STARTING OVER by KC from Casey

The Casey Demons made a successful return to the playing field with a 51 point away from home victory over the Box Hill Hawks.

The visitors were starting over after a hiatus of almost 20 months and fielded a strong team of 14 AFL listed players against an undermanned opponent. And they showed from the first bounce that they were out to make up for lost time with an aggressive opening that saw them off to 21 point lead at the first break with thanks to a dominant midfield and two key forwards in Ben Brown and Sam Weideman with livewire small forward Toby Bedford abuzz at their feet.

The Demons continued at this elevated level through the second term piling on another five goals with Aaron vandenBerg and Joel Smith standing out and Weideman putting on a clinic in front of goal. The half time lead of 33 points was doubled to 66 by the final break with Weideman’s goal tally going to five on the way to seven. They eased off in the last and conceded five goals to the Hawks (to three of their own) but it was pretty much a day of total dominance by the Demons.

Bedford was quieter after half time but Kade Chandler took over the role of the team’s brilliant small man and finished with 24 touches. Neville Jetta showed that he is by no means cooked collecting 25 possessions. Defender Jay Lockhart was also busy and workmanlike underlining the club’s depth in a variety of positions.

Young supplemental lister Deakyn Smith also showed promise in his first game after being recruited just over a month ago. Jake Bowey and Fraser Rosman are young draftees who also look to be future prospects. Big men Majak Daw and Aaron Bradtke were overshadowed in the ruck.

The main dampener for Casey was that Joel Smith who was coming off some long stints on the sidelines and was playing strongly, appeared to have suffered a nasty knee injury in the latter part of the game.

Casey’s old stagers Jimmy Munro, Mitch White and Jack Hutchins all worked hard for the victory while young players in Luca Goonan, George Grey and last minute replacement Ryan Sparkes who slotted through a nice goal and looks a likely prospect at this level.

The Demons have a tough challenge for their second match of the season with an encounter against Richmond at the Swinburne Centre in Punt Road as a virtual curtain raiser to the Anzac Eve blockbuster later in the evening. With a 16 game roster and 22 teams, every post has to be a winner.

2021 VFL Mens

Casey Demons 5.3.33 10.10.70 14.15.99 17.16 118

Box Hill Hawks 2.0.12 4.3.27 5.3.33 10.7.67

Goals 

Casey Demons Weideman 7 Brown 3 Bedford Rosman 2 Chandler Sparkes vandenBerg 

Box Hill Hawks Jeka Greene Mascitti 3 Brooksby 

Best 

Casey Demons Weideman Chandler Lockhart Bedford vandenBerg D Smith       

Box Hill Hawks Newcombe Hartley Mascitti Maginness Porter

Statistics

Oskar Baker  5 kicks 2  handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 32 dream team points

Toby Bedford 2 goals 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 79 dream team points

Jake Bowey 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 76 dream team points

Aaron Bradtke 2 behinds 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 8 hit outs 36 dream team points

Ben Brown 3 goals 1 behind 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 6 marks 1 hit out 90 dream team points

Kade Chandler 1 goal 2 behinds 14 kicks 10 handballs 24 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 112 dream team points

Majak Daw 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 2  tackles 23 hit outs 62 dream team points

Zac Foot 8 kicks 5 handballs13 disposals 4  marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points

Tom Freeman 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 54 dream team points

Luca Goonan 1  behind 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals  6 marks  3  tackles 72 dream team points

George Grey 1 behind 6 kicks 6 handballs  12 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 53 dream team points

Jack Hutchins 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 35 dream team points

Neville Jetta 1 behind 19 kicks 6 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 113 dream team points

Jay Lockhart 20 kicks 3 handballs 23 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 99 dream team points

James Munro 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 74 dream team points

Fraser Rosman 2 goals 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 49 dream team points

Deakyn Smith 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 78 dream team points

Joel Smith 11 kicks 7 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 62 dream team points

Ryan Sparkes 1 goal 1  behind 10 kicks  6 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points

Aaron vandenBerg 1 goal 16 kicks 9 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 113 dream team points

Sam Weideman 7 goals 2 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 7 marks 2 hit outs 110 dream team points

Mitch White 2 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 8 marks 5 tackles 91 dream team points