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The Frankston Dolphins broke a run of six straight losses against their neighbours, the Casey Demons and kept their hopes for a long-awaited return to the VFL finals alive with a 27 point victory over at Kinetic Stadium. Casey was welcomed to the Peninsula by grey skies, heavy rain and angry seas with threatening white-capped waves whipped up by gale force winds. After a slow start in the opening term when they failed to take advantage of the breeze, it appeared that the Demons had decided to take a rain check on participation in the fray in the next stanza. They were duly blown out of the game by a powerful Dolphin surge that netted seven goals to a single major and they never recovered from the onslaught that saw them 27 points down at the main break. To their credit however, the visitors did manage to claw back a couple of points in a fairly dull and colourless second half of football but a full comeback to challenge Frankston’s lead was out of the question. Casey was always going to be under the pump from the moment its team selection revealed that five AFL listed players of various levels of experience were out of the side from last week’s win against Essendon. The late withdrawal of two more in Ben Brown and Taj Woewodin to be replaced by one emergency only leaving the bench one player short was a major blow. It was a major advantage for the Dolphins to have an extra on the bench when running into the wind with mud and slush under foot can be so energy slashing. Statistically, the teams were fairly even apart from the all-important conversion rate in front of goals but this belied the fact that Frankston was a far more even in its makeup and, with a possible finals appearance beckoning, was more intense in its approach to the game in wet, blustery and bitterly cold conditions. In any event, the statistics in the conditions that prevailed on Saturday saw different numbers than those which apply under what you would describe as “normal” playing conditions. There are less marks taken, more tackles and stoppages and many more ruck contests. The standout on the day was Melbourne rookie Kynan Brown who announced himself as a true mudlark. He took on the contest fearlessly and racked up some big numbers, gathering 27 disposals, 11 clearances and a goal and a club season high 24 tackles. This should assure him of a senior role, if not next up, then at least the next time Simon Goodwin is handed an adverse weather report for an upcoming game. Goodwin might also be comforted by the performance of Brown’s fellow rookie Will Verrall who had a great duel with his Dolphin counterpart in the ruck to pick up 45 hit outs, but won comfortably around the ground with 14 kicks 4 handballs and seven clearances. Defenders Marty Hore (10 marks) and Blake Howes (six tackles) each amassed 21 touches and were backed up by Josh Schache who picked up 18 disposals in a move to defence. Shane McAdam’s forte of his marking and kicking were affected by the conditions but he persisted with a strong performance in laying 12 tackles. Young forwards Matt Jefferson and Ollie Sestan weren’t suited to the heavy going but persisted throughout. Casey Demons coach Taylor Whitford did all that he could in the circumstances and the list he was given. He could well have done with a couple more VFL hardened bodies like his indefatigable skipper Mitch White who toiled hard all day for his 24 disposals and 13 tackles. He had strong backing from Roan Steele, Tyler Edwards and Mitch SzybkowskI who had a point to prove against his old club. Jack Bell also provided good support as second ruckman and his two goals were invaluable. One wonders why Melbourne looked far and wide to find a back up ruckman for Max Gawn when they had a player of this calibre on their doorstep. The Demons next start is an early one, next Saturday morning when they take on the UWS Giants at 11:35am back at Casey Fields. CASEY DEMONS 2.1.13 3.3.21 4.9.33 5.11.41 FRANKSTON 1.0.6 8.2.50 9.4.58 10.8.68 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Bell 2 K Brown Kentfield Peters FRANKSTON Johnson 4 Murphy 2 Burke Gown Newnes Quirk BEST CASEY DEMONS K Brown White Hore Steele Verrall SzybkowskI FRANKSTON Murphy Quirk Johnson Voss Grant Barlow Statistics Jed Adams 2 kicks 2 disposals 1 tackle 10 dream team points Jack Behnk 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 4 tackles 26 dream team points Jack Bell 2 goals 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 12 hit outs 68 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 24 tackles 175 dream team points Tyler Edwards 18 kicks 5 handballs 23 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 85 dream team points Roy George 1 behind 5 kicks 8 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 40 dream team points Max Gregory 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals 7 tackles 42 dream team points Blake Howes 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 89 dream team points Marty Hore 20 kicks 1 handball 21 disposals 10 marks 1 tackles 97 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 behind 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 43 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 goal 1 kick 2 handballs 3 disposals 2 tackles 12 dream team points Brayden Laplanche 5 kicks 5 disposals 2 tackles 23 dream team points Shane McAdam 3 behinds 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 12 tackles 95 dream team points Nick Moodie 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 31 dream team points Charlie Peters 1 goal 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 8 tackles 70 dream team points Josh Schache 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 72 dream team points Ollie Sestan 2 behinds 13 kicks 5 handballs 18 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 55 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 19 kicks 4 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 87 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 76 dream team points Will Verrall 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 45 hitouts 107 dream team points Mitch White 20 kicks 4 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 13 tackles 120 dream team points Kai Windsor 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 8 tackles 63 dream team points

Wet, slippery conditions and threatening rainfalls greeted the VFL Bombers at the end of their long journey southeast of the big city on Sunday. The threatening weather combined with the fact that neither side had realistic prospects of advancing to action in September, meant that spectators gathered at a cold Casey Fields weren’t expecting a classic exhibition of football. Nor did they get one. Instead they were presented with a dour struggle that never reached great heights. It was a game dominated by the home team that had its engines revved up early while the visitors stalled, spluttered and stuttered from the start. The result was that the early bird Casey Demons had a dominant opening quarter and held a lead of 27 points at the first break against a goalless Bomber outfit. This was enough to allow them to stave off an Essendon comeback in the final term and to finish with the game’s last three goals so that in the end, it was a relatively comfortable 22-point victory on the day which the club set aside for the very worthy breast cancer awareness campaign. In between, it was a game that resembled an old fashioned tug of war with the Bombers taking up the attack and the Demons responding with a change of momentum and neither side being able to put its imprint of the second and third quarter. The game highlighted Essendon’s surplus of tall timber and ruck talent with 203cm Nick Bryan who has been in dominant form at VFL level without getting much of a run in the AFL, amassing 53 hit outs in a team total of 69 (against 19) but losing the contest at ground level to Tom Fullarton who managed 20 disposals and six clearances and a goal but won only 4 hit outs while Bryan got only eight touches. The other Casey ruckman in Will Verrall’s tally of 13 hit outs was also overshadowed by the Bomber big man. Also at ground level, both sides had players who accumulated the football but the most effective on the day was Bailey Laurie whose game in the midfield grew throughout the day. He kicked goals when they were needed, amassed 29 disposals and seven clearances but his eight tackles were a highlight and earned him the best on the ground. Jack Billings’ haul for the day was almost as impressive. He also got his hands on the ball 29 times, executed six tackles and kicked two important goals to secure the match near the end. The goals came not long after he was caught on the wrong foot and kicked out of bounds on the full so it was a case of all’s well that ends well. Ollie Sestan worked hard in the shadows of the more experienced midfielders and showed his strength. Although he managed only 13 disposals, his six clearances and four tackles were more than handy for the Casey team effort. Ben Brown was in excellent marking form and presented well as he roamed the forward area. His haul might have only been a single goal but his presence was important. In defence, Blake Howes, Adam Tomlinson and Marty Hore all stood out in the tough conditions. Taj Woewodin who was the substitute for Melbourne on Saturday night, played a half after young key forward Matt Jefferson was ruled out with illness. Lachie Hunter also had limited time on the ground. Although it’s understood that the VFL is a training ground for “parent” AFL clubs, it makes it difficult for those who coach and manage VFL teams who also strive for success on the field. This makes it difficult to judge their success but we can be mindful that a number of players who played in the red and blue at the MCG on Saturday night have spent time with Casey over the last couple of seasons. VFL listers in Tyler Edwards, Roan Steele and Charlie Peters (two goals) were solid throughout while youngster teenager Noah Yze, although not prolific on debut, highlighted some emerging talent and participated in a nice piece of play that resulted in one of Billings’ goals. This all makes for an interesting game ahead next Saturday afternoon at Kinetic Stadium in the local derby against Frankston which will no doubt be keen to retain its current hold on tenth place and a finals berth for the first time in several years. Casey won its first game for the season at that venue against a wondering Port Melbourne team when ETU Stadium was unavailable. CASEY DEMONS 4.4.28 7.5.47 10.11.71 13.12.90 ESSENDON VFL 0.1.1 4.4.28 7.6.48 10.8.68 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Billings Laurie Peters 2 B Brown Edwards Fullarton Hunter McAdam Sestan Verrall ESSENDON VFL J Davey Menzie 3 A Davey Jedwab Toma Visentini BEST CASEY DEMONS Laurie Billings Hore Howes B Brown Sestan ESSENDON VFL Toma Hobbs O'Neill Hayes Roberts Tsatas Statistics Jed Adams 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 32 dream team points Jack Billings 2 goals 1 behind 19 kicks 10 handballs 29 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 126 dream team points Ben Brown 1 goal 1 behind 11 kicks 2 handballs 13 disposals 7 marks 1 hitout 65 dream team points Kynan Brown 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 46 dream team points Tyler Edwards 1 goal 8 kicks 4 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 6 tackles 74 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behinds 13 kicks 7 handballs 20 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 4 hitouts 79 dream team points Max Gregory 1 kick 4 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 14 dream team points Marty Hore 11 kicks 1 handball 12 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 73 dream team points Blake Howes 15 kicks 9 handballs 24 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 98 dream team points Lachie Hunter 1 goal 5 kicks 1 handball 6 disposals 3 marks 32 dream team points Luker Kentfield 5 kicks 5 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 29 dream team points Bailey Laurie 2 goals 1 behind 23 kicks 6 handballs 29 disposals 5 marks 8 tackles 139 dream team points Shane McAdam 1 goal 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 60 dream team points Charlie Peters 2 goals 1 behind 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 51 dream team points Josh Schache 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 33 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 goal 2 behinds 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 1 marks 4 tackles 64 dream team points Roan Steele 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 56 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 16 kicks 7 handballs 23 disposals 6 marks 82 dream team points Wil Verrall 1 goal 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 13 hitouts 52 dream team points Mitch White 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 63 dream team points Kai Windsor 1 behind 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 40 dream team points Taj Woewodin 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 37 dream team points Noah Yze 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 1 hitout 30 dream team points

