DEES CLOSE IN ON TOP FOUR by KC from Casey

[Demonland 71,629]

The Casey Demons moved into the VFL top four with a hard fought 24 point victory over ladder leader Williamstown at Casey Fields on Saturday. 

The game was a fierce battle as strong tackling and close play were the order of the day. Casey finished the game with 136 tackles, a statistic led by its smaller brigade of Jay Kennedy-Harris (19), Corey Maynard, Tomas Bugg and James Munro as the team fulfilled coach Justin Plapp's requirements by giving the Seagulls their hardest contest for the season to overturn their opening round defeat at Burbank Oval.

The win was a tribute to Plapp's coaching which has seen the team lift itself off the floor with a 1-4 start to move into premiership contention, achieving this without a team chock full of experienced AFL listers as happened last year. 

The Demons had just 10 MFC players available this week and they were again capably backed up by the mix of experience and youth among their VFL listed players. Munro with 24 disposals was outstanding, skipper Jack Hutchins was steady in defence and Ed Morris (20 touches) was a busy and effective member of the Demons' small brigade.

All eyes were on Jack Watts in his second match since he was dropped from the Melbourne team. Watts opened brightly when he marked 25 metres out and kicked the first goal of the game. He played well picking up 20 possessions and 12 marks and even provided a  handout against the prolific Nick Meese in the ruck. Watts was placed on report for charging a Williamstown opponent at a marking contest. My observation is that he collided marginally late with minimal force and that the charge should be thrown out.

http://m.afl.com.au/video/2017-08-19/jack-watts-reported-in-the-vfl

The visitors were in control of the game for most of the first half. They led by eight points at the first break and held that lead until deep in the second term before Bayley Fritsch's goal at the 28 minute mark was immediately followed by another to Morris. A further major to Kennedy-Harris just before half time found the Demons taking a 12-point lead into the long break.

It was more of the same during a dour third quarter with Casey maintaining its distance and recording two late goals to push the lead to 22 points at three quarter time before it saw off a brief Willi revival to run home a comfortable winner. The Demons remain undefeated at home for the 2017 season.

Kennedy-Harris had an outstanding game and the controversial Bugg also relished the conditions after serving a six match suspension incurred against the Sydney Swans for an equal game high record of 24 disposals.

The Demons could finish the round as high as third on the ladder depending on the outcome of today's game between Box Hill and Port Melbourne.

Peter Jackson VFL 2017

Casey Demons 2.3.15 6.6.42 9.7.61 11.12.78

Williamstown 3.4.23 4.6.30 5.9.39 7.12.54 

Goals 

Casey Demons Hulett 2 Ferreira Fritsch Kennedy-Harris Maynard Morris Scott Watts Weideman Zijai 

Williamstown Schultz 2 Cavarra Chisari Condon  Dorgan Kempster

Best

Casey Demons Munro Morris Watts Bugg Frost Kennedy-Harris

Williamstown Sing Schultz Tippett Meese Bewley Dorgan

Statistics 

Tomas Bugg 2 behinds 15 kicks 9 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 12 tackles 114 dream team points 
Sam Frost 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 46 dream team points
Liam Hulett 2 goals 1 behind 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 4 tackles 46 dream team points
Declan Keilty 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 7 tackles 47 dream team points 
Jay Kennedy-Harris 1 goal 2 behinds 13 kicks 9 handballs 22 disposals 4 marks 19 tackles 155 dream team points
Mitch King 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 22 hit outs 62 dream team points
Corey Maynard 1 goal 9 kicks 11 handballs 20 disposals 1 marks 13 tackles 108 dream team points
Jack Trengove 15 kicks 3 handballs 18 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 90 dream team points 
Jack Watts 1 goal 13  kicks 7 handballs 20 disposals 12 marks 3 tackles 2 hit outs 103 dream team points
Sam Weideman 1 goal 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 6 hit outs 75 dream team points

The Casey Development League team sits in second position after enjoying a picnic against Williamstown, kicking nine unanswered final quarter goals to run out winners by 123 points in a game where 18 players were among the goals.

AFL Vic Development League 2017

Casey Demons 4.3.27 9.7.61 14.13.97 23.21.159

Williamstown 2.3.15 4.5.29 5.5.35 5.6.36

Goals

Casey Demons D Collis Cox  Foote Gardiner Machaya 2 Allsop Ambler Baker Briggs Byers Cottee Di Pasquale Dwyer Freeman Dam Johnston Lewis-Smith Moncrieff Vander Haar

Williamstown Ebinger Wilkinson 2 Carr 

Best 

Casey Demons Briggs Johnston Cox Collis Byers Dwyer

Williamstown Owen Wilkinson McMahon Carter Buykx-Smith Minogue