The Box Hill Hawks meet the Casey Demons in the opening round of the 2024 VFL season this Sunday at Casey Fields. The Hawks have been regular finalists in this competition and will present the home team with a tough first up challenge.

Casey will miss heart and soul player Jimmy Munro who has retired as well as regulars in Matt Buntine (Tooradin-Dalmore) and George Gray (Frankston) and Melbourne-listed midfielder Luke Dunstan who retired after his ACL injury in the final round of last year. I don’t pay much attention to practice match results but the Demons’ form has been middling in their games against stand alone clubs Port Melbourne and Coburg. 

The latter team was winless last year but managed to dispose of the Casey Demons at their home venue yesterday. Casey had 10 AFL listed players in the side - Jed Adams, Kynan Brown, Kyah Farris-White, Tom Fullarton, Matt Jefferson, Bailey Laurie, Andy Moniz-Wakefield, Harry Petty, Josh Schache and Adam Tomlinson. 

This game will provide some insights about the ability of some of the Demons’ up and coming prospects.   

Moose, Buntine & Gray are all big outs.

Dunstan another and that leaves our mid field pretty light on for experience now.

Who comes in to replace Moose & Dunstan?

We will probably need White to play more mid minutes to assist Laurie, Brown dog & Kolt (assuming they're attending CBs and stoppages).

Sestan when the ball's inside 50?  Woe when he isn't getting a seniors guernsey?

Who else is capable of covering some stoppage work?

Ollie Sestan got a knock at training last Thursday and didn't play last weekend against Coburg.

He will miss this weekend as well due to concussion protocols.

 

CASEY DEMONS:

VFL LISTED PLAYERS: 26 (12 primary, 14 rookie)

STAYING: Casey Demons: Riley Baldi, Jack Bell, Paddy Cross, Tyler Edwards, Tom Freeman, Max Gregory, Ned Moodie, Charlie Muley, Harvey Neocleous, Charlie Peters, Tom Sheridan, Roan Steele, Ziggy Toledo-Glasman, Ryan Valentine, Mitch White.

Melbourne: Jed Adams, Jake Bowey, Angus Brayshaw, Ben Brown, Kynan Brown (VFL promotion - Old Geelong/Oakleigh Chargers), Kade Chandler, Kyah Farris-White, Bayley Fritsch, Max Gawn, Blake Howes, Lachie Hunter, Matt Jefferson, Ed Langdon, Bailey Laurie, Jake Lever, Steven May, Tom McDonald, Judd McVee, Jake Melksham, Andy Moniz-Wakefield, Alex Neal-Bullen, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, Harrison Petty, Kysaiah Pickett, Trent Rivers, Christian Salem, Josh Schache, Oliver Sestan, Joel Smith, Charlie Spargo, Tom Sparrow, Adam Tomlinson, Daniel Turner, Jacob van Rooyen, Will Verrall, Jack Viney, Taj Woewodin.

ARRIVING: Casey Demons: Riak Andrew (Berwick/Dandenong Stingrays), Jack Behnk (St Bedes-Mentone), Leo Connolly (St Kilda), Max Coughlin (Hampton Rovers), Andrew Green (Cranbourne/NT Thunder Academy/Palmerston), Campbell Hustwaite (Collingwood VFL), Eddie King (Richmond Juniors), Caleb Lewis (Footscray), Kobe Shipp (Beaconsfield/Dandenong Stingrays), Brayden La Planche (Rowville/Eastern Ranges), Mitch Szybkowski (Frankston), Kai Windsor (Box Hill Hawks).

Melbourne: Jack Billings (St Kilda), Tom Fullarton (Brisbane Lions AFL), Marty Hore (Williamstown), Shane McAdam (Adelaide AFL), Koltyn Tholstrup (Newtown-Condingup/Subiaco), Caleb Windsor (Lysterfield/Eastern Ranges).