It wasn’t quite a trainwreck although at times, it sure looked like one, so I’ll settle for “derailment”. The trip to Brighton Homes Arena in Springfield outside the back of Brisbane might not exactly be the same place where Homer Simpson’s family resides but, if you listened closely to the utterances of the Casey Demons fans both at the ground or watching via livestream, you could hear lots of groaning and plenty of expressions of “D'oh!” reverberating in the background, particularly after quarter time. The Demons started the game brightly. They were aided by a swirly breeze and had two early goals on the board through the agency of Josh Schache and emerging young forward Matt Jefferson who is starting to look as if he belongs on the forward line after a long apprenticeship. The Lions mounted a countercharge but the Demons were equal to the task with Shane McAdam and Schache looking dangerous, albeit erratic in front of goals. A ten point lead at the first break was looking like a good reward for effort until the strength, ability, the greater experience and AFL list numbers of the northerners came to the fore early in the second term and it was all over. The combination of Fort and Smith in the ruck and the on ball skills of Lyons, Robertson and Dunkley were overwhelming as the home side relentlessly pushed forward time and again off the weight of clearances. The Brisbane backmen defended strongly, their forwards played in front and marked everything. The only mystery was the fact that they weren’t further in front. After an early second half resurgence, it was business as usual and the Demons trailed by eight goals at three quarter time and thanks to some rare individual efforts, they somehow managed to narrow the margin slightly by the end of the game. Casey had far too few players who stood up all day. Defenders Marty Hore (24 disposals, 10 marks) and Blake Howes Howes (22 touches, seven marks) worked hard to stem the flow but had very little assistance. Forwards Matt Jefferson and Shane McAdam presented well and did their bit with three goals each while Josh Schache scored two goals but also blemished his record with four behinds including a couple that were very forgettable. Jack Billings worked hard to get into the game but otherwise, most of the younger crop of Demons looked tired and failed to produce the goods. The young ruckmen were well beaten both at stoppages and around the ground. Apart from Mitch White who gave his all as he always does, Roan Steele and Tom Freeman, the VFL-listed players had minimal impact on the game. Casey are back home against Essendon, another struggling side, next Sunday. The Demons will need to lift their game as the Bombers won their game this round and are showing improvement of late with internal competition for finals places intensifies. CASEY DEMONS 5.5.35 6.5.41 7.9.51 11.11.77 BRISBANE LIONS 4.1.25 10.5.65 15.9.99 18.15.123 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson McAdam 3 Schache 2 Billings Farris-White White BRISBANE LIONS Smith 3 Craven Derksen Dunkley Lyons Ryan 2 Greenaway McPherson Manly Robertson Sharp BEST CASEY DEMONS Hore Jefferson McAdam Howes White Billings BRISBANE LIONS Robertson Lyons Smith Prior Dunkley Fort Statistics Jed Adams 2 kicks 3 handballs 5 disposals 1 tackle 16 dream team points Jack Billings 1 goal 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 84 dream team points Kynan Brown 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 5 tackles 35 dream team points Tyler Edwards 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 51 dream team points Kyah Faris-White 1 goals 1 behind 3 kicks 3 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 11 hitouts 29 dream team points Tom Freeman 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 64 dream team points Max Gregory 4 kicks 8 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 57 dream team points Marty Hore 22 kicks 2 handballs 24 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 106 dream team points Blake Howes 13 kicks 9 handballs 22 disposals 7 marks 78 dream team points Lachie Hunter 13 kicks 3 handballs 16 disposals 9 marks 1 tackle 76 dream team points Matt Jefferson 3 goals 1 behind 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 76 dream team points Luker Kentfield 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 25 dream team points Eddie King 2 kicks 3 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 23 dream team points Bailey Laurie 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 32 dream team points Shane McAdam 3 goals 1 behind 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 6 marks 7 tackles 97 dream team points Ned Moodie 1 behind 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 53 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 behind 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 60 dream team points Josh Schache 2 goals 4 behinds 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 12 marks 96 dream team points Ollie Sestan 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 1 hitout 41 dream team points Roan Steele 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 69 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 32 dream team points Will Verrall 6 kicks 1 handball 7 disposals 3 tackles 26 hitouts 56 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 65 dream team points

The Casey Demons overcame their inaccuracy and the wet inhospitable conditions to overrun the lowly Northern Bullants at Genis Steel Oval in Cramer Street, Preston on Saturday. It was an eerie feeling entering the ground that in the past hosted many VFA/VFL greats of the past including the legendary Roy Cazaly. The cold and drizzly rain and the sparse crowd were enough to make one want to escape to the nearby Preston Market and hang out there for the afternoon. In the event, the fans who stayed to watch the game were treated to a close but somewhat lacklustre exhibition in which the Demons were superior for most of the day and proved that when they ran away with the game in the final quarter to win by 28 points. Early in the game, the teams traded goals and the home team keep their noses in front with a 4 point lead at the first break. The conditions and some puzzling umpiring were making things difficult for the players but the old adage about the team with the greater skills winning out in the wet started to prove true. With 12 AFL listed players, Casey gradually worked their way to square the game at half time with players like the strong tackling Bailey Laurie and Kynan Brown (who had a cameo performance much further north the night before) winning the ground ball and Tom Fullerton having one of his better games in the ruck. The experience of Jack Billings and Lachie Hunter were invaluable at this stage. The game became pretty much a slog in the murky wet conditions after half time with only one goal scored in an ugly quarter of football. That goal came from Shane McAdam after five minutes and it put Casey six points in front. Despite dominating the play, Casey could add only six points, half of them rushed, to the Bullants’ single behind for the term and Casey led by 11 points at the final break. The Demons got their kicking boots on in the last when, after a day of rain, the real deluge began in terms of goals scored. The first two came in quick succession from Oliver Sestan who was really relishing the conditions. Matt Jefferson, who presented well up forward all day, iced the game when he was well rewarded with a nice goal and McAdam dribbled one through late in proceedings for his third which saw the Casey Demons safely home for their fourth victory of the season. Laurie was the star of the day with his 23 possessions and a massive ten tackles, while Blake Howes had 22 touches and rookie Kynan Brown finished with 20, as did Fullarton in the ruck adding to his 29 hit outs. Mitch White and Ned Moodie were the best of the VFL list. The team heads much further north - to Brisbane next Saturday afternoon at Brighton Homes Arena for a tough assignment against a genuine flag contender.
 CASEY DEMONS 3.3.21 5.8.38 6.14.50 10.15.75 NORTHERN BULLANTS 4.1.25 6.2.38 6.3.39 7.5.47 GOALS CASEY DEMONS S. McAdam 3 M. Jefferson 0. Sestan 2 J. Billings H. Neocleous J. Schache NORTHERN BULLANTS J. Jorgensen 3 M. Goodman 2 C. Kosmas J. Velissaris BEST CASEY DEMONS B. Howes B. Laurie M. White M. Jefferson N. Moodie K. Brown NORTHERN BULLANTS C. Franks E. Mantas F. Dreher P. Fairlie J. Velissaris Statistics Jed Adams 10 kicks 10 disposals 4 marks 42 dream team points Jack Billings 1 goal 1 behind 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 4 marks 68 dream team points Kynan Brown 15 kicks 5 handballs 20 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 95 dream team points Tyler Edwards 2 behinds 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points Tom Freeman 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 60 dream team points Tom Fullarton 12 kicks 8 handballs 20 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 29 hitouts 92 dream team points Max Gregory 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 55 dream team points Blake Howes 17 kicks 5 handballs 22 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 82 dream team points Lachie Hunter 6 kicks 8 handballs 14 disposals 1 mark 37 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 goals 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 60 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 behind 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 2 tackles 15 dream team points Eddie King 1 behind 2 kicks 2 disposals 1 tackle 11 dream team points Bailey Laurie 13 kicks 10 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 10 tackles 97 dream team points Shane McAdam 3 goals 1 behind 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 70 dream team points Ned Moodie 10 kicks 4 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 61 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 goal 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 58 dream team points Josh Schache 1 goal 2 behinds 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 3 hitouts 70 dream team points Ollie Sestan 2 goals 1 behind 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 88 dream team points Roan Steele 15 kicks 3 handballs 18 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 76 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 1 behind 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 53 dream team points Ryan Valentine 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 20 dream team points Mitch White 15 kicks 3 handballs 18 disposals 9 marks 5 tackles 92 dream team points Kai Windsor 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 20 dream team points

