Scorpions look to new season

By Marc McGowan
SEVEN victories in eight matches midway through the VFL season had the Casey Scorpions on track to be a big player come finals’ time.
But the year ultimately ended the same way it began – with a demoralising 100-plus-point defeat in an elimination final.
The young Scorpions had few grand expectations in Peter German’s first season at the helm, so their sixth-placed position, in hindsight, was a great result.
German’s performance was even recognised with coach-of-the-year honours, but that will be of little comfort to him after overseeing his side’s demise late in the season.
The 44-year-old also missed out on North Melbourne’s top job despite impressive credentials as a multiple premiership-winning coach who has consistently got the most out of his players.
Casey officials’ relationship with first-year AFL partner Melbourne also soured in the last two months as fewer and fewer players were made available for VFL selection.
The issue came to a crescendo in the elimination final when Shane Valenti, Michael Newton and Trent Zomer were the AFL club’s only representatives.
German is already working on a plan if the situation arises again next year.
“Hopefully our Casey list of 45 is going to be far stronger and have greater depth next year,” he said.
“If we can improve that again then if we find ourselves in a situation like we did this year with (only) three, four or five Melbourne players we can probably stand up better than we did this year and hopefully even find ourselves in the top four.
“But there’s still a lot of hard work to do before we even start thinking about next year.”
Usual suspects James Wall, skipper Kyle Matthews, Alex Silvagni and, to a lesser extent, Evan Panozza led from the front, but found willing allies in newcomers Peter Faulks, Michael Stockdale and Ben MacReadie.
Wall was named in the VFL team of the year for the second straight season, while Silvagni made it for the first time in the back pocket.
Faulks became the Scorpions’ top defender by year’s end, but German amazingly had to fight to keep his fellow Oak Park junior in the seniors early on as he struggled with the transition to the VFL.
MacReadie had an interesting rookie VFL season.
The former Rosedale midfielder started well, but form slumps resulted in German dropping him to the reserves twice for a combined three weeks.
But MacReadie’s return to the senior line-up in round 14 was the start of a rich vein of form that saw him named Casey’s best player in three of the last five weeks of the home-and-away season.
He also attracted maximum votes from the umpires in rounds 19 and 20 to finish in equal 10th place in the J. J. Liston Trophy on Monday night.
Valenti and Matthews were the Scorpions’ next-highest vote-catchers in the league best-and-fairest count.
Versatile ruckman Tim Mohr was another to impress.
His role became vitally important down the stretch when Demons-listed big men Paul Johnson, Jake Spencer and Mark Jamar, who all played for Casey at some stage, were unavailable.
German has identified his ruck division as an area that needs improving and is on the lookout for a developing young big man.
Teenager Gippsland Power product Chris Wylie may fit the bill after pulling on the boots for the Scorpions in round 15 through the innovative 23rd man rule.
German is also hoping for internal improvement from his younger players and listed stocky onballer James Blaser as one who has “outstanding talent” and is “capable of anything”.
Athletic forward Matt Moore will also be hoping for a change of luck in his second VFL season next year.
He struggled with a back-related hamstring injury in his first few months at Casey before a knee problem prematurely ended his season after just four senior matches.
German believes he has the potential to kick upwards of 50 goals in a year if he can remain on the park.
The likes of Faulks and Matthews have attracted recruiters’ attention this year and may find themselves on an AFL list come November.
German said there is likely to be a 20-player turnover between seasons and that club officials will target “one or two” de-listed AFL players.
But he said the key would be the current players’ desire to improve and a strong work ethic on the training track.
“My respect of the playing group is very high, but it’s what they’re prepared to do over a three or four-year period and how much they’re prepared to commit themselves,” German said.
“That is when you truly earn the respect of not only the coach, but the football public.”