KC from Casey

What to make of this performance which suggests that the Casey Demons have slipped badly from their VFL Premiership form of 2022? The selected side had 16 AFL listed Demons with a good few of them aiming for AFL game time. They should have been busting a gut to impress notwithstanding the hot, blustery conditions that prevailed yesterday. The only player missing from the regular group of Melbourne players was Taj Woewodin (finger surgery). The other MFC injured are the four premiership players reported in the media as being close to selection (either at AFL or VFL level). The other outs are the “heart and soul” team members, skipper Mitch White and hard nut veteran Jimmy Munro. Let’s hope they’re ready to go next week and the team comes out fully pumped and ready to defend their title.

TEAM SELECTION FOOTSCRAY VFL v CASEY DEMONS 2.30pm Saturday, Skinner Reserve, Braybrook FOOTSCRAY 
5.Jedd Busslinger, 6.Charlie Clarke, 8.Jordon Sweet, 9.Hayden Crozier, 16.Toby McLean, 19.Rhylee West, 23.Buku Khamis, 26.Riley Garcia, 27.Robbie McComb, 35.Luke Cleary, 39.Cody Raak, 51.Dan Orgill, 52.Josh Chatfield, 53.Lachie Sullivan, 54.Caleb Poulter, 57.Joel Garner, 58.Luke Goater, 59.Jay Rantall, 64.Cooper Craig-Peters, 65.Ned Harris, 67.Ewan Macpherson, 68.Angus Bode, 71.Josh Patullo, 72.Jamison Ballantyne, 73.Hugo Bromell, 74.Bailey Young IN: Busslinger, Clarke, Cleary, Crozier, Garcia, Khamis, McComb, McLean, Raak, Sweet, West 
OUT: Mitch Hannan, Ethan Hunt, Josh Kellett, Charlie Macisaac, Cayden Maki, Matthew Merrett, Connor Smith, Riley Smith, Kai Stretton, Daniel Tallariti, Sam Willoughby CASEY DEMONS 
2.Jacob van Rooyen, 14.Michael Hibberd, 19.Josh Schache, 21.Matt Jefferson, 22.Blake Howes, 23.James Jordan, 26.Jed Adams, 27.Luke Dunstan, 28.Will Verrall, 29.Joel Smith, 34.Deakyn Smith, 38.Oliver Sestan, 42.Daniel Turner, 43.Kyah Farris-White, 44.Kye Turner, 45.Andy Moniz-Wakefield, 54.Roan Steele, 55.Trent Burgoyne, 56.Riley Baldi, 63.Charlie Peters, 65.Ryan Valentine, 71.Matt Buntine, 76.Tommy McRae, 78.Luca Goonan IN: Adams, Burgoyne, Buntine, Dunstan, Farris-White, Goonan, Hibberd, Howes, Jefferson, Jordan, Moniz-Wakefield, Schache, Sestan, D.Smith, J.Smith, Steele, D.Turner, K.Turner, van Rooyen, Verrall 
OUT: Tyson Barry, Jack Bell, Lachlan Benson, Heath Briggs, Jake Carosella, Paddy Cross, Tyler Edwards, Tom Freeman, Rhys Galvin, Kobi George, Kobi Grass, Max Gregory, Cooper MacDonald, Ned Moodie, Charlie Muley, Harvey Neocleous, Miles Shepherd, Tom Sheridan, Liam Tyrell, Hayden Woodhouse, Wal Wuol

Today’s Casey Demons VFL practice match will be played in the heat of the day (commences at 2.30pm) at Skinner Reserve, Braybrook against the Footscray Bulldogs. We’ll try to bring you as much information from the game as we can (by remote). Anyone brave enough to take on the hot, windy conditions - your contributions are welcome.

