Team not resting on their laurels

By Marc McGowan
THERE is no doubt that the Casey Scorpions will already regard the 2008 VFL season as a successful year.
Twelve wins, fifth spot and the respect of every rival on the eve of the first weekend of finals action is a good return.
The Scorpions have also silenced the pre-season doubters, who predicted doom and gloom after champions Steve Harrison and Nigel Carmody left the club.
Coach Greg Hutchison has done a fantastic job.
Hutchison’s first assignment was to unify a shell-shocked group in the aftermath of former coach Peter Banfield’s resignation.
Tick.
His second was to transform a side that had made the finals for the first time in four years, but had lost key players Harrison, Carmody and Troy Makepeace.
Tick.
The players voted in Kyle Matthews as captain, and Hutchison reinvented the likes of Alex Silvagni, Chris Dunne and James Taylor, who have become pivotal members of the senior squad.
Delisted Saint James Wall also chose to stay and has produced a stunning season, which was recognised with state selection during the year.
The St Kilda players have also stood tall, with Matthew Ferguson, Ben McEvoy, Michael Rix, Jarryd Allen, David Armitage and Jack Steven enjoying impressive seasons at VFL level.
The challenge now is for the players not to rest on their laurels.
The Scorpions were unlucky not to claim a top-four position, but – at their best – this should not be a major hindrance.
Casey should easily account for the eighth-placed Carlton-aligned Northern Bullants at Casey Fields on Sunday.
After that the task becomes far more difficult.
The loser of Port Melbourne and Werribee awaits in the second week, and the Scorpions failed to defeat either club in the home-and-away season.
It is all well and good for Casey to have surpassed pre-season expectations, but an underwhelming finals campaign will put a serious dampener on what has otherwise been a positive year.