PRIDE OF VICTORIA by KC from Casey

When Casey Demons coach Mark Corrigan talks about his charges putting their “best foot forward” on Sunday when they take on the Southport Sharks in the 2022 VFL Grand Final, it’s a signal that his team is on a mission not only for themselves but in  the name of their forebears, the Springvale Scorpions, and indeed for the pride and honour of the entire State of Victoria.

The VFL club now known as the Casey Demons last won a premiership flag under the name of the Springvale Scorpions but that was before the turn of the century when they dominated the competition. In fact, they won four out of five VFA premierships from 1995 to 1999. The dominance of that last flag season has been replicated this year in a competition that’s still nominally Victorian but three of its top four placings have been occupied by Queensland clubs. The Demons have made it through to the grand final against interstaters, Sydney and Brisbane (pity their big brothers in the AFL couldn’t do likewise).

It’s fitting that the Demons are taking on the Sharks because, for most of the season, they were the team snapping at the heels of an outstanding Casey combination that reigned supreme and only lost one game of VFL football and that was in the ultimate home and away round.

The game will be something of a beauty vs beast competition because it is expected on the Casey side, there there will be a number of AFL listed players including Toby Bedford, Kade Chandler, Luke Dunstan, Jake Melksham, Adam Tomlinson and Sam Weideman and a few more, some potential high end talent of the future like Jacob Van Rooyen, Blake Howes, Bailey Laurie, Andy Moniz-Wakefield, Daniel Turner and Taj Woewodin, experienced hard bodied VFL types like Jimmy Munro and skipper Mitch White (the latter were both there when the team lost grand finals in 2016 and 2018), GWS recruit Matt Buntine and some young VFL stars of the future.

The Demons will be facing a team full of hardened second tier players who previously tried out with AFL clubs and have assembled at Southport where they have melded into a typical unrelenting type of VFL club that is always hard to beat. They have a couple of well-known opponents in the ever-reliable Jay Lockhart who was on Melbourne’s list from 2018 to 2021 and former Sydney listed speedster Zac Foot who spent last year with Casey. Two Sharks in Jacob Dawson and Boyd Woodcock were equal runners up in this year’s JJ Liston Trophy so they have plenty of talent in their team.

The Sharks’ coach Steve Daniel looks a hardnosed type himself. He believes it will be like a fairy tale if his team wins and I have to agree with him. When the teams met earlier this year, Casey got the jump on Southport at Casey Fields. Ikon Park will be a much kinder and more hospitable venue for the Sharks but I think the Demons will emerge premiers.

Casey Demons by 20 points.

THE GAME

Casey Demons v Southport Sharks at Ikon Park on Sunday 18 September, 2022 at 12:30pm.

HEAD TO HEAD

Overall: Casey Demons 1 win, Southport Sharks 0 wins
At The Ikon Park: Casey Demons 0 wins, Southport Sharks 0 wins
Last Meeting: Casey Demons 1 win, Southport Sharks 0 wins
The Coaches: Corrigan 1 win, Daniel 0 wins

MEDIA

TV live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides.
Radio - check your local guides.

LAST TIME THEY MET

Casey Demons 13.11.89 defeated Southport Sharks 8.11.59 at Casey Fields, Round 7, 2022

The Demons blitzed their opponents to the tune of 8.5.53 to 2.4.16 in the opening quarter with Mitch Brown unstoppable at full forward. Casey won everywhere except in the ruck but its midfielders made up for it by sharking numerous opposition hit outs.

THE TEAM

CASEY DEMONS

B: Joel Smith 44 A.Tomlinson 20 J.McVee 41
HB: M.Buntine 71 C.Ellison 79 D.Turner 42
C: B.Howes 22 L.Dunstan 27 O.Baker 33
HF: T.Woewodin 40 M.Brown 38 K.Chandler 37
F:   J.Melksham 18 J.Van Rooyen 21 T.Bedford 12
Foll:  S.Weideman 26 M.White 52 J.Munro 47
IC: G.Grey 68  B.Laurie 16 A.Moniz-Wakefield 29 A.Quigley 57 R.Valentine 65 
Emerg: R.Baldi 56 J.Bell 73 T.Macrae 76 R.Steele

In: B.Laurie J.Melksham A.Quigley T.Woewodin 

Out: J.Bowey T.McDonald F.Rosman R.Steele