Casey’s season continued to drift into helplessness on Sunday when they lost another home game by a narrow margin, this time six points, in their Round 13 clash with North Melbourne’s VFL combination. The game was in stunning contrast to their last meeting at the same venue when Casey won the VFL Wildcard Match by 101 points. Back then, their standout players were Brodie Grundy and James Jordon who are starring in the AFL with ladder leaders, the Sydney Swans (it turned out to be their last game in the red and blue). Tom McDonald was in fine fettle as was Jimmy Munro who was closing in on retirement. When the tables were turned on Sunday, there were very few constants for the Casey Demons. One was Mitch White, still the skipper, the workhorse with 27 disposals and a well-earned goal: the man who pushed himself to his fullest capacity but who sadly missed his partner-in-crime Munro. The other was former NGA draftee Andy Moniz-Wakefield who kicked four goals in that game but has since been moved down back with the odd run through the middle where he has been dominating but mysteriously, he rarely gets a mention for AFL honours. He did it again this time with his 35 disposals, four marks and three tackles, giving the team every opportunity to score a win. His time must come soon. One improver from that final is forward Matt Jefferson, a youngster whose body was tiring at the end of a long season and who managed a few behinds in the Wildcard Match. This time around, he slotted through four goals, showed up more around the ground and took eight marks. I wouldn’t rush him into the fray at AFL just yet but he’s pushing forward with every week. Will Verrall is much in the same category but also very much a work in progress as an aspiring ruckman. He finished this game concussed. Watch out for both in 2025 with extra weight and another preseason under their belts. North Melbourne had only six AFL listers on that fateful day last year but this time around, the Kangaroos were far better prepared. Apart from the fact that they had greater AFL representation, they were far more rounded on Sunday. And they had two of the first four 2023 AFL draft selections in their ranks and a couple more first rounders to boot. Along with a handy Deakyn Smith who was at Casey last year. The game was close in the first half with the lead changing hands but the Kangaroos gained the momentum in the third term. Casey made a few serious lunges in the final quarter but North was able to hold on strongly and deserved the victory. One of their aces was Dylan Stephens who was subbed on late in the third term at the MCG on Saturday night and picked up 14 possessions in his team’s late revival. He returned to play VFL on Sunday, collected 24 touches and played a key role in ensuring that his team would prevail and prevent a Casey victory. With Melbourne in the running for an AFL finals berth, its substitute was not considered for a similar role at Casey Fields even though he had minimal time on the ground on Saturday night. Kynan Brown must be a certainty to play in Brisbane this week. We can also expect Melbourne will bring a couple of carry over players up north with them so who knows whether the VFL side will be a fullest possible when the team takes on the stand alone Northern Bullants at Genis Street Oval, Preston on Saturday afternoon? It probably doesn’t matter because the finals are now out of reach, as are the Wildcard Matches. CASEY DEMONS 2.5.17 5.8.38 8.8.56 11.11.77 NORTH MELBOURNE VFL 3.5.23 8.6.54 10.10.70 12.11.83 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 4 Fullarton Kentfield King Laurie McAdam Szybkowski White NORTH MELBOURNE VFL Hansen Jr 4 Maley Sellers 2 Free Hardeman Harvey Payne BEST MELBOURNE White Moniz-Wakefield Edwards Jefferson Billings Laurie NORTH MELBOURNE VFL Lazzaro Stephenson McKercher Hardeman Stephens Hansen Jr Statistics Jed Adams 5 kicks 5 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 21 dream team points Jack Billings 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 69 dream team points Tyler Edwards 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 82 dream team points Tom Freeman 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 65 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behind 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 8 hitouts 48 dream team points Max Gregory 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 55 dream team points Matt Jefferson 4 goals 9 kicks 1 handball 10 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 81 dream team points Luker Kentfield 1 goal 2 kicks 1 handballs 3 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 21 dream team points Eddie King 1 goal 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 goal 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 67 dream team points Shane McAdam 1 goal 1 behind 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 35 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 22 kicks 13 handballs 35 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 115 dream team points Ned Moodie 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 2 tackles 31 dream team points Charlie Peters 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 38 dream team points Josh Schache 1 behind 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 20 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 kick 5 handballs 6 disposals 4 tackles 29 dream team points Roan Steele 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 61 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 1 goal 4 kicks 10 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 53 dream team points Ryan Valentine 4 kicks 1 handball 5 disposals 2 marks 17 dream team points Will Verrall 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 16 hitouts 49 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 2 behinds 19 kicks 8 handballs 27 disposals 4 marks 9 tackles 131 dream team points Kai Windsor 1 behind 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 3 marks 27 dream team points Taj Woewodin 2 kicks 5 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 22 dream team points

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

The Casey Demons headed into town and up Sydney Road to take on the lowly Coburg Lions who have been perennial VFL easy beats and sitting on one win for the season. Last year, Casey beat them in a practice match when resting their AFL listed players. That’s how bad they were. Nobody respected them on Saturday and clearly not the Demons who came to the game with 22 players (ten MFC), but whether they came out to play is another matter because for the most part, their intensity was lacking and not many wanted to get their hands dirty. They allowed a rag tag bunch of unknowns, many of them suburban players, to overrun them and dominate proceedings after the first half hour of play with a final result, a 26 point defeat, flattering to them. Sometimes a game of football where one team has the upper hand early and the other takes over control is called “a game of two halves”. In this instance, for the Casey Demons, it was a game of one quarter - the first. They appeared to come out firing and doubled Coburg’s score in the first quarter but even that was an illusion because they had the advantage of the early breeze. For the Demons, at least Matt Jefferson with two goals continued on from an encouraging game last week with a couple of goals in the opening term. Mitch White led from the front and Koltyn Tholstrop and Andy Moniz-Wakefield showed a bit. After that, it was a one way street with the home side running rings around them in the second quarter booting seven goals to one. You could tell how the enthusiastic Lions from Coburg went into the rooms at half time compared to the way their dejected opponents trudged off that it was already all over. And so it was, although the home team only extended its lead by a mere four points in the second half. The Demons were beaten in the ruck, at the stoppages and around the ground. Their skills were appalling at times. White stood out and did his best and he had some good lieutenants in Edwards, Neocleous and Steele. Blake Howes picked up a lot of possessions but he was always under the pump while Jed Adams and Bailey Laurie worked hard all day. Too many players came out of the game with clean hands and, unlike last week, it can’t even be said that it was a gallant defeat. CASEY DEMONS 4.6.30 5.8.38 9.9.63 12.10.82 COBURG 2.3.15 9.6.60 14.6.90 16.12.108 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Fullarton Jefferson Lewis Neocleous 2 Moodie Sestan Szybkowski Tholstrop COBURG Weightman 3 Gentile 2 Bromell Coriliano Dammersmith D’Intinosante Gillard Serong Thomas Walker BEST CASEY DEMONS White Adams Laurie Neocleous Steele Edwards COBURG Gentile Rigoni Weightman Podhajaski Bromell Trudgeon Statistics Jed Adams 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 55 dream team points Kynan Brown 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 52 dream team points Tyler Edwards 2 behinds 9 kicks 8 handballs 17 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 58 dream team points Tom Freeman 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 36 dream team points Tom Fullarton 2 goals 1 behind 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 18 hitouts 89 dream team points Max Gregory 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 53 dream team points Blake Howes 24 kicks 8 handballs 32 disposals 9 marks 3 tackles 129 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 goals 2 behinds 8 kicks 1 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 59 dream team points Brayden LaPlanche 2 kicks 5 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 31 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 behind 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 100 dream team points Caleb Lewis 2 goals 1 behind 2 kicks 1 handball 3 disposals 3 tackles 34 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 14 kicks 15 handballs 29 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 105 dream team points Ned Moodie 1 goal 8 kicks 6 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 59 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 2 goals 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 82 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 goal 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 48 dream team points Roan Steele 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 57 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 1 goal 4 kicks 11 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 67 dream team points Koltyn Tholstrup 1 goal 1 behind 15 kicks 6 handballs 21 disposals 6 marks 9 tackles 114 dream team points Ryan Valentine 2 kicks 5 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 31 dream team points Will Verrall 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 18 hitouts 57 dream team points Mitch White 2 behinds 19 kicks 12 handballs 31 disposals 9 marks 4 tackles 124 dream team points Kai Windsor 1 kicks 3 handballs 4 disposals 1 marks 2 tackles 20 dream team points

The world “gallant” is not one that is readily acceptable to losing teams in our game of football so when it was used in the context of the Casey Demons’ loss to Sandringham in yesterday’s match at Casey Fields, it left a bitter taste in the mouth. The Demons went into the game against the St Kilda affiliated Zebras with the advantage of playing on their home turf (not that this has been a major asset in 2024) and with very little else going in their favour. The Saints have close to a full list from which to select their team and, as a consequence, Sandy fielded a strong team with a solid group of AFL campaigners. The Demons, on the other hand, managed to provide ten AFL players, most of them short on AFL experience and also lacked the VFL experience of recent years. Skipper Mitch White was the exception to that rule and he was indeed, magnificent all afternoon in an outstanding leadership performance that produced a game high 38 possessions as well as two goals and ten clearances. He was responsible for Casey’s strong first half showing and then, led the charge at the end with the goal that led his side’s run of five unanswered goals in the middle of the final term that had them so tantalisingly close at 1 point in arrears before the Zebras kicked away with the game’s last two goals. Earlier, the Demons kicked themselves out of the win with errant kicking for goal that proved fatal to the cause in a half of football that saw several lead changes. The half time score of 6.10.46 to 7.2.46 said it all. With Membrey and Hotton taking control in the third term, the Zebras looked to be on their way to an easy win until the late Casey comeback. For Melbourne fans, the form of Matthew Jefferson who booted 5.3 and took eight marks was heartening. His display of forward craft and thirst for the contest were his best in the year and a half in which he has been with the Demons. Ben Brown’s 3.3 after the main break showed that he is by no means a spent force. Andy Moniz-Wakefield continued with his rich vein of form covering plenty of ground and collecting 17 kicks, 17 handballs and taking six marks. Bailey Laurie (25 disposals), Jack Billings (24) and Koltyn Tholstrup (23) were all busy. With plenty of young talent being groomed for the future, the club should not expect too many “gallant losses” going forward. The Casey Demons next outing is next Saturday at Piranha Park against fellow cellar dwellers Coburg Lions. CASEY DEMONS 4.4.28 6.10.46 8.12.60 14.14.98 SANDRINGHAM 5.0.30 7.2.44 14.4.88 17.9.111 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 5 B Brown 3 Laurie White 2 Cross Szybkowski SANDRINGHAM Membrey 6 Hotton 5 Lowe 2 Allison Butler Heath Watson BEST CASEY DEMONS White Moniz-Wakefield Jefferson Laurie K Brown B Brown SANDRINGHAM Heath Membrey Crouch Campbell Hotton Paton Statistics Jed Adams 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 51 dream team points Jack Bell 5 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 6 hitouts 20 dream team points Jack Billings 13 kicks 11 handballs 24 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 77 dream team points Ben Brown 3 goals 3 behinds 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 9 marks 1 tackle 82 dream team points Kynan Brown 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 8 tackles 86 dream team points Paddy Cross 1 goals 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 1 marks 5 tackles 55 dream team points
 Tyler Edwards 1 behind 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 78 dream team points Tom Freeman 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 33 dream team points Max Gregory 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 54 dream team points Matt Jefferson 5 goals 3 behinds 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 82 dream team points Brayden LaPlanche 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 59 dream team points Bailey Laurie 2 goals 1 behind 14 kicks 11 handballs 25 disposals 6 marks 5 tackles 115 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 17 kicks 17 handballs 34 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 115 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 behind 1 kick 2 handballs 3 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 15 dream team points Ollie Sestan 2 behinds 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 65 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 76 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 1 goal 6 kicks 1 handball 7 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 47 dream team points Koltyn Tholstrup 9 kicks 14 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 1 tackles 74 dream team points Ziggy Toledo 1 handball 1 disposals 2 dream team points Ryan Valentine 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 48 dream team points Will Verrall 1 behind 6 kicks 13 handballs 19 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 14 hitouts 77 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 26 kicks 12 handballs 38 disposals 8 marks 5 tackles 158 dream team points Kai Windsor 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 35 dream team points

