The Northern Blues will be looking for a similar result to the last time they hit the road when they travel to face the Casey Scorpions on Sunday.

After two consecutive narrow home defeats, the Blues will head to Casey Fields this weekend looking to add to their current 1-3 record, but will have to do so against a difficult opposition.

The Scorpions have been one of the early movers in the VFL competition, sitting in second spot after four rounds with a 44-point loss to Williamstown their only blemish in 2016. 

Northern will welcome back some much-needed AFL quality to their line-up this weekend, after having just nine Carlton players after quarter-time in the nine-point loss to Collingwood.

Blaine Boekhorst, Dylan Buckley, Nick Graham, Clem Smith and Jason Tutt all come into the side, while Michael Jamison is effectively an inclusion after lasting just 15 minutes last week before suffering a nasty concussion. 

Billy Gowers may also make his return, featuring on the extended bench with other inclusions Chris McCabe and potential debutant Bailey Jordan. 

Click here to see the Northern Blues' squad for Round 4

The Scorpions will have a number of Melbourne-listed players at their disposal, with Lynden Dunn and the returning Chris Dawes making their way into the team which defeated Essendon by 17 points.

Jack Trengove will again front up for Casey, as will Jack Grimes and last year’s No.9 draft pick Sam Weideman: however, Angus Brayshaw (concussion) and Clayton Oliver (AFL selection) will miss. 

Josh Fraser’s side will be looking to deliver a four-quarter performance which has so far been lacking in 2016, and has been a deciding factor in the heartbreaking losses of the last fortnight.

The Blues were unable to negotiate a decisive breeze last weekend, and - with similar conditions expected at Casey Fields on Sunday - will need to rectify that if they are to come away with their second win of the season. 

Daniel Gorringe, Kristian Jaksch and Northern Blues-listed forward Ben Casley will again provide the focal points in attack, while Graham is joined by Dillon Viojo-Rainbow and in-form captain Tom Wilson in the middle.

Jaksch - who is equal fifth in the VFL goalkicking table - will be looking to cement a role up forward after being swung back to cover the loss of veteran defender Jamison last week. 

Jamison will have a big role to play in his third consecutive week at VFL level alongside Kieran McGuinness and Jayden Foster, with Casey having the most prolific attack in the competition (No.1 for points scored).

Weideman has been Casey’s biggest goalkicker with nine from the opening four rounds, but it’s the Scorpions' spread across the board (No.1 for individual goalkickers in the VFL) which has seen them score so prolifically in the opening rounds.

MATCH DETAILS
VFL Round 5
Casey Scorpions vs. Northern Blues
Casey Fields
2pm, Sunday May 8
Adults $10, Concession $5, Kids under 15 free
Northern Blues members - half price

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Blaine Boekhorst: The smooth-moving speedster from Carlton has been named to play his first game of any kind in the last month, after injuring his hamstring after the Round 3 AFL clash against Gold Coast. In a team which has lacked an ability to break the lines in recent weeks, the inclusions of fit-again Boekhorst and Jason Tutt could offer the Blues a vital outlet between the arcs on what looms to be difficult conditions in Cranbourne.

Nick Graham: Once a permanent fixture of the Northern Blues midfield, Graham will play his first VFL game in nearly 12 months on the weekend. Facing a side which Northern haven’t defeated since 2012, Graham will play a big role at the coalface against a team which has lost the likes of Angus Brayshaw, Clayton Oliver, Viv Michie and Billy Stretch from last week. 

Ben Casley: His side’s most dangerous forward in his Northern Blues debut last week, Casley will be hoping he has his kicking boots on after managing just the two goals from seven scoring shots last week. However, Casley will be heartened by his ability to find the footy last week (six inside-50 marks) and he was one of the Development side’s best players when they beat the Scorpions just three weeks ago at Casey Fields.