DEPARTING: Casey Demons: Heath Briggs (Cora Lynn), Matt Buntine (retired - Tooradin-Dalmore), Trent Burgoyne (delisted), Zane Duursma (North Melbourne AFL), Finn Emile-Brennan (South Adelaide), Rhys Galvin (Coburg), Luca Goonan (Cariton VFL), George Grey (Frankston), Ryan Koo (Devon Meadows), Cooper Macdonald (Collingwood VFL), Tommy McRae (Footscray), Jimmy Munro (retired - Cora Lynn), Miles Shepherd (retired), Cooper Simpson (Fremantle), Liam Tyrell (Crib Point).

Melbourne: Luke Dunstan (retired - South Belgrave), Brodie Grundy (Sydney AFL), James Harmes (Western Bulldogs), Michael Hibberd (retired), James Jordan (Sydney AFL), Deakyn Smith (delisted - North Melbourne VFL), Kye Turner (delisted - Port Melbourne).

 

On 18/03/2024 at 23:16, Demon Dynasty said:

Moose, Buntine & Gray are all big outs.

Dunstan another and that leaves our mid field pretty light on for experience now.

Who comes in to replace Moose & Dunstan?

We will probably need White to play more mid minutes to assist Laurie, Brown dog & Kolt (assuming they're attending CBs and stoppages).

Sestan when the ball's inside 50?  Woe when he isn't getting a seniors guernsey?

Who else is capable of covering some stoppage work?

Sestan out conc this week. Woe in 23 hopefully. 

1 minute ago, 58er said:

Sestan out conc this week. Woe in 23 hopefully. 

Yes that's another blow.  Joey (Woey) is a handy in if he is in and certainly needs the run as well.

When is the team selected?

13 hours ago, Elwood 3184 said:

When is the team selected?

There are two VFL games on today. The teams were put up on the AFL site (VFL section) last night. I expect the rest of the teams to be put up this evening but this isn't guaranteed. :)

21 minutes ago, KC from Casey said:

There are two VFL games on today. The teams were put up on the AFL site (VFL section) last night. I expect the rest of the teams to be put up this evening but this isn't guaranteed. :)

FWIW - Box Hill have named their squad for this game.

A trainer/volunteer mentioned that a Captain's Run for the Casey team will be on Gosch's around 9.45am tomorrow (Saturday). 

CODE SPORTS has an online feature by Paul Amy previewing every VFL team for 2024. This is the excerpt for the Casey Demons:-

VFL 2024 club-by-club preview: Paul Amy's guide to how every team is shaping up for this season by Paul Amy (link to be provided)

“CASEY DEMONS

Coach: Taylor Whitford (second season)

Last year: 11-7, wildcard round, elimination final

The state of play: No team finished last season more disappointingly than Casey, which went into the elimination final against Footscary at Box Hill with a depleted line-up after Melbourne made a string of players unavailable. That the reigning premier suffered a 79-point drubbing was no surprise.

Not even VFL champion James "Moose" Munro could lift the undermanned and overwhelmed Demons. The three-time best and fairest and 150-game player left the club a few weeks later, to coach Cora Lynn in country football. The Dees also lost the experienced Matt Buntine and George Grey in the off-season.

But they made some key signings in clean-kicking former Saint Leo Connolly, Footscray tall Caleb Lewis, Frankston onballer Mitch Szybkowski and Box Hill Hawk Kai Windsor, as well as Kobe Shipp (Dandenong Stingrays), Brayden La Planche (Eastern Ranges) and Riak Andrew (Dandenong Stingrays) out of the Under 185. Late February brought an outstanding addition in Collingwood VFL co-captain Campbell Hustwaite, who trained with the Magpies for an SSP listing. Oscar Van Dam, who made his senior debut for North Launceston at the age of 15 in 2021, is another signing for the Demons. Put the recruits with returnees Mitch White, Tom Freeman, Roan Steele, Ryan Valentine and Harvey Neocleous, and there's more than enough talent to blend with the Melbourne contingent and reach the finals again.”