It was a case of the Casey Demons going into a game with a glass half full in their match up against the Brisbane Lions at Casey Fields on Saturday. As the list of injured and unavailable AFL and VFL listed players continues to grow and with Melbourne taking all three emergencies to Perth for the weekend on a “just in case” basis, its little brother was always destined to struggle. Casey was left with only eight AFL listed players from who to select their team but only two - an out-of-form Lachie Hunter and an out-of-favour Bailey Laurie have match experience at the elite level. The result was that, although Casey managed to get out of the blocks early to hold a quarter time lead of 26 points, which it managed to maintain until deep in the second term, the team was overwhelmed in the second half. Miraculously, it was still in the running for victory close to an end which saw them go down by seven points when the final siren sounded. Still, victory for the Demons would have been highway robbery because the Lions were so dominant all over the ground from midway through the second stanza after strongly built midfielder/forward Oliver Sestan booted his fourth goal of the game. Sestan’s impact early was immense. He opened proceedings with a goal from the back of the pack seconds into the game and followed up with a second from a mark soon after. By the time he kicked his third, Casey Fields had the feel of Fortress Casey from a couple of seasons back. Brisbane however, slowly worked its way back into the game although not on the scoreboard until some defensive lapses by the home team gave the Lions the opportunity to narrow the margin to 19 points in the shadows of half time. Casey’s deficiencies were there for all to see as their pressure and intensity fell to the point where they managed just a single goal in the final hour’s play. There was little tackling and opponents were allowed to cut through the defences with only poor conversion from Brisbane keeping Casey in with a chance. Unfortunately, the much-needed experienced personnel to steady the ship were absent, apart from skipper Mitch White and Roan Steele who again worked their butts off for their team with very little help. Without wishing to labour a point already made often this season, the Demons are missing the players who were highlighters in the midfield last year. To make matters worse, two of their VFL replacements in former Collingwood VFL skipper Campbell Hustwaite and ex-St Kilda lister Leo Connolly are out injured but they are not the equivalent of James Munro’s strong tackling in the engine room which is sorely missed. The next tier of replacement is not even close. Laurie worked hard for his 24 disposals, five marks and five clearances as did Kynan Brown with 23 possessions to a losing ruck although to his credit Will Verrall was persistent to finish with 16 touches and 9 clearances. They were let down unfortunately by Hunter who has struggled since incurring a troublesome calf injury during the preseason. Defender Andy Moniz-Wakefield had a busy day with 28 touches and four marks but might have been better used more up forward. Young key position players Matthew Jefferson and Jed Adams continue to hone their play and learn the trade but were unable to put in four quarter efforts. That will come with experience but the glass at the club is half full and the scarcity of that asset in the line up was again the story of the day for the flagging Casey Demons. CASEY DEMONS 6.3.39 7.5.47 8.8.56 8.9.57 BRISBANE LIONS 2.1.13 4.4.28 7.9.51 8.16.64 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Sestan 4 Jefferson 2 Bell K Windsor BRISBANE LIONS Lloyd 3 Collins Derksen Lloyd Lohmann Robertson BEST CASEY DEMONS Moniz-Wakefield Sestan Steele White Laurie K Brown BRISBANE LIONS Lyons Robertson Tunstill K Dunkley Macpherson Joyce Statistics Jed Adams 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 62 dream team points Jack Bell 1 goal 1 behind 3 kicks 7 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 8 hitouts 50 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 behind 9 kicks 14 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 73 dream team points Paddy Cross 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 1 tackles 37 dream team points Tyler Edwards 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 48 dream team points Tom Freeman 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 43 dream team points Max Gregory 6 kicks 9 handballs 15 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 54 dream team points Lachie Hunter 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 48 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 goals 1 behinds 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 43 dream team points Bailey Laurie 12 kicks 12 handballs 24 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 89 dream team points Caleb Lewis 1 behind 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 17 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 23 kicks 5 handballs 28 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 95 dream team points Ned Moodie 1 kicks 2 handballs 8 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 behind 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 30 dream team points Charlie Peters 7 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 17 dream team points Ollie Sestan 4 goals 1 behind 13 kicks 2 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 82 dream team points Kobe Shipp 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 1 tackle 25 dream team points Roan Steele 17 kicks 8 handballs 25 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 95 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 6 kicks 10 handballs 16 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 59 dream team points Ryan Valentine 7 kicks 1 handball 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 33 dream team points Will Verrall 7 kicks 9 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 19 hitouts 58 dream team points Mitch White 1 behinds 13 kicks 11 handballs 24 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 94 dream team points Kai Windsor 1 goals 1 behind 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 63 dream team points

The Friday evening rush hour clash of two of the VFL’s 2024 minnows, Carlton and the Casey Demons was excruciatingly painful to watch, even if it was for the most part a close encounter. I suppose that since the game had to produce a result (a tie would have done the game some justice), the four points that went to Casey with the win, were fully justified because they went to the best team. In that respect, my opinion is based on the fact that the Blues were a lopsided combination that had a small number of players (two to be exact) propping up a mediocre rabble while the Demons were far more even, albeit most of them were very ordinary. Casey was superb in the first couple of minutes with young forward Matt Jefferson snagging the opening scores of the game before a the Blues, more particularly, their two stars took over the proceedings. At this stage the Demons appeared to be continuing where they left off from last week watching as their opponents reeled off the next five goals (the last kicked just after quarter time) to take a strong grip on the game With Casey trailing by four goals early in the second term and with no sign of last week’s hero, uncle Roy, things were desperate. A pulse was detected and the team rallied with a momentum breaking goal from Bailey Laurie who showed great commitment for most of the game. The early saviour this week however, was Koltyn Tholstrup, a young prospect who seemed to be channeling Christian Petracca with two goals in mid quarter including a beauty from a long way out. He finished with 17 disposals but his effort when the game seemed to be slipping away was significant. Suddenly, the Demons were back in the hunt. Skipper Mitch White who earlier was putting his heart and soul into the effort of keeping his team in the game was instrumental in the turn around and fittingly snagged the goal that put his team in front before half time. He finished with 20 important touches and was a tower of strength for the team all evening. As the people of Melbourne made their way home from town for the weekend, there was little to interest them at Ikon Park as the game became a dour contest with goals hard to come by. Though he was way off target and struggled with the distance of his kicking, Ben Brown was the second half hero with two of his team’s three goals for that period. His day ended with 13 disposals, six marks and a score line of 2.6 which was worth its weight in gold. Lachie Hunter continued to build on his claims for a return to the AFL after his calf issues. He started slowly but finished with equal team-high 24 possessions and took four marks. Adam Tomlinson also had 24 disposals to go with his six marks in yet another high disposal game from the consistent defender. Others to impress on an otherwise gloomy evening were Laurie with 22 disposals and five clearances while Casey listed Roan Steele played his best game of the season. It was very much touch and go in the end with the pendulum swinging Casey’s way with a series of points seeing them narrowly across the line. It was hardly an exciting finish given that most of the crowd were asking “is it over yet?” The team is back home next week against the Brisbane Lions who don’t appear to be as strong as they were last year when they made it as far as the preliminary final. CASEY DEMONS 1.3.9 6.7.43 8.9.57 9.15.69 CARLTON VFL 4.3.27 6.6.42 7.11.53 9.12.66 GOALS CASEY DEMONS B Brown Tholstrop 2 Fullarton Jefferson Laurie Neocleous CARLTON VFL Cahill McMahon 2 Carroll Lemmey Monahan O’Keefe White BEST CASEY DEMONS Hunter Laurie White Jefferson B Brown Tholstrup CARLTON VFL Binns Fantasia Marchbank Young Carroll McMahon Statistics Jed Adams 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 1 marks 3 tackles 36 dream team points Ben Brown 2 goals 6 behinds 11 kicks 2 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 88 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 behind 12 kicks 9 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 73 dream team points Paddy Cross 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 1 tackle 17 dream team points Tyler Edwards 8 kicks 8 handballs 16 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 57 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 goal 1 behinds 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 7 hitouts 44 dream team points Max Gregory 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 34 dream team points Marty Hore 13 kicks 1 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 57 dream team points Lachie Hunter 17 kicks 7 handballs 24 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 89 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 1 behind 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 53 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 goal 14 kicks 8 handballs 22 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 88 dream team points Shane McAdam 1 behind 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 6 tackles 48 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 73 dream team points Ned Moodie 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 1 marks 36 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 goal 1 behind 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 3 tackles 34 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 behind 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 1 marks 1 tackle 37 dream team points Roan Steele 12 kicks 7 handballs 19 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 63 dream team points Koltyn Tholstrup 2 goals 1 behind 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 70 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 16 kicks 8 handballs 24 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 82 dream team points Will Verrall 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 11 hitouts 53 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 15 kicks 5 handballs 20 disposals 3 tackles 75 dream team points Kai Windsor 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 20!dream team points Taj Woewodin 6 kicks 5 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 43 dream team points