The VFL clubs were required to submit their lists ahead of the 2023 season. This is Casey’s:- CASEY DEMONS VFL LIST 73 Jack Bell 67 Tom Freeman 54 Roan Steele 68 George Grey 52 Mitch White 47 James Munro 55 Trent Burgoyne 71 Matthew Buntine 56 Riley Baldi 70 Liam Tyrrell 51 Heath Briggs 49 Charlie Muley Development List 48 Ziggy Toledo 79 Rhys Galvin 61 Ryan Koo 58 Tyler Edwards 76 Tommy McRae 64 Paddy Cross 77 Miles Shepherd 69 Finn Emile-Brennan 74 Ned Moodie 65 Ryan Valentine 78 Luca Goonan 53 Tom Sheridan 57 Max Gregory 75 Harvey Neocleous 63 Charlie Peters 59 Cooper Macdonald

No, Casey don’t have a seconds side. Players who don’t make the Casey team usually go back to their local side.

The Lions certainly kicked themselves out of the game. They hit the post a couple of times and missed a few easy shots at goal. Basically, as a hit out, it didn’t really achieve much for Casey - a few players staked a claim for a place but competition for places is going to be tight.

Casey win by 8 points Casey Demons 3.0.18 7.2.44 8.3.51 10.7.67 Coburg 1.3.9 3.7.25 6.12.48 7.17.59 Goals: Muley 3 Sheridan 2 Baldi Briggs Cross Shepherd Woodhouse

Close game alert - scores level at 15 minutes.

Three quarter time: Casey Demons 8.3.51 somehow still lead Coburg 6.12.48 Goals: Muley 2 Baldi Briggs Cross Shepherd Sheridan Woodhouse

Half Time: Casey Demons 7.2.44 to Coburg 3.7.25 Goals: Muley 2 Baldi Briggs Cross Sheridan Woodhouse Coburg wasted a lot of opportunities in that quarter and should be much closer. Shepherd playing a great game in defence for the Demons.

Casey Demons leading Coburg by 3.0.18 to 1.3.9 at Quarter Time. Goals: Cross Muley Sheridan

Next week should see a much stronger Casey Demons - SATURDAY, MARCH 18 Footscray VFL v Casey Demons (Skinner Reserve, Braybrook, 2.30pm, 4x25min)

The teams have been selected and, in the case of the Demons, they are Casey only but the good news is that you can view it on Clutch TV streaming:- CASEY DEMONS v COBURG 6.45pm Friday at Casey Fields Stream live at https://cluch.tv/afl-sports/vfl/preseason-carnival/ CASEY DEMONS 37. Tyson Barry 42.Ned Moodie 46.Liam Tyrell 47.Tom Sheridan 48.Jake Carosella 49.Charlie Muley 51.Max Gregory 52.Kobi Grass 53.Heath Briggs 54.Cooper MacDonald 56.Riley Baldi 57.Kobi George 58.Tyler Edwards 60.Lachlan Benson 64.Paddy Cross 65.Ryan Valentine 67.Tom Freeman 69.Wal Wuol 70.Charlie Peters 73.Jack Bell 74.Hayden Woodhouse 75.Harvey Neocleous 76.Tommy McRae 77.Miles Shepherd 78.Rhys Galvin IN: Barry, Bell, Benson, Briggs, Carosella, Edwards, Galvin, George, Grass, Gregory, MacDonald, McRae, Moodie, Muley, Neocleous, Peters, Shepherd, Tyrell, Woodhouse, Wuol OUT: M.Buntine, T.Burgoyne, K.Farris-White, L.Goonan, G.Grey, M.Hibberd, B.Howes, M.Jefferson, J.Jordan, A.Moniz-Wakefield, J.Munro, J.Schache, O.Sestan, D.Smith, R.Steele, A.Tomlinson, D.Turner, K.Turner, J.van Rooyen, W.Verrell COBURG 1.Luke Nelson 2.Flynn Gentile 3.Jesse Corigliano 4.Kyle Weightman 5.Ryan Exon, 6.Harry Nolan 9.Max Kennedy 10.Mitch Podhajski 11.Braedyn Gillard 13.Josh D’Intinosante 16.Aaron Clarke 17.Nathan Boucher 18.Alex Lukic 19.Hugo McGlashan 20.Nic Quigg 21.Ben Jepson 22.Ingo Dammersmith 23.Tom Jepson 24.Daniel Owen 25.Lachlan Walker 26.Liam Podhajski 27.Sam Mason 30.Will Bella 32.George Belcher 41.Charlie Beasley 42.Max Thompson IN: Boucher, Dammersmith. OUT: J.Bowne, J.Marsh, B.Reddick, T.Warren, J.Watson

GAMEDAY Practice Match of 4 x 25 minute quarters today at Casey Fields at 6:45pm This cuts across my work so I can’t make it to the game but I will try to get the scores relayed to me and posted here. I will also post the teams if I can get hold of them. What we really need to find is some local (or far away) Demons dedicated enough to the cause to turn up and report on the game.

