the way it went.”
Only one point separated the sides at quarter-time before the Kangaroos ran away with the contest to win by 51 points.
The final scores were North Melbourne 22.13.145 to Melbourne 14.10.94.
Ruckman Hamish McIntosh, forward Aaron Edwards and captain Adam Simpson starred for the Kangaroos, while former Dandenong Stingray Nathan Jones and fellow midfielders Simon Buckley and James McDonald were the Demons’ best.
A sudden rush of Australian Rules football enthusiasts caused some congestion from 15 minutes before the match until midway through the first term, but Woodman said it was an improvement on last year.
“We didn’t charge for car parking this year, which made it a lot easier,” he said.
“Just before the game started we had an intensive roll-up of people, but we cleared that through pretty quickly.”
The only dampener on the occasion was that AFL security requirements meant the crowd was unable to go on the field during the quarter-time and three-quarter time huddles.
The Scorpions played their second practice match of the season immediately after the AFL fixture.
In a much-improved showing, the young Casey squad lost to Sandringham by four points, 12.9.81 to 11.11.77.
St Kilda ruckman Ben McEvoy snagged four goals for the Scorpions and Chris Dunne kicked two.
The game also marked the return of star Saint and former Gippsland Power player Brendon Goddard from a knee reconstruction.
Goddard is now on track to return to St Kilda’s senior side in round one.
