Justin Isaac takes a hotly contested mark in front of two opposition players recently. Picture: Meagan RogersBy Glen Atwell
But the Pirates were inspired and thrashed the Doveton Eagles by 120 points at Power Reserve on Saturday.
Casset, nursing a finger injury, was sidelined while McDonald rested a slight hamstring strain.
Despite missing two stellar players, the Pirates proved their impressive depth with contributions from players in all positions.
The Eagles kicked the first score of the day, a point, but it proved to be as close as Doveton would come to victory.
When Eagles coach Paul Davis limped from the field with a hamstring injury late in the first term, the going became stormy.
The swashbuckling Pirates cruised to a 33-point lead at quarter-time and when the lead was extended to 51 points at half-time the captain could have switched off the seatbelt light.
But Parkmore assistant coach Gary Connolly demanded a turbulent second half and a 10-goal final quarter brought a smile to his face.
Forward Kevin McLean starred in the absence of Casset. McLean booted seven goals and proved a headache for the Eagles’ defenders.
McLean had only one goal at three-quarter time and, after words with Connolly at the huddle, slammed home six straight in the last term.
Andrew McArthur and Emad Nassrallah kicked four goals each for the Pirates.
Nassrallah was promoted from the reserves and impressed the Parkmore coaching staff.
Eagles goalkicker Stephen Wright, who has booted 23 this season, was well held by Pirates full-back Terry McKinley.
McKinley, rarely beaten by opposition forwards, is without doubt the unsung hero of the Parkmore lineup.
Ali Dara, Todd Humphries and Adam Charles were the shining lights for the Eagles.
Connolly said he was particularly impressed with the way the Pirates finished the game.
“We weren’t overly impressive all day, it was good to come home strongly and see McLean kick some goals,” he said.
“We’ve got four players to come back in, it’s going to be a tough job working out who’s in and out over the next couple of weeks.”
Eagles coach Davis said he was mostly happy with the side’s performance.
“We started competitively then just fell away, it was disappointing but Parkmore are a good side,” he said.
Davis said it was the first time he had suffered a hamstring injury.
“I’ve never done one before, it felt like a cramp and is pretty sore,” he said.
Davis said the Queen’s Birthday break would give him and a number of players the chance to recover from injury.
“We’re hoping to get Tobin and Gary D’Amelio back and I should be right for the game against Cerberus,” he said.