The Casey Demons have been left languishing near the bottom of the VFL table after suffering a 32-point defeat at the hands of stand alone club Williamstown at Casey Fields on Sunday. The Demons suffered a major setback before the game even started when AFL listed players Ben Brown, Marty Hore and Josh Schache were withdrawn from the selected side. Only Schache was confirmed as an injury replacement, the other two held over as possible injury replacements for Melbourne’s Thursday night fixture against Carlton. The replacements didn’t end there as forward Shane McAdam left the field early with concussion. Lachie Hunter, who was quiet up to half time, saw no further action after the main break, suggesting that he was also being held back. With the continuing absence of injured centreman Campbell Hustwaite and the resting (management) of defender Leo Connolly, the home side was almost bereft of strong bodies with experienced heads. Against ladder heavyweights Williamstown, Casey was left flat footed. They managed the opening goal from Harvey Neocleous in the first minute or so of the game but then struggled to score when slightly favoured by a cross wind for the remainder of the term and their next goal took a while coming. By that time the Seagulls were in command. Adam Tomlinson was getting plenty of touches in the early going but one or two errors proved costly and his influence waned after a dominant opening term. The second quarter saw Willy quickly skip away to a 23 point lead, at which time a sudden and unexpected change came over the game. Enter Roy George, unheralded debutant and former Peel Thunder player who kicked the first of his three goals to stem the tide in mid term and contributed to another by chipping the ball to Kynan Brown before the buzzer to see the team only 15 points adrift at half time. Fans around the ground were asking “who is this effervescent small forward Roy George?” The answer is that the 179cm tall, 87kg journeyman originally named as an emergency who got his call up when Melbourne withdrew three of its players from the team before the game, hails from Bunbury WA. He has played for Peel Thunder in the WAFL and over the past couple of years, his name has bobbed up in country Victoria and in the Northern Territory in the off season. George remained in the thick of things in the third quarter, kicking two quick goals and assisting in others. Against the odds, Casey was now back in the game thanks to his brilliance coupled with the strong defensive play of Andy Moniz-Wakefield who finished with a game-high 30 disposals and seven marks. The team’s younger guns Matt Jefferson, Koltyn Tholstrup and Ollie Sestan all contributed to the team’s sudden reversal of fortunes. Jefferson in particular, had a strong second half after a quiet start and was another who led a third quarter charge that saw Casey incredibly holding a six point lead at the final break. The Seagulls still had the ace card as they had the advantage of the wind at their backs in the final term but when Jefferson goaled five minutes into the quarter, an upset seemed a possibility. Not to be deterred, Willy plugged away and fought back to again wrest the lead in mid quarter. Casey’s cause was not helped by the fact that two of their Melbourne listers were off for all of the second half. George’s influence faded at the end, as did one or two others who had carried a heavy load through the game’s difficult conditions. Once Williamstown got their noses in front, the floodgates opened. With experienced, ex GWS Giant 203cm ruckman Tom Downie, dominant and ex Casey player Corey Ellison booting four goals, the visitors romped home with six of the last seven majors of the game. Although beaten in the ruck, Will Verrall had 17 disposals and 23 hitouts while Kynan Brown finished with 15 touches, 10 tackles and a goal. Mitch White (21 disposals) and Tyler Edwards (20 possessions) battled hard all day for Casey. The Casey Demons are now a shadow of the team that won the flag less than two years ago and will remain under the pump as long as the VFL fixture makes it difficult for the club to play its strongest team with players held back to potentially remain fresh to face off against opponents on short breaks. Their next game is against Carlton at Ikon Park on Friday. CASEY DEMONS 1.0.6 3.3.21 8.6.54 10.8.68 WILLIAMSTOWN 1.4.10 5.6.36 7.6.54 15.10.100 GOALS CASEY DEMONS George Jefferson 3 Brown Edwards Neocleous White WILLIAMSTOWN Ellison 4 McLoughlin Petric 3 Brown Ebinger Gadsby Henderson Toner BEST CASEY DEMONS Moniz-Wakefield White Edwards Verrall George Tomlinson Brown WILLIAMSTOWN Downie Ellison Toner McLaughlin Fitzgerald Triffett Disposals Jed Adams 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 36 dream team points Jake Bell 1 behind 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 34 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 6 kicks 9 handballs 15 disposals 2 marks 10 tackles 88 dream team points Tyler Edwards 1 goal 16 kicks 4 handballs 20 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 100 dream team points Tom Freeman 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 50 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 behind 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 10 hitouts 51 dream team points Roy George 3 goals 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 1 tackles 64 dream team points Max Gregory 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 24 dream team points Lachie Hunter 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 3 marks 17 dream team points Matt Jefferson 3 goals 2 behinds 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 74 dream team points Brayden Laplanche 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 34 dream team points Shane McAdam 1 kicks 2 handballs 3 disposals 1 mark 10 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 23 kicks 7 handballs 30 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 114 dream team points Ned Moodie 6 kicks 10 handballs 16 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 49 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 goal 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 22 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 behind 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 59 dream team points Roan Steele 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 2 tackles 22 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 42 dream team points Koltyn Tholstrup 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 66 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 16 kicks 4 handballs 20 disposals 8 marks 3 tackles 86 dream team points Will Verrall 8 kicks 9 handballs 17 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 23 hitouts 92 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 7 tackles 98 dream team points Kai Windsor 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 10 dream team points

The afternoon atmosphere at the Swinburne Centre was somewhat surreal as the game between Richmond VFL and the Casey Demons unfolded on what was really a normal work day for most Melburnians. The Yarra Park precinct marched to the rhythm of city life, the trains rolled by, pedestrians walked by with their dogs and the traffic on Punt Road and Brunton Avenue swirled past while inside the arena, a football battle ensued. And what a battle it was? The Tigers came in with a record of two wins from their three matches but with a question mark as a result of their lengthy injury list which left them with only 7 AFL listers to 14. The Demons were still seeking redemption after two early defeats on their home turf. The home side, with Ryan dominating in the ruck contests, raced quickly to a three goal lead but Casey steadied to kick the next four with Will Verrall booting the first two for his team. Ollie Sestan and Shane McAdam scored the next two. The Tigers steadied with the goal and Casey headed into the break with a lead of two points. The second quarter was similar to the first in that Richmond had all of the momentum and booted the first three goals before Casey burst through on the back of its high fliers Adam Tomlinson and Tom Fullarton who amassed big numbers statistically and the beneficiaries were Josh Schache and likewire human highlights reel Shane McAdam. In the end, the teams halved the quarter. Again, Richmond took the early initiative to burst ahead with Casey coming back late in the term. The lead continued to change into the final term in a game that was turning into a thriller. The Tigers were combining better. Their crumbers kept up the pressure and, in crucial parts of the game, forced errors and turnovers as they stretched their lead, aided by the benefit of their superior accuracy. The Demons seemed a little top heavy. They held sway in the air but were well beaten in the ruck (48 hit outs to 14) and the Tiger midfield won the clearance battles and the ground balls, allowing them to move away to a well-deserved 20 point victory. Tomlinson had an intriguing battle with Richmond’s Jacobs Koschitzke. He finished with 38 disposals but allowed his man four goals. Shane McAdam was super impressive when he was on, but he was used sparingly and his game was over by the final break after which he and Koltyn Tholstrup, who earlier had suffered a head knock, were rested. We’ll never know, but without their input and presence, the team wilted in the end. Credit to Andy Moniz-Wakefield and Ollie Sestan who both had some impressive moments. Josh Scache worked himself into the game and Shane McAdam finished with three goals. Lachie Hunter continued to work away in his quest for an AFL return while skipper Mitch White was a steadying influence. Casey’s next assignment is at home against one of the stronger stand alone clubs in Williamstown. They will need to find a way to bolster their midfield depth if they are to improve this season’s record. CASEY DEMONS 4.2.26 7.4.46 10.8.68 11.9.75 RICHMOND VFL 4.0.18 7.2.44 11.7.73 15.5.95 GOALS CASEY DEMONS McAdam Schache 3 Fullarton Verrall 2 Sestan RICHMOND VFL Koschitzke 4 Coulthard 3 Cumberland Davidson El Nour Green Johnson May Ryan Sonsie BEST CASEY DEMONS Tomlinson Fullarton Moniz-Wakefield Schache White Hunter RICHMOND VFL Sonsie Harris Koschitzke Ryan Street Garner Statistics Jed Adams 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 25 dream team points Ben Brown 6 kicks 1 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 23 dream team points Kynan Brown 2 behinds 5 kicks 9 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 46 dream team points Leo Connolly 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 37 dream team points Tyler Edwards 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 marks 3 tackles 57 dream team points Tom Freeman 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 41 dream team points Tom Fullarton 2 goals 16 kicks 9 handballs 25 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 5 hitouts 112 dream team points Max Gregory 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 42 dream team points Marty Hore 17 kicks 2 handballs 19 disposals 10 marks 1 tackle 87 dream team points Lachie Hunter 13 kicks 10 handballs 23 disposals 6 marks 6 tackles 90 dream team points Matt Jefferson 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 2 marks 18 dream team points Shane McAdam 3 goals 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 64 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 11 kicks 7 handballs 18 disposals 9 marks 5 tackles 95 dream team points Ned Moodie 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 30 dream team points Josh Schache 3 goals 3 behinds 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 10 marks 2 tackles 96 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 goals 1 behinds 14 kicks 3 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 75 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 58 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 1 mark 30 dream team points Koltyn Tholstrup 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 57 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 28 kicks 9 handballs 37 disposals 15 marks 143 dream team points Will Verrall 2 goals 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 9 hitouts 78 dream team points Mitch White 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 8 marks 4 tackles 91 dream team points Kai Windsor 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 23 dream team points