It’s always hard to predict results of games at this level early in the season but Casey’s practice match form has been anything but outstanding while I believe that Box Hill was impressive against Essendon last week. So I’m tipping the Hawks. 

29 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Oscar Van Dam, who made his senior debut for North Launceston at the age of 15 in 2021, is another signing for the Demons.

This one intrigues me - the name conjures up the legendary street fighting kickboxer from the movies. Jean-Claude is a gun!

15 minutes ago, rumpole said:

This one intrigues me - the name conjures up the legendary street fighting kickboxer from the movies. Jean-Claude is a gun!

I was also intrigued but for a different reason. I know nothing about him but he’s not the first player to come to Casey out of North Launceston.

A few years ago, the club recruited Jay Lockhart from there and, after a year at VFL level, he was picked up by Melbourne in the 2018 Pre-season supplemental selection period. Lockhart made his senior debut against Geelong in round 2 of the 2019 season. He played 22 games but was delisted by Melbourne following the club's drought breaking premiership in 2021. I believe he went north and played for Southport.

Coincidence or is someone in that neck of the woods pointing promising players in our direction? 

I will do some research into this mystery man and report back.

Oscar Van Dam Height: 188cm, Weight: 83kg. D.O.B: 20-04-2005

It turns out that North Launceston was coached by Casey’s current coach Taylor Whitford who steered them to back-to-back premierships in 2018-19.

Oscar Van Dam was a member of the Tasmania Devils Under 18s team in 2022/3. They were pretty strong last year and he was rated just outside that upper echelon that included high draft picks Colby McKercher, Ryley Sanders and James Leake. He He performed exceptionally well in the preseason, highlighted by a 6.10 two-kilometre time trial result.

One match report from the Under 18s said that “the half-back brought plenty of dash and flair to the game with his willingness to take proceedings on. He looked clean below his knees, even when under pressure by the opposition, and made sure to be closely checking his opponent when the Knights looked dangerous inside their forward 50. Despite getting the ball at near top speed, Van Dam kept his composure more often than not, putting the ball out in front of his teammates and giving them the best chance at taking possession.”

Sounds promising. Does he get picked for Casey this week?

Going to be a much younger team by the look. Will be fascinating how the locals go including Kobe Shipp, Riak Andrew and Mitch Szybkowski. All will be looking to put their name out there to try and get on a AFL list.

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

CODE SPORTS has an online feature by Paul Amy previewing every VFL team for 2024. This is the excerpt for the Casey Demons:-

VFL 2024 club-by-club preview: Paul Amy's guide to how every team is shaping up for this season by Paul Amy (link to be provided)

“CASEY DEMONS

Coach: Taylor Whitford (second season)

Last year: 11-7, wildcard round, elimination final

The state of play: No team finished last season more disappointingly than Casey, which went into the elimination final against Footscray at Box Hill with a depleted line-up after Melbourne made a string of players unavailable. That the reigning premier suffered a 79-point drubbing was no surprise.

Not even VFL champion James "Moose" Munro could lift the undermanned and overwhelmed Demons. The three-time best and fairest and 150-game player left the club a few weeks later, to coach Cora Lynn in country football. The Dees also lost the experienced Matt Buntine and George Grey in the off-season.

But they made some key signings in clean-kicking former Saint Leo Connolly, Footscray tall Caleb Lewis, Frankston onballer Mitch Szybkowski and Box Hill Hawk Kai Windsor, as well as Kobe Shipp (Dandenong Stingrays), Brayden La Planche (Eastern Ranges) and Riak Andrew (Dandenong Stingrays) out of the Under 185. Late February brought an outstanding addition in Collingwood VFL co-captain Campbell Hustwaite, who trained with the Magpies for an SSP listing. Oscar Van Dam, who made his senior debut for North Launceston at the age of 15 in 2021, is another signing for the Demons. Put the recruits with returnees Mitch White, Tom Freeman, Roan Steele, Ryan Valentine and Harvey Neocleous, and there's more than enough talent to blend with the Melbourne contingent and reach the finals again.”

