OVERPOWERED by KC from Casey

The Casey Demons missed out on the minor premiership when they were overpowered after half time by Williamstown to go down by 29 points in the last game of the VFL regular season at Casey Fields on Saturday. The injury-depleted Demons have limped through their last two games after 12 wins in a row and only managed to keep the right to a home final after a come-from-behind victory saw the Box Hill Hawks upset Geelong’s VFL side at City Oval Box Hill.

The sun shone and the air was crisp with signs of an early coming of spring as the home side relished the conditions and dominated the early going scoring three of the game’s opening four goals. Cam Pederson was on fire booting the first two and Jeff Garlett shrugged of the criticism of his recent lethargic performances with a great chase, running down an opponent and converting to give his team a 13 point lead deep into the opening term. The Demons should have been further in front at this stage with Pedersen, Tim Smith and Declan Keilty winning handsomely in the air and the Wagner brothers mopping up the ball at ground level. A late goal to the Seagulls gave them a glimmer of hope as the scoreboard which showed them 7 points in arrears at the main break really flattered them.

Tim Smith, who has been off target in recent times, finally found the target with a snap on goal but the dogged Williamstown runners suddenly found their feet to pile on three quick goals to grab the lead. Garlett struck a purple patch and responded with two of his trademark opportunist goals and an arm wrestle followed that saw the visitors benefit from some lucky umpiring decisions to take a one point lead into half time.

With the game evenly poised in the early stages of the third quarter, the Seagull runners gradually got on top and took control of the midfield with the result that they broke through for three goals to take a grip on the game. They were helped by some questionable umpiring decisions that frustrated the Demons and, despite a goal to Goy Lok against the run of play, they looked beaten at three quarter time when another goal on the siren restored a 20 point lead in favour of the visitors who then booted four in quick succession to nail the game.

The Demons were definitely feeling the effects of a long list of injuries at Melbourne and lacked the depth necessary to hold sway over a top line an in-form opposition but notwithstanding, the efforts of their leading VFL listed players like Jay Lockhart, Corey Wagner and, to a lesser extent Jimmy Munro, were outstanding while youngsters Cory Stockdale and Tom Freeman (in his second game) were also impressive. Demon listed players Dion Johnstone and Pat McKenna showed some good signs playing their best football at the club so far.

The Casey Demons move on to the qualifying final at Casey Fields against Geelong VFL next Saturday and should be strengthened by the return to the fold of a few eligible Melbourne players during the AFL bye weekend.

Peter Jackson VFL 2018

Casey Demons 3.3.21 7.4.46 8.8.56 12.13.85

Williamstown   2.2.14 7.5.47 11.10.76 17.12.114 

Goals 

Casey Demons Garlett 4 Pedersen 3 Hutchins 2 Lockhart Lok T Smith  

Williamstown Rodda 4 Cavarra 3 Dunell George Gibbons Thorpe 2 Norton  Schultz 

Best

Casey Demons Lockhart Garlett C Wagner Johnstone Pedersen Freeman

Williamstown Gibbons Bewley Cavarra Meese Rodda Masters

Statistics 

Jaxon Briggs  5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 20 dream team points
Wayne Collis 2 kicks 2 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 24 dream team points
Tom Freeman 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 35 dream team points
Jeffrey Garlett 4 goals 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 90 dream team points
Mitch Gent 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 42 dream team points
Jack Hutchins 2 goals 10 kicks 2 handballs 12 disposals 5 marks 55 dream team points   
Dion Johnstone 1 behind 18 kicks 2 handballs 20 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 79 dream team points
Declan Keilty 7 kicks 7 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points
Mitch King 1 kicks 6 handballs 7 disposals 3 tackles 17 hit outs 41 dream team points
Mykelti Lefau 1 behind 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 2 hit outs 38 dream team points
Jay Lockhart 1 goal 3 behinds 15 kicks 8 handballs 23 disposals 6 marks 8 tackles 121 dream team points 
Goy Lok 1 goal 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 47 dream team points
Pat McKenna 1 behind 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 73 dream team point
Cory Machaya kicks handballs disposals marks tackles dream team points
James Munro 1 behind 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 marks 7 tackles 56 dream team points 
Cameron Pedersen 3 goals 1 behind 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 7 hit outs 105 dream team points
Harry Petty 4 kicks 3 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks  1 tackles 26 dream team points
Angus Scott 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 20 dream team points
Tim Smith 1 goal 1 behind 7 kicks 1 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 4 hit outs 56 dream team points
Cory Stockdale 1 behind 8 kicks 10 handballs 18 disposals 4 marks 9 tackles 94 dream team points
Corey Wagner 2 behinds 10 kicks 11 handballs 21 disposals 2 marks 8 tackles 91 dream team points
Josh Wagner 15 kicks 9 handballs 24 disposals 2  marks 11 tackles 110 dream team points
Mitch White 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 75 dream team points