The Casey Demons have broken the ice for season 2024 with a pulsating come-from-behind victory over Port Melbourne in which it took the lead for the first time at the halfway mark of the final quarter. The game played in mild Autumn conditions in neutral territory at Kinetic Park, Frankston, never reached great heights in standard but it proved gripping in character at the end at the Casey Demons overcame the Borough to win by 15 points after trailing badly early in the second half. Port scored the opening two goals and maintained the ascendency throughout the opening term despite a late goal to Casey’s Ollie Sestan. The second term was a seesaw battle in which Port Melbourne managed to hold sway through the brilliance of ex-Bulldog Billy Gowers who had five goals till half time. His former teammate Josh Schache chimed in with a couple of goals of his own. Another late-term goal to the Demons saw them draw to within 15 points at the main break. Port Melbourne dominated proceedings in the early part of the second half kicking 4.1 to a single point to the 13 minute mark, skipping away to a 26 point lead. Their two man ruck was getting on top of Casey’s Will Verrall who was playing a lone hand in the ruck. Bailey Laurie was manfully holding the depleted midfield together seemingly on a thread, when the game took a turn for the better. Another former Dog in Lachie Hunter who had been held to five touches in the opening half, came alive and began to dictate the play. Daniel Turner, in his return match after injury, was moved forward and suddenly, the team clicked into action. Casey kicked eight of the last nine goals of the match, including six to one in the final quarter and notched up its first victory for the season. There were some good signs from a Melbourne perspective. The roles of Hunter and Laurie were instrumental in the fightback, Verrall is starting to really blossom as a ruckman and Kynan Brown and Ollie Sestan are rapidly developing their craft. Turner played a significant role when he went forward and Andy Moniz-Wakefield continues to make progress in his role in defence. Of the VFL-listed players Paddy Cross put in his best yet performance for the club. The icebreaking victory has provided a fillip for the club after two defeats at home to open the season. Unfortunately, the opportunity to build momentum from the win has been stifled by next weekend’s bye. CASEY DEMONS 2.4.16 5.8.38 7.11.53 13.12.90 PORT MELBOURNE 4.2.26 6.4.40 10.7.67 11.9.75 GOALS CASEY DEMONS K Brown Sestan Schache 3 Fullarton 2 Turner K Windsor PORT MELBOURNE Gowers 5 Conlan 2 Barnes Curry Miller Signorello BEST CASEY DEMONS Laurie Schache Hunter Sestan Fullarton K Brown PORT MELBOURNE Gowers Green Hird Hooper Flockart Rankin Statistics Jed Adams 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 38 dream team points Kynan Brown 3 goals 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 8 tackles 96 dream team points Leo Connolly 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 2 marks 35 dream team points. Paddy Cross 1 behind 16 kicks 3 handballs 19 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 89 dream team points Tyler Edwards 1 behind 5 kicks 1 handball 6 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 1 hitout 48 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 1 behind 1 kicks 1 disposal 1 mark 7 dream team points Tom Freeman 7 kicks 7 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 39 dream team points Tom Fullarton 2 goals 4 behinds 14 kicks 7 handballs 21 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 7 hitouts 101 dream team points Lachie Hunter 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 87 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals marks 1 tackle 16 dream team points Brayden Laplanche 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 47 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 behind 11 kicks 13 handballs 24 disposals 1 mark 17 tackles 122 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 12 kicks 4 handballs 16 disposals 7 marks 6 tackles 81 dream team points Ned Moodie 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 53 dream team points Josh Schache 3 goals 1 behind 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 84 dream team points Ollie Sestan 3 goals 12 kicks 8 handballs 20 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 78 dream team points Ryan Steele 6 kicks 7 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 49 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 56 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 15 kicks 1 handballs 16 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 57 dream team points Daniel Turner 1 goal 11 kicks 3 handballs 14 disposals 9 marks 3 tackles 82 dream team points Will Verrall 1 behind 17 kicks 4 handballs 21 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 31 hitouts 115 dream team points Mitch White 1 behind 7 kicks 4 handballs 11 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 52 dream team points Kai Windsor 1 goal 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 2 tackles 29 dream team points

The sunny skies and still, clear conditions that greeted fans on their arrival created a dreamlike Easter carnival atmosphere for Casey’s game against Footscray at Casey Fields. After their dreams of a flying start to the new season were shattered a week earlier with a disappointing error-riddled opening, the home supporters were given much hope with an improved performance from their team. They were treated with a high standard game of VFL football played in perfect conditions. It was Footscray’s steadiness under pressure and a huge advantage in experience that saw them run out victorious by 14 points, but what the fans saw in the Casey performance was not only improvement but also, a plethora of encouraging signs for the future. Both sides came well out of the blocks early and traded goals until Casey got on top with three quick goals to hold an 18 point lead in mid-term. The Casey rucks and midfielders opened strongly giving the forwards room to move and the goals came. In defence, Jed Adams was a key in his defensive role but when he went off injured, the strong marking Rory Lobb booted two goals and Bianco another to even the scores with the goals deep into time on. After the break, Casey dominated the first half of the second quarter but apart from an easy initial goal to Schache, his third, the Demons simply could not hit targets. Moved back to full forward this week, Matt Jefferson had a purple patch taking some strong marks but his good work was undone with wayward kicking for goal. During this period, he hit the post twice while two other shots failed to score at all. As often happens, the Bulldogs made them pay for their errant kicking at goal scoring four of the next five goals (with Jefferson finally hitting the target for the first time) to go into the sheds at half time with an 8 point lead. The Dogs’ greater accuracy in the third quarter when the Demons kicked only six behinds, saw them stretch the lead to 19 points and while Casey finally got their kicking boots on in the final term, Footscray always had the answers and held on to record a well-deserved 14 point victory. The visitors were loaded with experience at the highest level including two 150 plus AFL games players Rory Lobb (5 goals) and Melbourne premiership player James Harmes (with a game high 33 disposals), 100 gamer Alex Keath and a bevy of other names like Garcia, Jones, McNeil, O’Donnell, Scott and Spicer. By way of contrast, Casey’s only Melbourne listers with experience at AFL level were Josh Schache with 76 games across three clubs and Brisbane recruit Tom Fullarton with 19 games at the Lions. Both had good games with Schache important with four goals but in the heat of battle, the experience differential was significant, especially after Bailey Laurie and Adam Tomlinson were withdrawn from the side and flew to Adelaide to be with the Melbourne team. One of the main functions of this tier of football is to provide a good platform for an AFL club’s youth and another, to give local communities access to a high standard of sport. In this regard, the game showcased the potential at Casey for the fulfillment of many future dreams. Despite Jefferson’s missed goalkicking opportunities (he finished with 2.3 but his accuracy in the past has been sound), the game proved to be a massive confidence booster for him in terms of the way he clunked his seven marks and also, for his ground level play. His duel with fellow uncapped 2022 first round draftee Jedd Busslinger was a ripper and one can imagine similar contests in the future on a higher stage. Also impressive from that class of 2022 were key defender Jed Adams who played his best game yet at Casey, finishing with 11 disposals, rookie ruckman Will Verrall’s 25 hit outs, 19 possessions and two goals and late rookie pick Oliver Sestan (18 disposals, six tackles and a goal) whose improvement over summer has been remarkable. He crashed through packs and intimated the opposition at times in a strong display. Andy Moniz-Wakefield was good again with 23 disposals as he pushes hard for senior selection as he awaits an opening to present itself at Melbourne. Adding to the excitement was the form of Melbourne’s 2023 first-round draftee Koltyn Tholstrup and father/son pick Kynan Brown. The Kolt was again super-impressive with his strength and maturity and the classy way he gathered his 19 touches and six tackles, setting up numerous forward opportunities. The club will have to find a way to include him in its AFL plans soon. Brown was busy again and finished with 16 disposals. Much has been written about the departure of a number of Casey regulars at the end of last season. Some, like heart and soul player and hard tackler Jimmy Munro are irreplaceable but the club’s recruitment has, on this game’s evidence, been very strong. Campbell Husthwaite was again prolific in the middle, Leo Connolly, a revelation off half back (both had 24 disposals) and Mitch Szybkowski was excellent, particularly early in the game. Skipper Mitch White plugged away to be his team’s best for the day while Tyler Edwards also picked up plenty of the football. The end result was most satisfying for the fans who came to support the team over the Easter holiday. A win is not far away and could come next Saturday week against Port Melbourne. Such an outcome might not be the stuff of dreams but the promise of good times is definitely on the horizon for the Melbourne/Casey alliance. CASEY DEMONS 6.2.38 8.7.55 8.13.61 12.13.85 FOOTSCRAY 6.2.38 10.3.63 12.8.80 15 9.99 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Schache 4 Jefferson Verrall 2 Connolly Sestan Steele White FOOTSCRAY Lobb 5 Clarke Jones Spicer 2 Benendo Bianco Garcia Harmes BEST CASEY DEMONS White Verrall Edwards Sestan Hustwaite Tholstrop FOOTSCRAY Harmes Garcia Lobb Bianco Freijah Hunt Statistics Jed Adams 10 kicks 1 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 46 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 behind 6 kicks 10 handballs 16 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 58 dream team points Leo Connolly 1 goal 1 behind 19 kicks 5 handballs 24 disposals 4 marks 80 dream team points Paddy Cross 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 42 dream team points Tyler Edwards 1 behind 16 kicks 5 handballs 21 disposals 10 marks 2 tackles 95 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 1 kick 1 disposal 3 dream team points Tom Freeman 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 34 dream team points Tom Fullarton 1 behind 10 kicks 8 handballs 18 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 6 hitouts 70 dream team points Max Gregory 5 kicks 8 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 53 dream team points Campbell Husthwaite 11 kicks 13 handballs 24 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 94 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 goals 3 behinds 9 kicks 9 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 78 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 17 kicks 6 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 75 dream team points Ned Moodie 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 51 dream team points Charlie Peters 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 17 dream team points Josh Schache 4 goals 6 kicks 5 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 74 dream team points Ollie Sestan 1 goal 2 behinds 10 kicks 8 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 94 dream team points Tom Sheridan 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 10 dream team points Roan Steele 1 goal 1 behind 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 46 dream team points Mitch Szybkowski 10 kicks 7 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 52 dream team points Koltyn Tholstrup 8 kicks 11 handballs 19 disposals 6 marks 6 tackles 88 dream team points Ziggy Toledo 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 29 dream team points Will Verrall 2 goals 7 kicks 12 handballs 19 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 25 hitouts 95 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 1 behind 21 kicks 7 handballs 28 disposals 7 marks 3 tackles 118 dream team points

