KC from Casey

And that’s a wrap … good start for the Casey Demons CASEY DEMONS 4.2.26 11.5.71 16.8.104 21.14.140 SANDRINGHAM 2.3.15 5.3.33 6.7.43 8.9.57 GOALS CASEY DEMONS M Brown 7 Bedford Van Rooyen 3 Laurie White 2 Chandler Dunstan Weideman Woewodin SANDRINGHAM Carey Geary Henness Kent Kyle Lohmann McHale Ryder BEST CASEY DEMONS Brown Munro Van Rooyen Dunstan White Smith Bedford Baker SANDRINGHAM Ryder Windhager Connolly Owens Heath Geary Seaton STATISTICS Oskar Baker 18 kicks 5 handballs 23 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 87 dream team points Toby Bedford 3 goals 1 behind 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 5 tackles 91 dream team points Mitch Brown 7 goals 3 behinds 18 kicks 1 handball 19 disposals 14 marks 2 tackles 155 dream team points Kade Chandler 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 1 mark 25 dream team points Majak Daw 1 behind 7 kicks 1 handball 8 disposals 3 tackles 22 hit outs 59 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 goal 20 kicks 5 handballs 25 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 113 dream team points Corey Ellison 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 34 dream team points Tom Freeman 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 33 dream team points Luca Goonan 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 4 marks 62 dream team points Blake Howes 1 behind 6 kicks 10 handballs 16 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 58 dream team points Bailey Laurie 2 goals 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 86 dream team points Judd McVee 1 behind 8 kicks 9 handballs 17 disposals 8 marks 4 tackles 83 dream team points Jake Melksham 8 kicks 6 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 53 dream team points Bryce Milford 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 51 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 5 kicks 9 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 1 tackles 44 dream team points James Munro 13 kicks 13 handballs 26 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 97 dream team points Aiden Quigley 2 kicks 1 handballs 3 disposals 8 dream team points Fraser Rosman 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 41 dream team points
Deakyn Smith 15 kicks 6 handballs 21 disposals 10 marks 1 tackle 91dream team points Sam Weideman 1 goal 1 behind 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 4 hit outs 68 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 1 behind 15 kicks 6 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 94 dream team points Taj Woewodin 1 goal 12 kicks 6 handballs disposals 8 marks 1 tackles 84 dream team points Jacob Van Rooyen 3 goals 2 behinds 11 kicks 1 handball 12 disposals 8 marks 4 tackles 2 hit outs 98 dream team points

From the local newspaper down Casey way - Locals set to light it up

The Team for Round 1 B: D.Smith 43 C.Ellison 79 B.Milford 74 HB: O.Baker 33 J.McVee 41 A.Quigley 57 C: T.Woewodin 40 L.Dunstan 27 B.Howes 19 HF: B.Laurie 16 M.Brown 38 K.Chandler 37 F: J.Van Rooyen 44 S.Weideman 26 T.Bedford 12 Foll: M.Daw 28 M.White 52 J.Melksham 18 I/C: T.Freeman 67 J.Munro 47 L.Goonan 78 F.Rosman 19 A.Moniz-Wakefield 29 Emerg: K. Stainthorpe 51 R.Koo 61 J.Bell 73 R.Steele 54

So who is Wal Wuol? There’s an article in the Cranbourne Leader (VFL: Casey Demons sign nine new players for 2022 season) which reports that Wal, who is great mates with Mac Andrew, and began playing only three years ago has made great strides in that time. He’s never played senior football and hardly stepped foot in a gym but was runner-up in the South East Juniors Under 17 Premier B & F in 2019. According to Casey coach, Mark Corrigan: “He’s got speed, he’s tough, he’s a good height at 186cm. We’ve been trying him through the wing and as forward. He’s a really nice left-foot kick.” Wuol is eligible under the 23rd player rule and Corrigan is hoping that he plays early. The Casey Demons player list has been issued: CASEY DEMONS James Munro, Cora Lynn * Matthew Buntine, Caulfield Grammarians * Mitch White, Cranbourne * Thomas Freeman, Balwyn* Jack Bell, Old Haileybury * Aiden Quigley, Morwell * Kyle Stainthorpe, Rowville Zach Andrewartha, Langwarrin Reece Conca, Blackburn * David Zaharakis, Bundoora * Sam J. Reid, Echuca* Jack Lonie, Old Haileybury * Callum Moore, Wangaratta * Development List Roan Steele, Frankston YCW * Tyler Edwards, Rowville * Bryce Milford, Old Scotch * Josh Smith, Beaconsfield * George Grey, Cranbourne * Tommy McCrae, Devon Meadows Miles Shepherd, Crib Point * Luca Goonan, Frankston YCW * Riley Baldi, Moe * Corey Ellison, Cranbourne * Ryan Valentine, Old Scotch Jarryd Barker, Cranbourne Matthew Johnson, Beaconsfield Harvey Neocleus, Morwell Ryan Koo Kwet Kim, Devon Meadows Wal Wuol, Berwick * included on the MFC Covid19 top up list

Paul Amy reports that the latest Casey Demons newcomer Wal Wuol from Berwick Under 19s is a nice prospect. Another youngster who comes from a soccer background, having played juniors at Berwick Soccer Club.