Final Score: Richmond VFL 10.9.69 defeated Casey Demons 10.8.68

Half Time: Casey Demons 6.6.42 lead Richmond VFL 2.5.17

Quarter Time: Casey Demons 2.3.15 trail Richmond 2.4.16 (relayed score - no details available)

Paddy Cross (20, 181cm, 71) from Nar Nar Goon and the Gippsland Power is a versatile, hard tackling wingman with loads of pace. Earned a place in the North Melbourne VFL side as a 23rd player.

Forthcoming Casey Demons practice matches:- SATURDAY, MARCH 4

 Casey Demons vs. Richmond (Casey Fields, 12pm, 4x25min)
 FRIDAY, MARCH 10

 Casey Demons vs. Coburg (Casey Fields, 6:45pm, 4x25min)


A handful of Casey Demons players will get their opportunity to showcase themselves during the six period match simulation for Melbourne against St Kilda at RSEA Park, Moorabbin tomorrow. The majority of the players would be known to Casey fans:- Riley Baldi Matthew Buntine Trent Burgoyne Tyler Edwards Luca Goonan Max Gregory Tommy McRae James Munro Trent Burgoyne from Port Adelaide and Max Gregory from the Dandenong Stingrays will be making their debuts in the colours. It’s good to see premiership player Matt Buntine on board again as there were some whispers that he might be concentrating on Caulfield Grammarians in the VAFA.

Jonty Ralphsmith who covers local suburban football reports that there were a few other Casey Demons players who took part in Melbourne’s match simulation on Friday including Ziggy Toledo-Glasman, the key forward from the Dandenong Stingrays who at one stage last year was considered a draft Smokey. ZTG was playing in defence and at one stage was matched up on Josh Schache. He will this year likely split his time between Casey and Dandy Stingrays as an overager.

Paul Amy has Tweeted that Casey have signed two Gippsland Power players Paddy Cross (19, 181cm) and Rhys Galvin (18, 188cm) with a third ex-Power player on the way too (but via an interstate club).

The Casey Demons have a trio of Dandenong Stingrays players down at training in the hope of securing a contract and joining the VFL premiers in 2023:- • Melbourne Next Generation Academy and Vic Country player Finn Emile-Brennan (18, 181cm) averaged 22.1 disposals, 4.7 marks and 7.1 rebounds in 15 matches for the Stingrays and also played down back for Vic Country in the Under 18 National Championships; • Ned Moodie (18, 188cm) had 15.5 touches, 4.7 marks and 3.7 rebounds in 11 NAB League matches games; • Ziggy Toledo-Glassman (18, 192cm) picked up 10.8 possessions and kicked 14 goals in eight appearances. Was in the Vic Country squad. • We can also expect to see a number of 2022 AFL Demon draftees on display at Casey Fields during the coming season. In other news - • 2022 Premiership coach Mark Corrigan has taken up the coaching job at Geelong VFL and has been replaced by his senior assistant Taylor Whitford. • Some retired and delisted MFC players will be suiting up elsewhere. Leading goalkicker Mitch Brown will be with Southern league club Mordialloc while Fraser Rosman has signed with Port Melbourne for 2023 and Jake Spencer who was called out of State league retirement for a surprise appearance for the Demons just before the finals will continue on locally this year, switching to Northern team Montmorency. • Premiership defender Matt Buntine will remain on the list but expects to spend more time coaching at Casey Fields and playing VAFA for Caulfield Grammarians. • Casey listed mainstays Mitch White and Jimmy Munro who were captain and vice-captain in their 2022 Grand Final triumphs will be back to defend their premiership flags. Tom Freeman is also expected to re-sign despite playing just three matches last year.

Mitch White, Jimmy Munro and Daniel Rigg have been inducted as life members of the Casey Demons.