VFL 1st Qualifying Final - Williamstown v Casey Demons

[DemonOX 8,530]

2 hours ago, Demon77 said:

Thanks for all your efforts guys.

Back to the Lever thread now to lift the mood.

U r a good poster 77. Glad u have joined demonland. 

[DemonOX 8,530]

3 hours ago, praha said:

Wow what a breakdown.

Wow r u surprised Praha???

[1964nowMORE 448]

Those best players I'd agree with. Kennedy did some good things also. Trengove was solid. Weid very little influence, Fritsch was clearly go to forward. Bugg and Spencer no impact. King better than Spencil but both beaten by a journey man at least 15cm shorter.

wagner and JKH had almost games. Stretch did some good things.

id be surprised if Hulett on the list next year. Expect King to be.

and once again Fritsch is a gun.

[DemonOX 8,530]

I am so sic of missing finals. It really [censored] me off. 

I really hope we sort this [censored] out cause it r really sucks. 

Get ur [censored] together MFC the it's time to turn this around. 

[Drunkn167 5,093]

12 minutes ago, DemonOX said:

I am so sic of missing finals. It really [censored] me off. 

I really hope we sort this [censored] out cause it r really sucks. 

Get ur [censored] together MFC the it's time to turn this around. 

Dude this is a thread to talk about today's game, get this toxic rubbish out of here

[Willmoy1947 3,778]

Any results on development squad please and Van der Haar, Gordon and  Lovett

[DemonDave 1,078]

A disappointing day for Casey today, with a sense of dee-ja vu.

From sitting in the new grandstand for the first time at this ground, it was hard to determine whether or not the wind was favoring any end in the first quarter, but the next 3 quarters emphatically answered that question. Goals kicked to the grandstand end after qtr time were 21 to just 3 up the scoreboard end.

From the opening bounce, the die was set as Nick Meese, all (alleged) 105 kilos of him, stood his ground like the human tree that he is, Spencer seemed more concerned with his opponents positioning than actually winning the ball, and the hosts cleared the ball out of the middle thanks to an uncontested tap from Groot. This sequence was repeated 4 more times in the first 7 minutes, and the day didn't get any better for free agent Jake. It's one of the worst performances I've seem him put in.  So much so that Mitch King, who started deep forward in a tall setup alongside Weideman and Fritsch, ended up spending the majority of the rest of the game as first ruck.  Another interesting, but not unprecedented in recent weeks, move was starting Wagner on ball.  

Losing the important Jimmy Munro to what i can only assume was concussion after backing selflessly into a huge pack from a kick in didn't help our cause in the first quarter either. The ball spent most of the quarter in Willys forward line, as their mids were getting the ball quickly to boot out of the middle, and their half backs were working hard to constantly repel our backline clearances.

We were probably lucky to be as close as we were at the first break, but no-one was prepared for the second quarter onslaught that followed. Willy sparked immediately playing long direct forward entries that had our usually reliable captain Hutchins scrambling at shadows, Dyl Collis caught outsized in marking contests and Willy forwards using their knowledge of the grounds wind quirks to kick goals from all angles. We got some respite eventually hitting the scoreboard late in the qtr with 2 goals, one a beautifully curved kick from Fritsch from a set shot. 

The 3rd quarter saw the roles reversed, all of a sudden Brayshaw was in everything, and was ably supported by Kennedy and Kennedy-Harris. Fritsch's 3rd quarter was sublime, he was playing in front ready for a quick kick out of the centre, and a short time later playing from behind outsmarted 2 defenders taking a mark he had no right to.  The coach swung Kielty  forward as well to push home the advantage, he had a very good qtr at both ends. Angus Scott popped up as he so often does to be in the right place at the right time toslot a couple, and a long range bomb on the run from Kennedy topped off an astounding comeback qtr. 

The last started perfectly with Casey hitting the lead with the first goal of the qtr, but that was to be it. All of a sudden the seagulls pressure around the packs lifted, and the goal onslaught began to mirror the 2nd term.  3 free kicks for ruck infringements to the home side inside their forward 50 resulted in 2.1, they were diabolical decisions that had me completely baffled as to how the ruck rules are interpreted. As the skys and my mood darkened, the siren thankfully brought things to a close. I must also add that Williamstown have seemingly the most inept scoreboard operator going around.  They completely missed a Willy goal in the 2nd qtr onslaught, then missed a point of theirs in the 3rd qtr, so it appeared scores were even whereas in reality the home side still had the slenderest of margins. 

