Battle of wits

By Paul Pickering and Michael Esposito
BRAD Gotch, like everyone else, is “excited” about Casey’s blockbuster clash with Williamstown at his old stomping ground of Burbank Oval this Saturday.
But not too excited.
The Scorpions coach says he has nothing to prove to the club where he spent eight successful seasons before parting ways last October.
“It’s just another game of footy,” Gotch said.
“You can’t make too much of it and totally lose focus. If we win: fantastic. If we lose: the sun will come up the next day.”
Gotch left Williamstown in bizarre circumstances, with then-Scorpions coach Peter German deciding to walk away from Casey Fields to accept the Seagulls job.
Gotch signed with Casey less than a fortnight later and now has the Scorpions in top spot ahead of Saturday’s intriguing match-up with second-placed Willy.
But the veteran VFL mentor says there are no hard feelings with his old club.
“I had a great stint there and left amicably – it was just that my time was up,” he said.
“Hopefully I’ll be welcomed back, because I’ve got some great friends there and I’m going back on really good terms.”
Nor does Gotch expect his players to resent German for accepting another offer.
“We’re not trying to make this into anything bigger than it is,” he said.
“Whether (the players) have got some sort of individual motivation, that’s up to them, because I’m not going to go fuelling those kinds of things.
“I just don’t coach that way.”
Top spot will be the major prize on offer this Saturday, but the teams will also be vying for the inaugural Star Cup, which recognises the Star News Group’s support for both clubs – and sponsorship of the Seagulls.
And with each coach’s intimate knowledge of the other’s list, it shapes as a battle of wits as much as will.
“I do know quite a few of the players, there’s no doubt about that,” Gotch said.
“Naturally, you pay a bit of interest in what goes on, because you like to keep an eye on how all the boys are going.”
German, whose side will be looking to bounce back from a four-point loss to North Ballarat on Saturday, said he is wary of the Scorpions’ slick ball-carrying and contested ball-winning attributes.
“They’re running very well, their ball movement’s been very precise and they’re going to have some big bodied players,” he said.
German alluded to the absence of Casey skipper Kyle Matthews, who is recovering from head injuries sustained after he was assaulted earlier this year.
“It’s going to be a massive game, but imagine how much better (Casey) would be with Kyle Matthews in their side, that goes through my mind, knowing him like I know him as a leader and what he adds to the team.”
Williamstown’s Lukas Markovic is expected to return after a month out with injury, but German could not confirm whether Bulldogs star Jason Akermanis would make a return.