KC from Casey

That’s most likely the case with Hustwaite who announced that he was heading back to play with Rosebud - Campbell Hustwaite's raw account of the heartbreaking end to his Collingwood AFL dream “Now, after a stint at Casey Demons, Hustwaite has made a difficult call of his own, dropping back to local football at the age of 23. He's returned to Rosebud, where his father, Mark, was senior coach, where his older brother Fletcher is captain, where his younger brother and Hawthorn AFL player Henry also emerged, and where some of his best mates play. Some people have told him it's too early for him to leave the VFL. But he answers that recruiters and clubs have been watching him since he was 16 and someone would already have picked him if they thought he was good enough to play in the AFL. "It's not like I'm some flash in the pan who's come from local footy or I'm this late bloomer," Hustwaite says. "If I'm still not on a list, l'm a big boy, I can take it. Maybe people think I'm not up to AFL standard." He says he did everything he could to get drafted out of the VFL and join the long list of players to have made the jump from the state league. In the end, it wasn't enough.“ Still, you never know. Perhaps, he’s had a change of mind. Why would they keep his name (and Connolly’s) on the list if he’s definitely given up?

Just before we sign off for 2024, a reminder of who performed well in an otherwise forgettable season. Casey Demons Best & Fairest 2024

This is the time of year when the VFL clubs are in preparation for the coming season. With the AFL Trade and Free Agency period now over, the VFL clubs will be looking to add to their lists and the recruiters at Casey have plenty of work to do given Mitch White’s retirement and the unlikely prospect that their two main recruits of 2024 (injured pair Campbell Hustwaite and Leo Connolly) will be back in the fold for next year. Time for new names and an innovative approach for the club that went downhill quickly after the glory of its 2022 premiership.

Congratulations to Mitch White on a great stretch as a player and skipper at the Casey Demons. He’s been a great contributor and excellent servant of the club. However, since he captained the 2022 premiership side, it’s been downhill all the way for the VFL affiliate - and not through his fault. We lost the experience of Jimmy Munro, Matthew Buntine and George Grey at the end of last year and had some bad luck with early injuries to Campbell Hustwaite and Leo Connolly who were meant at least to partly replace them this year. They hardly used Jack Bell who proved a better ruckman than the MFC listed rucks (granted that Will Verrall deserved to be played for his potential). Over the past couple of seasons, Casey’s been left in the lurch without key players held back including the day when most of the best players were prevented from playing in a final! Who would want to stake their reputation to be coach of the VFL team? Fair enough - the main objective is to gain the best possible result for the AFL team but it can still be cooperative in working with the VFL side to give its young up and comers the best possible space in which to play, improve and succeed. So while reviews are taking place at the club, it’s time for Melbourne to review its relationship with the Casey Demons and particularly, to do a lot more to support the team which is, after all, the place where we’re supposed to be grooming our young players into senior AFL footballers. In any event, one hopes that a strong effort is made to provide a strong stable of VFL listed players to replace the likes of White, Munro, Buntine, Grey, Ellison to allow supporters to enjoy the experience of supporting the Casey Demons.

Mitch White the only nominee in the VFL Player of the Year but others like Ellison and Grey who left Casey for elsewhere who made it.

No surprise but the winner of the 2024 lan Gardner & Simon Clark Medal is … Mitch White on 130 votes followed by Roan Steel on 100 votes and Matt Jefferson on 97 votes. Congratulations

CASEY DEMONS 6.2.38 8.4.52 11.7.73 13.9.87 GOLD COAST SUNS 6.3.39 11.6.72 22.8.140 27.13.175 GOALS CASEY DEMONS B Brown 6 McAdam 4 Fullarton George T Woewodin GOLD COAST SUNS Lukosius Sexton Rowlands 5 N Moyle 3 Mahoney Oea 2 Coulson Johnston Macpherson B Moyle Reid BEST CASEY DEMONS Moniz-Wakefield B Brown McAdam Laurie White Fullarton GOLD COAST SUNS Atkins Lukosius Sexton N Moyle Fiorini Oea Statistics Jed Adams 8 kicks 1 handball 9 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 40 dream team points Ben Brown 6 goals 1 behinds 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 3 hitouts 92 dream team points Kynan Brown 10 kicks 11 handballs 21 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 70 dream team points Tyler Edwards 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behinds 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 8 hitouts 78 dream team points Roy George 1 goal 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 32 dream team points Max Gregory 9 kicks 1 handball 10 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 49 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals 1 tackle 19 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 kick 3 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 16 hitouts dream team points Eddie King 3 behinds 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 41 dream team points Bailey Laurie 13 kicks 7 handballs 20 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 83 dream team points Shane McAdam 4 goals 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 85 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 23 kicks 12 handballs 25 disposals 9 marks 3 tackles 130 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 3 kicks 5 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 38 dream team points Charlie Peters 7 kicks 11 handballs 18 disposals 5 tackles 61 dream team points Josh Schache 11 kicks 1 handballs 12 disposals 10 marks 1 tackle 69 dream team points Kobe Shipp 3 kicks 7 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 32 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 10 kicks 4 handballs 14 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 57 dream team points Ryan Valentine 3 kicks 3handballs 6 disposals 1 marks 18 dream team points Will Verrall 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 14 hitouts 50 dream team points Mitch White 11 kicks 14 handballs 25 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 83 dream team points Kai Windsor 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 42 dream team points Taj Woewodin 1 goal 1 behind 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 54 dream team points

A flurry of goals to Casey but it’s all too late.

Billings?

Suns lead is 80 points. Lukosious on 5 goals - same as BBB.

3QT Gold Coast Suns 22.8.140 Casey Demons 11.7.73 Goals B Brown 5 McAdam 3 Fullarton George T Woewodin

Gold Coast 43 points down.

HT Gold Coast Suns 11.6.72 Casey Demons 8.4.52 Goals B Brown 4 goals McAdam 2 Fullarton T Woewodin Disposals Moniz-Wakefield 19 K Brown White 13 Laurie 11

GCS 11.6.72 to CD 8.3.51 Suns dominating.

Ben Brown slots through his fourth.

Better disposal and a willingness to take the game on has put the Suns 20 points in front.

GCS lead by 14 points.

Shocking turnover from Schache but it concedes only a point.

Response from the Suns is quick. Suns 52 to Dees 45.

BBB marks and kicks his third.

Suns leading by 7 points after the first goal of the term.

QT Gold Coast Suns 6.3.39 Casey Demons 6.3.38 Goals B Brown McAdam 2 Fullarton T Woewodin Disposals Moniz-Wakefield 10 K Brown 9 White 7 Laurie 6

Lukosious gets his third to give the Suns the lead back.

Tom Fullarton puts Casey in front 6.2.38 to GC Suns 5.3.33.

Shane McAdam goals twice in a minute - Suns lead by a point.