Without being privvy to the stats, here's my thoughts on mfc players:

15 Stretch- Tried hard, but found himself running sideways rather than forwards trying to find space to get his kicks away when in possession. Just a game in the end.

26 Weideman-  I'm getting sick of Plapps match reports saying that the conditions weren't conducive to Sam's game, I've seen it many times this year.  The fact is Fritsch found a way to get on the end of leads and affect many many more contests than Weideman managed to. And just like in the afl, when he found himself clunking one and having a set shot on goal he fluffed it.  A wasted stuttering  development year. 

34 King- Thrust into the majority of the centre bounce work due to Spencils failings, i thought he battled manfully but was ultimately beaten.  There's plenty to work with here for the future though, he looks like a future ruckman. Obviously needs to put on several kilos and develop his core strength as he had the chance to  take a couple of big pack marks today but couldn't quite hold them.  

37 Johnstone -Is a bit harder at the ball than i realised, didn't ultimately have much of it or any discernible impact on the game, but definitely making incremental improvements in his game. 

42 Wagner - a surprising start onball didn't ultimately last, he did get a fair bit of it early but his disposal ultimately let him down time and time again.  Whether that be an errant kick or a slow looped handball that pressured the recipient, he was his own worst enemy today. 

45 Kielty- started slowly but got better as the game went on, taking several crucial intercepting marks. In our best half dozen. 

48 Maynard- battled well, albeit a lot of his possessions are in heavy traffic a la Oliver so can go unnoticed.  Also pushed forward well to have a few shots on goal.  

54 Trengove - played off half back most of the game,  was ok.  even at this level now his possessions look slow, and a couple of his clearances  went out on the full.  What can't be disputed is his tackling which was outstanding and his leadership.  He pulled all the defenders into a huddle during the 2nd qtr goal spree and tried valiantly to get them to structure up better. 

55 Hulett- when i look at stats from his games this year I'm amazed at how little of the ball he has. Today was no different I'd be amazed if he had more than 5 possessions all day.  He did lay 2 nice tackles in the 1st qtr once he came off the bench, but that's it.  Will be lucky to his spot next week. Delisting looms. 

57 Kennedy-Harris- I didn't mind his game, was good in the 2nd/3rd qtrs particularly.  His workrate and 2nd efforts have definitely improved this year. 

59 Spencer- Possibly the worst game I've seen Jake play.. Banished to full forward/ bench/ relieving King for the last 3 qtrs after his embarrassing opening term. 

64 Brayshaw - easily our best today, started off half back, but soon swapped with Wagner and found himself the catalyst for all of our good chains of play.  Wether in an under or on the outside, his football smarts, composure and balance stood out for the last 3 quarters.  Will be interesting to see if tigers tag him next week. 

69 Kennedy- played well after a slow start but wasn't alone there.  His ability to get in and extract the footy, as well as find space on the outside meant his workrate was rewarded with plenty of touches.  An atypical 2017 vintage BenKen game. 

83 Bugg- If Spencer wasn't out there today, he'd be my choice as the most disappointing player of the day. Played I  the same wing for the whole game, but was rarely sighted.  Not sure if he was being tagged, it's rare to see him have this little impact at vfl level where he usually dominates.

Special mention goes to Bailey Fritsch. I know I'm not Robinson Crusoe here in pointing this out, but this kid is seriously talented and could play afl round 1 next year.  Listed at 189cm and only 81kg, he somehow plays taller than his thin physique would seemingly allow. He effectively plays as a key forward, yet it's also unmistakable his resemblance to Robbie Flower. Not only does he wear #2 and is a left footer, it's his ability to snake his skinny body through traffic or to outbody an opponent that makes him such a hard matchup. A lay down misere to be drafted. 

Bring on the tigers!

[Coq au vin 754]

Weideman is looking more and more like a spud who should go to Collingwood.