With the Melbourne injury list probably at it longest in a couple of years, it certainly wasn’t the strongest Casey team out there in the park. Kade Chandler, Majak Daw, Michael Hibberd, Jake Lever, Harrison Petty, Trent Rivers and Daniel Turner are all missing through injury/unavailability by my calculations. Also none of the new top up players although it’s not clear as to whether they’re eligible yet.

Casey Demons practice matches starting with the Blues tomorrow:-

No appearance to date from - 12. TOBY BEDFORD 26. SAM WEIDEMAN 29. JAYDEN HUNT 33. OSKAR BAKER 38. MITCH BROWN 42. DANIEL TURNER

2022 VFL fixture: Round one locked in, remaining match-ups confirmed

The salary cap has been increased by $20,000 for standalone teams to $220,000 while AFL and AFL-aligned clubs have received just a $10,000 boost to $110,000. The caps also introduce the ability to pay $10,000 of a playing coach's salary outside the cap while indigenous coaches implement a $5,000 concession. That salary cap figure doesn’t really allow for too many players which might be why Buntine is the only new player of any major note on the books. The list size rules also remain pretty much identical to the 2021 rules with AFL affiliate clubs having a maximum of 30 players (15 development players, 15 primary listed players) while stand-alone clubs can have a total of 40 players on their lists (28 primary listed players, 12 development players). The release of the fixture is not far off with the season kicking off on the weekend of 26/27 March.

Nothing that I’ve heard since that article on delisted/retired players from 2021 and not mentioned in the Leader article.

This week’s Cranbourne Leader has an article that covers player movements at the Casey Demons ahead of the forthcoming VFL season. Unfortunately, I don’t have the link to “VFL: String of local hopes training at Casey Demons, including MPNFL trio” which is under a paywall. The article highlights a young hopeful who is about to sign with the club, Roan Steele 20 (pictured below) who won Frankston YCW’s best and fairest last year after kicking 24 goals from 12 matches in his first season of senior football. According to Casey Demons coach Marc Corrigan, “… he’s got an elite tank. He’s a smart player, high footy IQ, and he’ll certainly be on our list.” Key players retained are Mitch White, James Munro and Tom Freeman, as well as Jarryd Baker, Riley Baldi, Jack Bell, Corey Ellison, George Grey Matt Johnson, Luca Goonan, Harvey Neocleous, Aidan Quigley, Miles Shepherd and Josh Smith while the most notable pickup is former GWS defender and Dandenong Stingray Matt Buntine is Casey’s most notable recruit. The 28-year-old played 67 matches for the Giants after debuting in 2012. ’’He’ll be important, not just from a playing perspective but in terms of what he brings in experience and leadership,’’ Corrigan said. Also training at the club are prospective newcomers Bryce Milford, Ryan Koo Kwet and Kobi George from the Dandenong Stingrays, big Billy Bundle from Gippsland Power, Xavier College pair Hayden Woodhouse and Tommy McRae, Langwarrin’s Zach Andrewartha, Rowville’s Tyler Edwards, Cranbourne pair Nick Russo and Jake Carosella and Pearcedale’s Luke Daniel. Players to have moved on include former skipper Jack Hutchins, Zac Foot, Cory Stockdale, Jaxon Briggs, Nathan Heath, Lachie Modica, Tom McCaffrey, Mitch Lewis, Cory Machaya, Andrew Courtney, Jaxon Stuart, Nick Lowden and Ryan Sparkes.

Now that the drafts are well and truly done and dusted, VFL clubs are working on finalizing their lists for 2022. Dandenong Stingrays Bryce Milford is said to be heading to Casey. Jay Lockhart is likely to be at Southport’s VFL team. Climate somewhat different to that of his native Tassie.

A lot of promises at this time of the year. Let's see how they pan out by the time the season starts. More money, more matches, more opportunity: VFL changes for 2022

Absolutely - we learned the lesson in 2021 that an east coast based competition involving the northern states doesn’t work, particularly in the middle of a pandemic. I think we could happily cope with the existing Victorian clubs plus Tasmania in preparation for a club from that state entering the AFL but that would be it.

Buntine now locked in and playing for the Casey Demons next year.

Paul Amy reporting that the Casey Demons are keen on recruiting ex-GWS Giant Matt Buntine who originally played with the Dandenong Stingrays. Meanwhile, onballer Tom McCaffrey who had limited opportunities over the past two seasons, is being linked with Werribee. Ruckman Andrew Courtney who also struggled to get game time with the club is off to the Northern Bullants.

