KC from Casey

Followers of the Demonland training reports will no doubt be aware that Dandenong Stingray Deakyn Smith who was part of Melbourne’s New Generation Academy has been training with the club. Smith is a 179cm half forward/midfielder from South East Juniors. Paul Amy is reporting on Twitter that the Stingrays also have a group of players on the track at Casey Demons, including Clayton Gay, Will Bravo and Bryce Milford.

I’ve been out of the loop due to the fact that I’m interstate. Thanks to the posters above who have covered the club’s new faces. With the exception of Foot, most of the new names are players who came to the club from the Under 18 NAB competition after the 2019 season. This year, that competition will become Under 19 so many players will stay a year longer in the NAB Cup system making it a bit tougher for second tier club recruiting. They will probably be looking at more seasoned players from interstate or the country.

The latest - Northern Bullants to return to VFL as a stand-alone club

With the scrapping of the major second tier competitions on the east coast of the country due to COVID-19 for 2020, there will be a single replacement in 2021 meaning that the VFL and the old VFA will be no more. The NEAFL has been disbanded and the clubs that made up the previous competitions have been asked to lodge “expressions of interest” with the AFL by tomorrow. At this stage we know that Melbourne will persevere with its Casey Demons alignment while Carlton have scrapped the Northern Blues (although this could see the return of the Preston Bullants. NEAFL club, the Canberra Demons has stated that it won’t take part in the new competition. There may well be more than 20 teams in the new league next year with plenty of changes in the way the competition is conducted.

Feel for the people who worked so hard to get the team together but that's 2020. See you all next year. Stay safe.

What a difference a day or two makes? Casey Demons consider pulling out of the 2020 VFL season

Casey Demons secure 12 recruits, including three former AFL Demons Coach Sam Radford has complimented Casey’s recruiting manager Todd Patterson after the club locked in three former Melbourne players, key forward Tim “Bull” Smith, ruckman Jake Spencer and Patrick McKenna for the coming season starting on 1 August. With no Melbourne players available, the Casey team is looking strong in the ruck division with Sandringham Dragons recruit Andrew Courtney assisting Spencer. Key defender Ryan Morrison, another former Casey player, has returned after being drafted by North Melbourne while 2018 Dandenong Stingrays premiership co-captain Campbell Hustwaite and ex-Queenslander Cody Stackelberg come from Collingwood VFL. Others arriving at the club are former Gipplsand Power defender Kyle Reid from Geelong VFL; slippery forward Luke Nelson from Richmond VFL; ex-Dandenong Stingrays defender Daniel Capiron; former Gippsland Power utility Matt McGannon from the NEAFL; Billy Coates from Richmond VFL and St Kevin’s in the VAFA; and Brodie McLaughlin from North Melbourne VFL. An array of NAB League graduates - Courtney, George Grey, Lachie Lamble, Kyle Yorke (Sandringham Dragons), Luca Goonan, Corey Ellison, Nathan Heath, Jarryd Barker, Liam Scott (Dandenong Stingrays), Ryan Sparkes, Riley Baldi, Tye Hourigan and Josh Smith (Gippsland Power) all joined the club ahead of the season.

Liam Buxton, who was with Casey last year and was signed by Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL is training with St Kevins in the VAFA A Section after the plug was pulled on the Eastern league where he was going back to Vermont. This news seems to confirm that Jake Spencer is definitely in Casey’s sights.

Big news out of Casey Fields is the possible return of popular Demon ruckman Jake Spencer who has been linked with the club along with North Melbourne VFL defender Ryan Morrison and Richmond VFL small forward Luke Nelson (who was mentioned above by the spirit of Norm Smith). Casey will have four “home” games in the seven match fixture but they won’t be held at Casey Fields which isn’t available to them. A ground in Frankston is a possible alternative. Lucky dip: four VFL clubs pick up extra home game

Two players from Rowville in the ENFL Nick Lowden and Kyle Stainthorpe are set to play with Casey when the VFL kicks off on August 1.

Paul Amy has reported that former Dandenong Stingrays premiership captain and leather-tough onballer Campbell Hustwaite has joined the Casey Demons for the shortened VFL season after an encouraging debut year with Collingwood VFL in 2019.

VFL set to launch 2020 season on August 1 with eight teams AFL Victoria told clubs today that the VFL season will proceed this year with full contact training starting on Monday July 13 with the opening round starting on Saturday August 1. No AFL-listed players will take part in the competition but the eight clubs will be Box Hill, Casey, Coburg, Frankston, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Werribee and Williamstown.