The Casey Demons made like desperados as they entered the last chance saloon for their VFL Elimination Final against the Footscray Bulldogs at Box Hill City Oval on Saturday. With most of their experienced Melbourne-listed players pulled from the game to ensure they were fit if called upon for a Thursday night’s AFL Qualifying Final, Casey was put into the position akin to bringing a knife to a gunfight and it didn't end well. The result was a 79-point massacre … season over. Casey’s title defence has been flagging in recent months. The Demons were heading for a double chance as they entered the final rounds but single digit defeats in their last three matches forced them into the Wildcard Round and a six-day break before this match up against a fully rested Bulldogs who had 15 of their AFL-listers available. Casey’s cause was also hampered with the loss through injury of players who would otherwise have been eligible and the ACL damage to Luke Dunstan was a major blow, followed up by the player withdrawals that left the club with one AFL experienced MFC player and seven others who have yet to achieve that level. In the place of elite level footballers, Casey was forced to rely on foot soldiers who have been battling away at lower levels including one who last played in the AFL in 2019. It truly was a case of bringing a knife to a gunfight. In the event, the Demons battled it out early in the piece, absorbing the game’s early heat and with thanks to the indestructible Jimmy Munro, talented midfielder James Harmes and a handful of overworked contributors led by Roan Steele and Tom Freeman, they momentarily held a one-point lead in the shadows of quarter time. This would have pleased first year coach Taylor Whitford but suddenly, he was helpless as the floodgates opened with three Footscray goals in as many minutes at the end of the term and his team went into the first break with a 17 point deficit. Having established superiority, the Bulldogs worked their opposition over in the next twenty minutes. The Demon cause was hit hard by the fact that many of their number were unable to get their hands on the football. They were lucky that the Doggies were off target with six behinds in a row … until the goals inevitably started to flow. Three goals in three minutes saw them out to a 41-point lead before the battling Demons got their second wind. Steele and Ryan Valentine goaled and the former added another to give him three for the game so far. At the 29 minute mark, it was incredibly almost back to game on but once again, a couple of late goals saw the Bulldogs back in total control with a 35-point lead at the main break. After that, it was a case of too many Bulldog guns against too few Casey knives. They added six more unanswered goals until George Grey found the big sticks 26 minutes into the premiership quarter. Andy Moniz-Wakefield and Steele added two each in the final term as the Demons battled to avoid a humiliating 100 point defeat which they thankfully did well to avert. For Melbourne fans, it was a game that left something of a poor taste but the explanation is to be found in the fact that the club has bigger fish to fry in the coming week. But that is no consolation to those who worked their butts off to bring about the dream of back to back premierships at Casey. Munro (32 possessions and 9 tackles) was easily his team’s best and Harmes (25 touches) the best of the motley Melbourne crew but they, along with skipper Mitch White couldn’t be expected to carry the heavy load of a cutthroat final. Roan Steele had a day out with a fantastic five goal contribution, Moniz-Wakefield had his moments as did Deakyn Smith and Freeman in defence but they were generally overwhelmed in the absence of some of the AFL-listers who were left out of the side. Will Verrell and Jed Adams tried hard but they and their teammates needed the support that was deprived to them. The statistics don’t lie. Too many of the team made little or no contribution to the cause and some appeared completely unarmed in this gunfight. One can only hope that they can take something from the experience and return to fight again without damage caused to their careers. CASEY DEMONS 2.4.16 5.4.34 6.9.45 10.9.69 FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS 5.3.33 10.9.69 16.11.107 22.16.148 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Steele 5 Moniz-Wakefield 2 Grey Munro Valentine FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS Clarke Garcia Khamis Poulter 3 Craig-Peters Macpherson Sullivan West 2 Goater Sweet BEST CASEY DEMONS Munro Steele Freeman Harmes Edwards Moniz-Wakefield FOOTSCRAY BULLDOGS Poulter Sullivan Sweet Garcia Crozier Khamis Statistics Jed Adams 7 kicks 1 handball 8 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 46 dream team points Jack Bell 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 6 hit outs 30 dream team points Heath Briggs 3 handballs 3 disposals 3 dream team points Matt Buntine 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 4 marks 26 dream team points Tyler Edwards 12 kicks 6 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 7 tackles 94 dream team points Finn Emile-Brennan 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 1 marks 14 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 1 tackle 2 hit outs 6 dream team points Tom Freeman 22 kicks 1 handballs 23 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 101 dream team points George Grey 1 goals 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 53 dream team points James Harmes 1 behind 14 kicks 11 handballs 25 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 90 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 kick 1 disposal 3 dream team points Tom McRae 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 34 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 2 goals 1 behind 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 57 dream team points Ned Moodie 10 kicks 5 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 1 hit out 56 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 16 kicks 16 handballs 32 disposals 5 marks 9 tackles 131 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 6 kick 7 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 42 dream team points Deaykin Smith 12 kicks 3 handballs 15 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 72 dream team points Roan Steele 5 goals 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 3 marks 1 tackles 76 dream team points Ziggy Toledo-Glasman 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 2 marks 13 dream team points Kye Turner 9 kicks 1 handball 10 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 48 dream team points Ryan Valentine 1 goal 1 kicks 1 handballs 2 disposals 1 marks 11 dream team points Will Verrall 1 behind 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 12 hit outs 60 dream team points Mitch White 2 behinds 15 kicks 2 handballs 17 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 72 dream team points

The Casey Demons made an emphatic statement in winning their VFL Wildcard Match by 101 points over North Melbourne at Casey Fields on Sunday. The victory however, did not come at a cost as the team lost its most prolific ball getter in Luke Dunstan who limped from the ground before half time with what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Dunstan had been the star up to that point, having amassed 17 disposals and looking set for another day of monster numbers for the Demons. In the early stages of the game North Melbourne were competitive with both sides going goal-for-goal for almost 20 minutes. By that time the Kangaroos’ key forward Tyler Sellers had taken full advantage of the absence of Adam Tomlinson and Daniel Turner from the Casey line up with three goals to lead by a point. Tom McDonald was marking everything and Brodie Grundy was strong in the ruck, the former Magpie having brilliantly plucked the ball out of a ruck contest in the goal square for a major. The Demons then took matters into their own hands and hit their opponents like a ton of bricks. In a short space of time, they took over with goals to skipper Mitch White and two more to Tom McDonald which made it three for the term for the sticky-fingered key forward. In the blink of an eye, Casey had skipped away to an 18-point lead at the first break and worse was to come for the Kangaroos. It was always going to be hard going for the visitors who had a depleted list with only six AFL-listers, less than half of the reigning premiers who continued their dominance with a four goals to one second term. They didn’t let up after half time either. The vacancy filled by Dunstan’s injury was well covered by James Jordon who was prolific with 36 disposals, 7 tackles and a couple of goals for a day’s hard work. By the last change the home team had regained control in its fortress after a couple of narrow losses there. McDonald and Andy Moniz-Wakefield were having field days and had scored five and four goals respectively and Casey led by 67 points having kept their hapless opponent scoreless for the quarter. The procession continued into the final stanza with Casey stretching the lead to just over the ton and McDonald finishing with five goals two behinds in a 17 disposal, nine mark performance which left North’s defence in tatters. Grundy was dominant all around the ground ending the game with 33 touches and 18 hit outs and ten clearances to go with his three goals for the day. His second in command in the ruck Will Verrall continued the impressive start to his career but what could be better for a young ruckman learning the craft at a club under Grundy and Gawn? The Casey effort gained great support from the busy James Harmes and Charlie Spargo (24 and 17 touches respectively) while the experience of James Munro and White was valuable throughout. The Demons move on to an elimination final against Footscray next weekend at a time and venue to be announced. CASEY DEMONS 6.1.37 10.6.66 14.9.93 20.14.134 NORTH MELBOURNE VFL 3.1.19 4.2.26 4.2.26 5.3.33 GOALS CASEY DEMONS T. McDonald 5 Moniz-Wakefield 4 Grundy 3 Harmes Jordon 2 Munro Neocleous Spargo White NORTH MELBOURNE VFL Sellers 3 Ellwood Hope BEST CASEY DEMONS Jordon Grundy McDonald Munro Harmes Moniz-Wakefield NORTH MELBOURNE VFL Davis Lienert Bonar Cappellari Statistics Jed Adams 1 kick 1 handball 2 disposals 1 mark tackles 8 dream team points Matt Buntine 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 7 marks 1 tackle 61 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 behind 13 kicks 4 handballs 17 disposals 6 marks 63 dream team points Tyler Edwards 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 53 dream team points Tom Freeman 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 38 dream team points George Grey 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 47 dream team points Brodie Grundy 3 goals 16 kicks 17 handballs 33 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 18 hit outs 136 dream team points James Harmes 2 goals 1 behind 11 kicks 13 handballs 24 disposals 8 marks 4 tackles 102 dream team points Matt Jefferson 3 behinds 4 kicks 4 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 28 dream team points James Jordon 2 goals 19 kicks 17 handballs 36 disposals 6 marks 7 tackles 149 dream team points Tom McDonald 5 goals 2 behinds 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 2 hit outs 115 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 4 goals 1 behinds 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 75 dream team points Ned Moodie 2 behinds 8 kicks 7 handballs 15 disposals 7 marks 59 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 6 kicks 14 handballs 20 disposals 3 marks 13 tackles 112 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 goal 4 kicks 10 handballs disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 57 dream team points Josh Schache 3 kicks 5 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 36 dream team points Deaykin Smith 11 kicks 13 handballs 24 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 72 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 goal 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 1 mark 7tackles 77 hit outs dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 8 kicks 6 handballs 14 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 68 dream team points Kye Turner 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 30 dream team points Will Verrall 1 behind 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 16 hit outs 53 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 12 kicks 7 handballs 19 disposals 2 marks 59 dream team points Taj Woewoedin 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 70 dream team points

