Intense footy to the end

Joint captain of Casey Cardinia Michael Collins used his body as a battering ram and was a prime mover in the Demons’ 12-point win over the Wimmera. 99712 Picture: DAVID NAGEL

VCFL Country Championships – Wimmera v Casey Cardinia

 

By DAVID NAGEL

FIRST QUARTER
CASEY Cardinia sent silk to the opening centre bounce of the match.
Michael Collins and Justin Berry were joined by Steve O’Bryan, who set the scene early by clearing the first contest after a winning tap by Rohan Hyde.
The Demons cleared the forward 50 with Marc Holt playing deep and Jordy Andrews playing as a second focal point, otherwise it was an open forward line that greeted Beau Wheeler’s first entry for the day.
Wheeler didn’t disappoint, hitting Holt with a bullet, he duly converted and the Demons were away.
Casey looked the better team early but went into its shell through the middle stages of the term, Wimmera forward Ash Clugston was dangerous, booting two of the home-side’s first three goals while Nick Pekin was proving a handful for the CCFL defenders.
The Wimmera moved the ball with a slick efficiency while the Demons were half a step off the pace. The efforts of defenders Ben Tivendale, Daniel Zajac, Brandon Osborne, Matt Thompson, Nick Barker, Ryan Morrison and Ben King kept the Demons in touch.
Collins, Hyde and Michael Harold were superb in the first term and played key roles in goals to Holt and Andrews, who looked superior to their opponents when the ball came in quick. Dean Blake had his hands on the ball early while Paul Gramc was lively as a lead-up target.
The importance of the midfield battle, always crucial, was highlighted when ruckman Hyde went off for a rest, late in the term, and the home side kicked three red-time goals.
The Wimmera’s late surge saw them take a 16-point lead to quarter time.
Quarter time: Wimmera 7.0(42) leads Casey Cardinia 4.2(26).

Coach Jock Holland: “We relaxed and they got three late goals but it’s pretty even isn’t it. They’re rolling the dice, using their quick hands but we’re getting caught. Be sharp and don’t be scared to express yourself this quarter, we need more handball receives.”

SECOND QUARTER
ANDREWS looked right at home on the big stage and he kicked his second to give the Demons a positive start to the second quarter. Collins was like salt and pepper … in everything, and he continually put his body on the line for the cause.
A slip, and a rare turnover from the champ, was swooped upon by Josh Rentsch, but Collins more than made up for that mistake as the day unfolded.
Wimmera kicked another, courtesy of centre-half-forward Jordyn Burke, to take the margin out to 23-points and the Demons needed a lift.
Berry lit the ignition with a blistering 15-minute surge, highlighted by some brilliant clearance work, heading towards half-time.
Nick Scanlon snapped truly then Harold won a free-kick in front of goal by putting his head over the ball and the Demons were back in the contest.
Matt Lee’s desperation was infectious, while Sean Winsall, Jackson Parker and Matt Rus clawed their way into the game.
The Demons produced their best play of the half, at the 23-minute mark, when Hyde and Berry found Holt, who handballed to Troy McDermott who put the icing on the cake with a clam finish.
Harold, who was having quite an influence, kicked the last of the second quarter and the Demons had worked their way to the front by three points at the main break.
Berry’s burst was inspiring, as was Lee, while Collins, Hyde and Harold had a major impact on the first half.
Half time: Casey Cardinia 9.4(58) leads Wimmera 9.1(55).

Holland: “We spoke about handball receives and when we did that, didn’t we look a different side. The forward line functions better because we give them that one-on-one opportunity. Collo and Micky Harold, you blokes set the scene but now it’s all about will power, how much does that jumper really mean to you blokes. This is a true test of character, we need 23 committed players, it’s all set, what do you want this group to be known for?”

THIRD QUARTER
KICKING into a slight breeze in the third quarter, Holland threw Rus behind the ball and that took up most of the coaching staff’s attention at the start of the term.
Wimmera was then left with a backline floater itself, and he was having more of an influence than Rus, Holland had seen enough and reverted to a more traditional structure a short time later.
O’Bryan went deep into the forward line which sent Holt to the 50-metre arc and the big-man responded with an outstanding quarter of football.
Wimmera began fast, Burke and Phil Butsch putting two on the board inside the first nine minutes before Holt ran riot.
He out-muscled his bigger opponent for a classic one-hander, to cut the margin to six points, it brought the sun out from the clouds, but Wimmera returned in an instant, through a Burke left-foot snap.
The Demons’ defence was holding up well under pressure but were kicking to sitting ducks in the midfield. Wimmera spoiled from behind on numerous occasions as the Demons failed to hit targets.
Collins, Lee and Parker had plenty of the ball and the floodgates finally opened, starting at the 18-minute mark.
Holt took a great mark, with sure hands at the end of seemingly telescopic arms, to cut the margin to seven and then had the Wimmera crowd gasping as he outmanoeuvred three opponents to take a magnificent mark and then kick truly.
Parker then ran long and hard, providing the big-man with another great opportunity, which he duly converted to give the Demons a four-point lead at three-quarter-time. Holt sent a scare through the Demon’s camp, in particular for his Cranbourne coach Doug Koop, when he appeared to seriously hurt his ankle just before the final break.
The Casey Cardinia backline was supreme through a tumultuous middle stage of the quarter and played a huge part in the comeback.
Three quarter time: Casey Cardinia 13.6(84) leads Wimmera 12.8(80).

Holland: “We’ve shown glimpses haven’t we but this is a true test of character right now. We know their hit zones so our wings and half-backs have to get in quick and make a contest. As footballers you live for these challenges, does it really mean something to you to put this league on the map. Talk is cheap, it’s time to play some special football and put this league on the map.”

LAST QUARTER
EVERYTHING was on the line and it was Wimmera who struck first, at the two-minute mark, to take back the lead.
Collins, who had been the engine room for the Demons all day, capped an outstanding game with a 50-metre bomb, from a tight angle, to give the Demons back the lead they held at the final break.
The ball then lived in the Casey Cardinia forward line but, with Holt impeded by his ankle injury, the Demons failed to capitalise – Wheeler and King squandering golden opportunities at the six and seven minute marks and you had the feeling those misses could prove costly.
Casey Cardinia jumped to a 12-point lead after Holt converted at the 15-minute mark, but then things started to tighten, Wimmera lifted its work rate, kicking two goals to one and at the 23-minute mark, it was Casey by just three points.
Then came the turning point.
Wimmera was charging, a forward entry was spoiled by Morrison who found Tivendale on the run and the Demons were off to the races. Tivendale found McDermott at half back who spotted a loose Hyde -who somehow found the energy- in the centre of the ground. Hyde pin-pointed a pass to O’Bryan at centre-half-forward, who swatted away a tackle, ran to 40 metres out and kicked the sealer.
It was spine-tingling stuff; the Demons had left their best to last and passed a true test of character with flying colours.
To individualise is to be disrespectful to an all-round team effort but the contributions of Holt, Collins, Hyde, Harold and Lee and the composure of the back-line played major roles in the victory.
Final score: Casey Cardinia 17.11(113) d Wimmera 15.11(101).