By Nick Creely
Sometimes all it takes is one moment in a match of footy that can truly define a person.
For 20-year-old Narre Warren product Mitch Cox, that moment came in the dying moments of his VFL debut for Casey on Saturday night.
With the game on the line in a grand final rematch against Footscray – the talented midfielder – who has endured the hardships that accompany elite level football, coolly slotted a clutch goal – his first at VFL level – to seal the deal and give his side a fourth straight victory.
It was a moment that also saw Cox truly arrive on the VFL stage after battling to crack into the side for two years.
“I was lucky enough to get an opportunity, and I felt like I took it too, it was a great thrill,” he told Star News Group
“I’ve done a lot of work on goal kicking – it was good to kick a goal and everyone got around me – kicking that goal probably proved to me that I worked hard to get here and it was more of a relief to than anything.
“I didn’t feel like I was out of place in any moment of the game, probably because it’s taken me so long to get to this point – I felt like I deserved it and I felt pretty comfortably.”
It’s been a long road for Cox – he has battled with self-doubt since leaving the Dandenong Stingrays, unsure whether he had what it took to make it at VFL level.
“I actually played a game (with Casey) when I was about 17 while in the TAC Cup with the ‘Rays – but I’d call Saturday my actual debut because I didn’t really know what was going on coming from Dandenong – not many people know that, so I’ll claim this as my VFL debut,” he said.
“It was incredible (the game) – I went through a lot of ups and a lot of downs – six or seven weeks ago I was questioning whether this was really for me, and I didn’t really have my head in the right place and wasn’t really in a very good mindset, but Plappy (Justin Plapp) and Tim McGibney at the club in particular straightened me out and got me to put my head down and work hard.”
Cox said he knew what was required to finally get a crack at playing VFL senior football, and now that he has, is confident that he will continue to learn and improve as a footballer with some great names around him.
“If you don’t know the structures at VFL level you’ll be found out – I was doing a lot of things well but it was more structural things that were the issue in not being selected,” he said.
“I want to play against the best and with the best – seeing Matt Boyd as a premiership player and superstar out there on Saturday night made me want to go to him and almost learn off him as well – it was a good test to see where I was at and obviously Matty Boyd was exceptional and a crucial part of the game.
“Jimmy Munro (Casey) is also an absolute ripper – you get what you get with him – he is a tough bugger and will do everything for you – he is definitely a great role player for the club and will be one of the great VFL players I reckon.”
With his side now rolling with a 5-4 record and in seventh spot on the VFL ladder, he praised the club for its immense culture.
“I think we just took a couple of weeks to click, and the mindset at the club is great – after the game, everyone came up for a beer and that kind of thing builds teams and that’s why we are becoming so successful,” he said.
The Demons play Box Hill on Saturday as they look to make it five in a row.
