Left: Scorpions star James Gwilt applies a ferocious tackle on his Roosters opponent Blake Grima at Casey Fields on Saturday.By Marc McGowan
THE Casey Scorpions were left to lick their wounds after copping a 45-point thumping at the hands of the North Ballarat Roosters in Victorian Football League (VFL) action at Casey Fields on Saturday.
To make matters worse, star Scorpions recruit Troy Makepeace sat out the last term after receiving a heavy knock in the fateful third quarter and is in doubt for round two.
In front of a great crowd, the Roosters hit the ground running from the start and kicked the first two goals before promising Casey forward Ben Fraser benefited from the busy opening from Brett Voss to slot his side’s first major.
Fraser repeated the dose to claim the lead for the Scorpions, but three late ones to North Ballarat left Casey ruing its wasted opportunities in front of goal as it faced a 16-point deficit at quarter-time.
Voss, who ended with 23 possessions, continued to gather plenty of the leather in the second stanza, but it was the Roosters’ Kangaroo-listed Aboriginal players Djaran Whyman and Matt Campbell who made their presence felt as their speed and enthusiasm proved too much for the Scorpions’ defence.
When their Kangaroo team-mate Callum Urch goaled from 45 metres out midway through the period, North Ballarat had suddenly leapt out to a 40-point buffer.
The margin was sliced back to 35 by half-time, but the Roosters were well in control of the contest.
North Ballarat slammed on seven goals from 13 scoring shots in the third term compared to the Scorpions’ solitary behind as the Roosters jumped out to an irrepressible 82-point lead at the final change.
Following a free kick in the goal square, Urch produced another major to begin the last term and threaten a three-figure defeat.
Finally Casey responded, and St Kilda youngster Justin Sweeney took three grabs inside 50 metres for two goals, and Fraser added his third among a seven-goal effort that flattered their team.
Saints rookie list player Clinton Jones followed on from his sensational pre-season to be the Scorpions’ best player with 32 touches and was arguably the team’s only four-quarter performer.
The blond midfielder had few allies, but Alex Silvagni was another to hold his head high.
Silvagni, at 192 centimetres, was even thrown into the ruck in the fourth term in a desperate attempt by coach Peter Banfield to subdue North Ballarat’s two-headed monster of Cartledge and Orren Stephenson, and performed admirably.
For the Roosters, Stephenson was outstanding while midfielder Stephen Clifton was a constant thorn in Casey’s side.
Banfield was at a loss to explain his team’s display and is hoping for better things this weekend.
“It was really disappointing,” he said.
“We actually played very well in the first quarter, but we did not put enough scoreboard pressure on.
“We should have been something like 5.2 in the first term, but we fell away from there.”
Banfield was just as perplexed about his squad’s pitiful third quarter, which looked even worse after he watched it on replay.
“It was amazing. Going back and watching the tape, we were bumping into each other and flying together,” he said.
“We didn’t combine, and sometimes it’s hard when you throw guys together who don’t train a lot together.”
While the Kangaroos representatives dominated for North Ballarat, the same could not be said about the St Kilda contingent.
“It would have been nice if we had got a bit more out of the St Kilda blokes, but overall I was disappointed with the whole team,” Banfield said.
The Scorpions will seek redemption in round two when they host Box Hill, who had a bye in the opening week, at Casey Fields on Sunday at 2pm.