For starters, two strong suburban leagues have folded for 2020 and one of them - the Eastern Football League is in close proximity to both Casey and Box Hill so they could supply top up players. Though we don’t know about future lists, Melbourne would be wise to encourage players with AFL potential to the fold so it could keep an eye on their development. Think Bayley Fritsch, Jay Lockhart and our old favourite Declan Keilty.

Interesting times ahead for the VFL and the traditionalists will be hoping the competition can survive. What makes it more problematic is the fact that there are so many unknowns about the future of second and third tier football with so much unresolved such as AFL list sizes, what happens to the northern clubs and the NEAFL and even the NAB Under 18 competition.

Radford excited by Casey Demons youth

Another setback in the preparation for the season ahead as several MFC listed players were expected to take part.

I couldn’t make the game but there’s one next week v Port Melbourne. The sad and sorry details from today are - Casey Demons 0.3.3 0.9.9 0.10.10 2.12 (24) Box Hill Hawks 3.2.20 5.3.33 7.7.49 11.7 (73) Goals Casey Demons Rivers C Wagner Box Hill Hawks Ross 4 Bowman Jeka 2 Cucinotta Day Reeves

These are the players who were on the list I have been provided:- (48) Jaxon Briggs — talented small forward with loads of pace. In his fourth season at Casey he played 9 games for the club but showed plenty of improvement in 2019. (35) Andrew Courtney — an 18 year old athletic 201cm ruckman/forward out of the Sandringham Dragons via St Bedes who, like many big men of his size, needs to work on his skill set in senior ranks. At last year’s Draft Combine he produced a 94cm running vertical jump, an 81cm standing vertical jump and clocked a three-second flat 20m sprint. (44) Corey Ellison — 19 year old, 189cm, 85kg defender from Dandenong Stingrays. (35) Mitch Lewis — plagued by injuries in his time at Casey but has shown plenty of class in between knee and ankle injuries and concussions. The classy flanker who can play at both ends was restricted to 8 games last season. He has elite running ability (runs 2km in six minutes) and was considered an outside chance for selection in last year’s mid season draft. (17) Tom McCaffrey — the 25 year old midfielder enters his third season with Casey after playing with the Wondonga Raiders in the Ovens & Murray Football League. He played 3 games with Casey in 2019. (16) James “Jimmy” Munro — an inspirational, hard tackling veteran, Munro has been a source of constant drive for Casey since transferring from Sandringham. Averaged 21.3 disposals and almost nine tackles from his 18 games last season. (27) Ryan Sparkes — 18 year old, 185cm, 82kg winger from Gippsland Power also played for Vic Country last year. He works hard, is super competitive, runs all day and takes the game on. (30) Anthony Vella — the left footer transferred from Port Melbourne last year but was injured and restricted to only five games in 2019.

The Casey Demons will have a practice match on Saturday 14th March 2020 at 11.30am at Casey Fields against Port Melbourne. That game takes place in the weekend before the start of the season when there are no AFL games played and will give the opportunity to players who have had injury-interrupted pre seasons and are racing against time to get match fit for round 1.

As far as I’m aware the rule change is - • VFL clubs will have a development list introduced, made up of 19-year-old players. • All clubs will be required to play 23 players per match, which will include 1 x 19-year-old development player and 1 x under-21 player (i.e traditional 23rd player).

I don’t think Smith is tall enough to play in the ruck. However, he did show in his Under 18 games for Vic Country that he has the makings of a solid KPF. I don’t know enough about Courtney. However, I will add that height is a definite asset at VFL level. It wasn’t all that long ago that Casey had a young tall by the name of Oscar McInerney who was borderline seniors/development league. Now he’s a regular with the Brisbane Lions.

Andrew Courtney, a 201cm ruckman/forward from the Sandringham Dragons has signed with the Casey Demons. AFL Draft Central He joins another ruckman/forward in 195cm Josh Smith (Gippsland Power & Vic Country), 185cm utility, Ryan Sparkes and 190cm defender Tye Hourigan, both also from Gippsland Power.

Not sure. I haven’t been out there during the cricket season. I will try to check.

Leslie’s currently in discussion with Williamstown.

Paul Amy has tweeted that the Casey Demons have made three good signings from Gippsland Power — Josh Smith, Tye Hourigan and Ryan Sparkes. The Demons are keen to nab a fourth Power graduate in midfielder Riley Baldi who was on the fringe of getting drafted.