[david_neitz_is_my_dad 3,927]

13 minutes ago, Diamond said:

Weideman is looking more and more like a spud who should go to Collingwood.

No doubt if he did he would turn it on and win some colemans we just can't win

[KC from Casey 6,516]

The attention turns to the Development League where the Demons lead 2.2.14 to Port Melbourne 1.1.7 in the opening term.

[Wadda We Sing 10,685]

18 hours ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That is exactly what Lewis said about last Saturday's pre game mood vs Pies!

Mood must be contagious!

Did he. Wow ....im sorry but i really dont get it? How can a whole or big part of an afl team turn up in a bad mood? before a game that weve waited for for 10 years??........crap. Maybe we just pay them too much.

[KC from Casey 6,516]

Dees hold a 9 point lead 10 minutes into the second quarter. 

[SFebes 4,692]

Nobody has cared for the Dev League all year so why start now, keep up the good work those KC.

[pitmaster 3,063]

10 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Did he. Wow ....im sorry but i really dont get it? How can a whole or big part of an afl team turn up in a bad mood? before a game that weve waited for for 10 years??........crap. Maybe we just pay them too much.

What he actually said was that the rooms were very quiet pre-game.

[KC from Casey 6,516]

Scores level at 3.5.23 each, 20 minutes into the second quarter.

[KC from Casey 6,516]

A late goal to Vander Haar and Casey leads at half time 4.6.30 to Port 3.5.23.

Goals Baker Cottee Gardiner Vander Haar

[KC from Casey 6,516]

Halfway through the third, Casey lead by 8 points. Vander Haar has 2.

[KC from Casey 6,516]

At 3QT it's a wasteful Casey on 5.11.41 leading Port 4.8.32.

[KC from Casey 6,516]

Port Melbourne, with the advantage of a slight breeze, kicked the first goal of the final term but the Demons have put in a withering burst of four goals to blow the Borough off the park. 60 - 38.

[KC from Casey 6,516]

Vander Haar's third just before the final siren put the seal on the victory. The Demons are on their way to what will be the last VFL Development League grand final.

AFL Vic Development League 2017

Casey Demons 2.2.14 4.6.30 5.11.41 9.14.68

Port Melbourne 1.2.8 3.5.23 4.8.32 5.13.43

Goals

Casey Demons  Vander Haar 3 Gardiner 2 Baker Cottee Cox Freeman 

[Coq au vin 754]

Any players look like developing into AFL players?

[chook fowler 18,243]

I am so over Spencer. His performance in the grand final last year was disgraceful and more of the same yesterday. Hope this is the last year he's on the list.

[Redleg 37,601]

4 minutes ago, chook fowler said:

I am so over Spencer. His performance in the grand final last year was disgraceful and more of the same yesterday. Hope this is the last year he's on the list.

At 203 cms and 105 kgs, the same weight as Meese, who is 197cms at best, you would think Spencer would have been able to compete, yet again for the second year running in finals, as Chook said, he was terrible.

I think if someone wants him you let him go and develop King and Flip. We can use Pedo, Tom Mac and Watts in the short term as backup.

[Demonland 64,937]

ARGUING THE TOSS by KC from Casey 

The defining act of the VFL qualifying final between the Casey Demons and Williamstown at Burbank Oval may well have been the toss of the coin before the start of the game. 

Point Gellibrand has a reputation for strong winds and when Seagull skipper Ben Jolley won the toss, he elected to kick against the end that looked to be favoured by a breeze that was likely to be tricky for a visiting team with limited local knowledge ... and so it turned out.

The first goal of the game went to Williamstown's Adam Marcon only a few minutes into the game and, for the next fifteen minutes, the visitors were all at sea as the Seagulls dominated the ruck duels and defended brilliantly into the cross breeze that barely favoured the Demons.

The Casey boys eventually broke through for a goal to Tom Bugg to briefly take the lead by the narrowest of margins but they were set back by the ears with two quick goals from the opposition. A chain of handballs ending with a goal to Ed Morris left them five points down at the first break but they were clearly in trouble as the wind was stiffening to the advantage of Williamstown's end by the start of the second term. 