It’s always hard to predict results of games at this level early in the season but Casey’s practice match form has been anything but outstanding while I believe that Box Hill was impressive against Essendon last week. So I’m tipping the Hawks. 

Interesting that Amy mentioned the elimination final fiasco when Melbourne refused players permission to play in a final for Casey. Let’s hope that doesn’t get repeated.

VFL

B	74 MOODIE	20 TOMLINSON	67 FREEMAN
HB	40 WOEWODIN	26 ADAMS	21 JEFFERSON
C	64 CROSS	39 THOLSTRUP	58 EDWARDS
HF	54 STEELE	19 SCHACHE	45 MONIZ-WAKEFIELD
F	41 K.BROWN	70 C.LEWIS	33 FULLERTON
R	28 VERRALL	52 WHITE	16 LAURIE
I	62 GREEN	58 CONNOLLY	46 HUSTWAITE
	75 NEOCLEOUS	43 FARRIS-WHITE
EMG	63 PETERS	57 GREGORY	56 SZYBKOWSKI
	53 SHERIDAN

Match Information

Match Partner: Brown Property Group

Venue: Casey Fields

Date: Sunday 24th March, 2024

First Bounce: VFLW - 11:05 am | VFL 2:05 pm

Gates Open: VFLW - 10:00 am | VFL 1:00 pm

Entry: VFLW - Free | VFL - Adults $10 | Concession $5 | Children 15 & Under FREE

 

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@Whispering_Jack you will be happy to know that Verrall has been named in the Ruck and is not this week's mystery injury of the week.

What happened to Bell. He was a more than serviceable ruck

17 minutes ago, Demonland said:

@Whispering_Jack you will be happy to know that Verrall has been named in the Ruck and is not this week's mystery injury of the week.

… but no Van Dam 😎

Assume that Jefferson will play forward this week

Poor old Tom Fullarton.  Even his own club can't spell his name right.  

CASEY DEMONS vs BOX HILL HAWKS

Sunday 24 March, 2:05pm, Casey Fields

CASEY DEMONS

B: N. Moodie (74), A. Tomlinson (20), T. Freeman (67)
HB: T. Woewodin (40), J. Adams (26), M. Jefferson (21)
C: P. Cross (64), K. Tholstrup (39), T. Edwards (58)
HF: R. Steele (54), J. Schache (19), A. Moniz-Wakefield (45)
F: K. Brown (41), C. Lewis (70), T. Fullarton (33)
R: W. Verrall (28), M. White (52), B. Laurie (16)
INT: A. Green (62)*, L. Connolly (55), C. Hustwaite (46), H. Neocleous (75), K. Farris-White (43)
EMG: C. Peters (63), M. Gregory (57), M. Szybkowski (56), T. Sheridan (53)

BOX HILL HAWKS    

B: C. Brown (66), E. Phillips (37), B. Ryan (26)
HB: S. Mitchell (40), J. Serong (29), B. Macdonald (42)
C: H. Morrison (1), T. Brown (99), J. Rule (59)
HF: J. Bennetts (41), J. Parsons (88), S. Butler (30)
F: A. Stefanakis (65)*, M. Ramsden (38), C. Dear (35)
R: L. Meek (17), H. Hustwaite (44), C. Porter (55)
INT: B. De Bolfo (77), E. Phillips (60), M. Hall (50), C. Tucker (45), D. Wood (68)
EMG: J. Latchford (79), K. Agosta (78), A. Mathieson (72), J. Tovey (75), N. Philactides (51), L. Ward (54)

*Denotes 23rd Player

1 hour ago, rumpole said:

This one intrigues me - the name conjures up the legendary street fighting kickboxer from the movies. Jean-Claude is a gun!

...though, understandably, no Oscar.