TURNAROUND by KC from Casey

[Demonland 71,129]

The Casey Demons won their first game at home this year in the traditional King’s Birthday Weekend clash with Collingwood VFL on Sunday in a dramatic turnaround on recent form that breathed new life into the beleaguered club’s season. The Demons led from the start to record a 52-point victory. It was their highest score and biggest winning margin by far for the 2024 season.

Under cloudy but calm conditions for Casey Fields, the home side, wearing the old Springvale guernsey as a mark of respect for their historic roots, settled down first and scored the first goal from Kai Windsor at the three minute mark. From there, they held the lead throughout the game and pleasingly, increased their lead at every interval even through the Magpies had their kicking boots on  and managed to score on many of their forays into the forward line.

Casey was well led once again by skipper Mitch White who led his team in the disposal count with 18 kicks and 10 handballs, also kicking a goal. White seemed to always be on hand whenever needed to help teammates in yet another fine display of leadership for the team.

He was capably assisted by two experienced heads in Ben Brown who not only contributed two goals but gave a handout in the ruck and Adam Tomlinson who held sway in defence with his 22 disposals and nine marks.

In a strong response to his omission from the Melbourne AFL side, Shane McAdam was in strong marking form (he finished with eight marks including a couple of blinders) and was the game’s most dangerous forward with four goals, adding one each quarter.

However, from a Demons’ future perspective, one young player really stood out. WA recruit Koltyn Tholstrup was outstanding around the ground and up forward. Seemingly buoyed by the recruitment of former Subiaco teammate Luker Kentfield in the mid-season draft, he lifted his game with a four quarter performance of 26 disposals, 10 clearances and 5 marks, 5 tackles and a goal. 

Not far behind Tholstrup in the pecking order was emerging young midfielder Oliver Sestan with 23 possessions, seven clearances and two goals. Although used sparingly on debut, Kentfield had a great start at his new club, showed strength in the contest and booted a couple of goals.

Casey’s two ruckmen Will Verrall and Tom Fullarton were solid in sharing the big man duties while Taj Woewodin in the midfield and defender Andy Moniz-Wakefield had good days collecting 20 and 17 disposals respectively.

Also pleasing to Casey’s senior coach, Taylor Whitford after a torrid first half of the season in which he lost two of his ace recruits in Leo Connolly and Campbell Hustwaite was the good form of his VFL-listed brigade. Apart from White’s outstanding leadership, Roan Steele, Mitch Szybkowski and Max Gregory led the way in contributing to the team’s victory along with some excellent cameos from others.

With a bye coming up next weekend, Casey have a fortnight’s break before taking on North Melbourne at Casey Fields for the second half of the season.

CASEY DEMONS 3.4.22 8.8.56 12.11.83 18.14.122

COLLINGWOOD VFL 1.1.7  4.1.25 6.2.38 11.4.70

GOALS 

CASEY DEMONS McAdam 4 B Brown Kentfield Sestan 2 Edwards Fullarton King Neocleous Peters Tholstrup White K Windsor

COLLINGWOOD VFL Farrant Lane Mahoney 2 DiMattia Johnson Ryan Sparkes Wilson

BEST

CASEY DEMONS B Brown White Woewodin Fullarton Tomlinson Tholstrup

COLLINGWOOD VFL

Demattia Glover Lane McInnes Sparkes Mahoney

Statistics

Jed Adams 2 kicks 2 disposals 1 tackle 10 dream team points
Ben Brown 2 goals 1 behind 8 kicks 9 handballs  17 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 6 hitouts 82 dream team points
Tyler Edwards 1 goal 1 behind 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 68 dream team points
Tom Freeman 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 37 dream team points
Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behind 14 kicks 7 handballs 21 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 14 hitouts 101 dream team points
Max Gregory 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 59 dream team points
Matt Jefferson 1 behind 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 32 dream team points
Luker Kentfield 2 goals 1 behind 4 kicks 4 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 34 dream team points
Eddie King 1 goal 1 kick 2 handballs 3 disposals 1 tackle 17 dream team points
Shane McAdam 4 goals 1 behinds 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 8 marks 4 tackles 95 dream team points
Andy Moniz-Wakefield 8 kicks 9 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 57 dream team points
Ned Moodie 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 30 dream team points
Harvey Neocleous 1 goal 4 kicks 11 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 55 dream team points
Charlie Peters 1 goal 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 61 dream team points
Ollie Sestan 2 goals 12 kicks 11 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 84 dream team points
Roan Steele 2 behinds 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 68 dream team points
Mitch Szybkowski 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 6 tackles 58 dream team points
Koltyn Tholstrup 1 goal 2 behinds 13 kicks 13 handballs 26 disposals 5 marks 5 tackles 108 dream team points
Adam Tomlinson 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 9 marks 1 tackle 88 dream team points
Will Verrall 1 behind 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 20 hitouts 68 dream team points
Mitch White 1 goal 18 kicks 10 handballs 28 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 98 dream team points
Kai Windsor 1 goal 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 42 dream team points
Taj Woewodin 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 68 dream team points