To make matters worse for the Demons, James Munro was off the ground with a back injury and was not destined to reappear. Munro has produced some great stopping efforts in past games and his presence would have been handy against the likes of former St Kilda listed players in Sippos and Dunnell who kicked ended up scoring nine goals between them for the day.

A determined Williamstown was into overdrive from the start of the second term. Its players attacked the ball, kicked long and scored seven unanswered goals in the span of twenty minutes to have Casey reeling and in arrears by 49 points  To their credit, the Demons lifted late in the term to dig in and kick two goals from Bayley Fritsch and Corey Maynard but they still looking decidedly sick as they faced a six goal deficit at half time.

The Demons came out of the sheds after the break and with a howling wind at their backs, the goal kicking prowess of left footer Fritsch and Angus Scott and the strong play of Angus Brayshaw and Corey Maynard allowed them to peg the lead back to a solitary point at the end of the third quarter. 

Things got even better when Scott's snap early in the last found its mark and the Demons had completed a magnificent turnaround with nine unanswered goals to take a five point lead. 

This raised visions of their recent come-from-behind win against a strong wind at Sandringham but this time, a dominant Williamstown ruckman in Meese and some goal kicking heroics from a couple of former Saints and some dubious decisions in the ruck allowed the home side take advantage of the conditions with another long string of unanswered goals that saw them into a preliminary final in a fortnight's time.

The wiry Fritsch's performances throughout the season and particularly in recent weeks should have him high up in the thoughts of the AFL recruiters.  Brayshaw and Billy Stretch were the best of the Demon listed players and were well backed up by Ben Kennedy, the ever-reliable Jack Trengove and defenders Declan Keilty (who also had a stint up forward) and Josh Wagner. 

Casey live to fight again in next week's semi final against Richmond to be played at Port Melbourne but will have to do better to remain in the premiership hunt.

Peter Jackson VFL 2017

Casey Demons 2.2.14 4.3.27 10.6.66 11.7.73

Williamstown 3.1.19 10.3.63 10.7.67 18.10.118

Goals

Casey Demons Fritsch 4 Scott 3 Bugg   Kennedy  Maynard Morris

Williamstown Siposs 5 Dunell 4 Meese Schultz 2  Bewley  Cavarra Cordy Marcon Masters 

Best

Casey Demons Fritsch Brayshaw Keilty Maynard Stretch Scott

Williamstown Siposs Schultz Meese Myers Dunell Currie

Statistics

Angus Brayshaw 19 kicks 17 handballs 36 disposals 4 marks 6 tackles 125 dream team points
Tomas Bugg 1 goal 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 7 tackles 66 dream team points 
Liam Hulett 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 4 tackles 25 dream team points 
Dion Johnstone 1 behind 8 kicks 8 handballs 16 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 59 dream team points 
Declan Keilty 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 37 dream team points 
Ben Kennedy 1 goal 12 kicks 7 handballs 19 disposals 5 tackles 79 dream team points
Jay Kennedy-Harris 6 kicks 8 handballs 14  disposals 4 marks 7 tackles 71 dream team points
Mitch King 2 kicks 7 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 18 hit outs 45 dream team points
Corey Maynard 1 goal 13 kicks 10 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 104 dream team points
Jake Spencer 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 28 hit outs 56 dream team points 
Billy Stretch 18 kicks 11handballs 29 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 105 dream team points 
Jack Trengove 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 58 dream team points 
Josh Wagner 11 kicks 12 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 7 tackles 89 dream team points 
Sam Weideman 1 behind 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 1 tackles 28 dream team points

The Development League team overcame a spirited Port Melbourne to win its semi final and will play off in the competition's last grand final in a fortnight's time..

AFL Vic Development League 2017

Casey Demons 2.2.14 4.6.30 5.11.41 9.14.68

Port Melbourne 1.2.8 3.5.23 4.8.32 5.13.43 

Goals

Casey Demons Vander Haar 3 Gardiner 2 Baker Cottee Cox Freeman 

Port Melbourne Wooffindin 2 Gleeson  Hogan  Michael 

Best

Casey Demons Dwyer Dam Johnston Gordon Byers Vander Haar Cox

Port Melbourne Gordon Waddell Wooffindin Iaccarino Cunningham Dove

[wizardinoz 2,015]

What's our chances of drafting Fritsch?