By JARROD POTTER
CASEY maintained its billing as a major threat for the VFL premiership this season with a 65-point win over Sandringham.
The Zebras couldn’t adapt to the shocking conditions – a smorgasbord of windy, wet and slippery winter weather that lashed Trevor Barker Beach Oval – but it suited the Scorpions to a tee.
A reasonably even first quarter, taken marginally by seven points in favour of the Scorpions, paved the way for things to come.
Their harder bodies got to work – with Tom Couch (34 possessions) and James Magner (31 possessions) indicating their aptitude to the Melbourne top brass – slogging in the trenches for maximum gains.
Six goals ahead going into three-quarter-time, a literal and figurative flood of goals sunk Sandringham’s hopes, as Casey registered back-to-back wins to move up to third on the VFL ladder.
Continuing Melbourne’s wrong-move revolving-door selection policy, Max Gawn and Jake Spencer were impressive through the ruck and Sam Blease (two goals) also featured in the best for the Scorpions and will likely go back up to the top-flight to give some backbone to the Demons.
Casey hosts Collingwood on Saturday from 2pm – a VFL affiliate battle pre-cursor to their AFL counterparts clash on Monday for the Queen’s Birthday clash.
VFL SCOREBOARD
Sandringham 3.2 6.6 6.9 8.10 (58)
Casey Scorpions 4.3 9.6 12.10 18.15 (123)
SANDRINGHAM GOALS: T. Dennis-Lane 4, T. Lee 2, C. Michaliades, T. Curren. BEST: P. Shakallis, T. Dennis-Lane, A. Cockie, J. Saunders, S. Dunell, T. Lee.
CASEY GOALS: R. Taggert 4, M. Gawn 4, D. Nicholls 3, S. Blease 2, N. Jetta, J. Spencer, J. Hogan, J. Tynan, J. Magner.
BEST: D. Nicholls, S. Blease, J. Sellar, T. Couch, M. Gawn, R. Taggert.