James Munro is becoming a cult figure at Casey. The club's following in the footsteps of the AFL affiliate in many ways. I can see it continuing to field strong sides in the competition which hopefully will be restructured in 2022 so that it returns to the status of a Victorian league with perhaps Tasmania, Sydney and GWS at most from outside the state.

Yes … he was outstanding in that game for Casey out at Werribee. This is what I wrote in my report on the game:- “Corey Ellison is a local product from Cranbourne who spent a couple of years on the fringes at the Dandenong Stingrays and missed out on playing alongside teammate Toby Bedford in their 2018 premiership. (Ironically, it was Bedford who kicked the first of those five avalanche goals after some exciting play from Jake Bowey turned defence into devastating attack). After committing to Casey last year, Ellison took to the gym and built himself up during the lockdown and did his preseason with the Demons but the presence of Ben Brown and Weideman meant he was consigned more into defence. He was selected there for this game but, as fate would have it, he was up forward in the third term. Late in the quarter, he managed two quick goals and with the game free and open at last, he added another three in the final term to make it six for the game to match his six goal haul for Cranbourne on Anzac Eve which gained the high flyer his VFL debut on a Thursday night against North Melbourne back at the end of April.” The problem from my perspective is that in judging the draft worthiness of players, one or two games aren’t necessarily enough in reaching any conclusions. Unfortunately, the season came to a fairly abrupt end a couple of weeks later and Ellison was unable to show that he’s capable of playing like that on a regular basis.

With clubs like Melbourne, Geelong and the Western Bulldogs set to head over to WA for the remainder of the finals with near enough to their full squads and Victoria recording 80 new cases, the VFL season looks done and dusted. Wait for the final announcement.

Even more so because, as WJ pointed out, they could easily have avoided the 1 point loss to the Giants and the team against the Bulldogs was compromised because half a dozen extras were taken on what turned out to be a wasted flight to Queensland. Those players would surely have made up the 0.07%. The consequence is that, if the finals series goes ahead, they are likely to play the game v Geelong at GMHBA Stadium (they might have been required to play there anyway).

THE UPDATED 2021 VFL LADDER P W L D % MR 1 Footscray 10 10 0 0 169.7 100 2 Southport 10 9 1 0 180.7 90 3 Box Hill Hawks 10 8 2 0 167.7 80 4 Geelong 9 7 2 0 167.3 78 5 Casey Demons 9 7 2 0 166.6 78 6 Williamstown 9 6 2 1 136.4 72 7 Collingwood 9 6 3 0 92.5 67 8 GWS 11 7 4 0 94.4 64 9 Werribee 9 5 4 0 147.5 56 10 Frankston 11 6 5 0 103.8 55 11 Richmond 10 4 5 1 103.4 45 12 Carlton 9 4 5 0 101.3 44 13 Sandringham 9 4 5 0 94.3 44 14 Gold Coast 10 4 6 0 76.9 40 15 North Melbourne 10 4 6 0 57.0 40 16 Coburg 10 3 7 0 95.1 30 17 Brisbane Lions 10 3 7 0 65.7 30 18 Northern Bullants 10 3 7 0 62.6 30 19 Sydney 10 2 8 0 88.9 20 20 Essendon 10 2 8 0 64.5 20 21 Port Melbourne 9 1 8 0 67.3 11 22 Aspley 10 1 9 0 73.0 10

I suspect that you’re right and that even if they could get the final round or part thereof across the line, it’s still problematic because of the two non-Victorian teams left in the top eight. Southport have had the softest draw possible but there’s nowhere to hide at finals time. Would the Queensland government make allowances to let a VFL team into their state? The Covid19 protocols for such sides would be somewhat different depending on the numbers of part time footballers involved. Will the Giants be able to cobble together a team if they make the finals? If they do get round 22 across the line, there’s going to be an intriguing battle between Geelong and Casey for a top four spot which will be decided by percentage assuming both beat teams well below them. However, that will depend on whether those clubs have full contingents available. Casey didn’t have that luxury a couple of weeks ago when they had a number of MFC players held back from the team who were on a quick round turn flight back from Queensland on the same day. There will be an element of randomness and luck deciding finals placing. Not ideal.

Reportedly, the AFL is desperately trying to cobble together one final round for the weekend of August 21 and 22 with the usual top eight finals format starting a week later. Mostly in the hands of Chairman Dan and other State Premiers although I doubt that Gladys will have much input. The current teams outside of Victoria in the top 8 are Southport and UWS Giants although that’s also an interesting question because some clubs have played more games than others. They would probably have to work out the ladder on a match ratio basis. REPORT: AFL OFFICIALS HOPEFUL VFL AND VFLW CAN RESUME

All VFL games cancelled this weekend.