The Casey Demons’ premiership defence continued its problematic end run with its third single digit figure defeat in a row on Sunday. The two-point loss to the Brisbane Lions was the more galling as it took place at the club’s home fortress after its early dominance had seen it build up a 33 point lead by early in the second term. After going down to Carlton by 8 points and losing at home to Williamstown before the bye by a single point, Casey has fallen from being in top four calculations a month ago into seventh place and a wild card playoff against tenth placed North Melbourne (details to be announced) to remain in the finals race. The Demons looked to be well on top in the early going against the Lions and appeared to have shaken off last week’s goal front yips with seven goals from eight scoring shots. Tom McDonald was putting his hand up for an early recall to the Melbourne team with two first quarter goals, Brodie Grundy was winning the ruck duels and Luke Dunstan was raking up the possessions. However, the Brisbane team regrouped and turned the game on its head after the ten minute mark of the second quarter booting 10.10 to 5.5 for the remainder of the game. By half time, the Lions had reduced the deficit to seven points and although the accurate Demons fought back in the third, they put the home team to the sword in the last on the back of a sturdy defensive effort in the last. They fought back with the only two goals of the term and edged ahead in the final desperate moments to score a couples of points that was enough to push themselves into the top four and leave their hosts lamenting. For the Demons, Luke Dunstan was again their best player amassing his usual team-high number of disposals - this time 31 - to go with his six clearances and two goals. Casey’s old hands, Jimmy Munro (23 disposals and an incredible 14 tackles) and skipper Mitch White (24 touches, 2 goals) again led the team’s charge with their customary hardness at the football. The home team was also well served by Charlie Spargo with 23 possessions, 10 marks and a goal and newly re-signed Taj Woewodin continuing with his impressive forward trajectory with 20 touches as well as his goal which looked to spark a Demon revival early in the second half. Grundy finished with 37 hitouts and a dozen disposals in a close battle with Darcy Fort while McDonald’s final tally of three goals should keep the Melbourne selectors minds engaged as they look to their best lineup coming into the finals. The player of the most interest however, might well be unlucky defender Daniel Turner who returned from a break with injury and was right in the action with 25 touches and eight marks. Young key forward Matt Jefferson was busy early but faded. Michael Hibberd went off early after a head knock. The game marked an impressive debut from young local player Ziggy Toledo-Glasman who moved well and kicked two goals. In the end, the Demons can lament about wasting opportunities late in the season, but let’s face it — if you can’t kick a goal at home in the final quarter of a do or die game, you don’t deserve to win. CASEY DEMONS 5.1.31 7.2.44 12.3.75 12.6.78 BRISBANE LIONS 1.4.10 5.7.37 9.10.64 11.14.80 GOALS CASEY DEMONS McDonald 3 Dunstan Toledo-Glasman White 2 Jefferson Spargo Woewodin BRISBANE LIONS Buzza Lohmann Reville Smith 2 Cockatoo Fullarton Tunstill BEST CASEY DEMONS Dunstan Munro Spargo D Turner Woewodin White BRISBANE LIONS Mathieson Fort Reville Sharp Prior Dunkley Statistics Jed Adams 5 kicks 1 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 26 dream team points Matt Buntine 8 kicks 8 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 38 dream team points Luke Dunstan 2 goals 17 kicks 14 handballs 31 disposals 6 marks 4 tackles 127 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 2 tackles 8 dream team points Tom Freeman kicks handballs disposals marks tackles 34 dream team points George Grey 3 kicks 8 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 38 dream team points Brodie Grundy 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 37 hit outs 75 dream team points Michael Hibberd 12 kicks 5 handballs 17 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 57 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 8 kicks 6 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 58 dream team points Tom McDonald 3 goals 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 2 hit outs 89 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 48 dream team points James Munro 7 kicks 16 handballs 23 disposals 3 marks 14 tackles 116 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 7 tackles 48 dream team points Deaykin Smith 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 42 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 goal 1 behind 13 kicks 10 handballs 23 disposals 10 marks 3 tackles 108 dream team points Roan Steele 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 59 dream team points Ziggy Toledo-Glasman 2 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 1 handball 7 disposals 2 marks 34 tackles dream team points Daniel Turner 19 kicks 6 handballs 25 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 98 dream team points Kye Turner 7 kicks 2 handballs 9 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 37 dream team points Ryan Valentine 1 kick 1 handball 2 disposals 1 mark 8 dream team points Will Verrall 4 kicks 5 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 9 hit outs 35 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 15 kicks 9 handballs 24 disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 94 dream team points Taj Woewoedin 1 goal 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 96 dream team points

In a game that was billed as Casey’s last chance to fight its way back into contention for a vital top four place on the VFL ladder with one round left before the finals, the Demons fell short by eight points after a disastrous display in front of goals in the second half against Carlton VFL at Ikon Park on Sunday. After booting six goals from eight scoring shots to half time to trail by 9 points, Casey’s forward line accuracy fell apart in the second half kicking 3.13 to 4.6 in that period. During the final term, the ball virtually lived in their forward line (inside 50s were 17 to 5 in their favour) they managed one single goal while the Blues scored goals in their only two forays forward in the first twenty minutes of the quarter. The Demons can only blame themselves as they missed several easy shots at goal, hit the post on numerous occasions and made poor decisions in the front half. In addition, the disposal and decision-making going forward also left a lot to be desired. Early in the game, Carlton’s small brigade outran the Demons and forced their defence into error with their dominance. It was only through individual efforts that Casey managed to claw its way back into the game. All that was nothing in a wasteful third term that was compounded by the many misses at the end. Luke Dunstan was once again prolific in his ball getting and endeavour towards the ball but not necessarily always in the execution. He had 38 disposals, eight clearances, seven tackles and kicked a goal. Similarly, James Harmes was active with 30 disposals, one more than Bailey Laurie who also had a busy day along with Charlie Spargo (28 touches). Taj Woewodin showed the benefits of his stint at AFL level with 25 touches and seven clearances. The Demons came into the game at the scene of their 2022 VFL premiership triumph looking for a key forward to cover the loss of Harrison Petty through injury but it was the limited impact of their talls that was their Achilles Heel with limited marks taken up forward despite no lack of opportunity. In his comeback from a long layoff, Tom McDonald managed just one goal, as did youngster Matt Jefferson while the usually accurate Josh Schache finished with three behinds. Will Verrall battled hard in the ruck and showed a lot of promise for the future with his 17 hit outs. Matt Buntine was the best of the Casey listed players and Jimmy Munro was his usual indefatigable self. Tom Freeman defended strongly in the second half. All in all however, it was a disappointing result for the Demons who will rue some narrow defeats late in the season and must now win next week against the Brisbane Lions VFL side if they are to avoid a wild card playoff in a fortnight’s time. CASEY DEMONS 2.1.13 6.2.38 8.10.58 9.15.69 CARLTON VFL 2.3.15 7.5.47 9.11.65 11.11.77 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Brown Buntine Dunstan Grey Jefferson Laurie McDonald Spargo White CARLTON VFL Cahill 4 Ronke 2 Akeui Boyd Crocker Honey McMahon BEST CASEY DEMONS Dunstan Laurie Spargo Tomlinson Woewodin Buntine CARLTON VFL Binns Boyd Young Cowan Ronke O’Brien Statistics Jed Adams 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 40 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 1 behind 5 kicks 3 handballs 8 disposals 1 mark 3 tackles 43 dream team points Matt Buntine 1 goal 1 behind 10 kicks 9 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 86 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 goal 16 kicks 22 handballs 38 disposals 7 marks tackles 149 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 1 handball 1 disposal 1 tackle 6 hit outs 12 dream team points Tom Freeman 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 7 marks 1 tackles 58 dream team points George Grey 1 goal 1 behind kicks handballs disposals marks tackles dream team points James Harmes 15 kicks 15 handballs 30 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 82 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 6 marks 48 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 goal 13 kicks 16 handballs 29 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 109 dream team points Tom McDonald 1 goal 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 9 hit outs 60 dream team points Tom McRae 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 48 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 8 kicks 8 handballs 16 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 71 dream team points James Munro 1 behind 4 kicks 14 handballs 18 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 63 dream team points Josh Schache 3 behinds 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 36 dream team points Deaykin Smith 4 kicks 6 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 46 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 goal 16 kicks 12 handballs 28 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 105 dream team points Roan Steele 1 behind 5 kicks 7 handballs 12 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 47 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 23 kicks 4 handballs 27 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 104 dream team points Kye Turner 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 14 dream team points Will Verrall 2 kicks 8 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 17 hit outs 43 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 61 dream team points Taj Woewoedin 1 behind 12 kicks 13 handballs 25disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 92 dream team points

After conceding the first six goals, some of them through careless play against a howling wind at their home fortress, the Casey Demons seemed to have atoned for their sins by clawing back an early 38-point deficit and taking the lead at the 24-minute mark of the final term. Had the stakes not been so high, they might have been forgiven for thinking they had the game in the bag, but they missed the point. And the point is that game is never over until it’s over. The fighting Seagulls dug deep to score a point and the winning goal against all odds to win by the narrowest of margins to deprive the reigning premiers of the opportunity of fighting for a top four placing before the finals. Casey still sits in fifth spot but with a bye coming up, will have a fight on its hands to maintain a strategic place on the ladder under the VFL’s new final ten system. For the visitors it was a good toss to win, and they made the most of the advantage with their early accuracy while they had the wind advantage. For Casey, the improving Andy Moniz-Wakefield was the early hero. He slotted the team’s only goal for the opening term and kicked two more in the second when it was the Demons’ turn with the wind. The club’s Category B rookie finished with seventeen touches and played a big role in reducing the deficit at half time to just five points. Meanwhile, the blustery conditions were troublesome for Casey’s tall forwards. None of Brodie Grundy, Ben Brown and Josh Schache managed to kick goals for the game although in the latter’s case it was not for want of trying as he took some strong marks up forward. Grundy went back to what he’s best at by going into the ruck and amassing thirty-one hit outs, ten disposals and six tackles. Rookie ruckman Will Verrall also finished with 31 hit outs and laid nine tackles in a promising performance. The Demons pressed hard against the wind in the third quarter and did well to hold the Seagulls to three goals while managing two themselves, one to father/son prospect Kynan Brown, the other to young forward Matt Jefferson. They were primed to win at the final break but allowed two goals through to Williamstown during the term with the result a heartbreaking one-point defeat. Luke Dunstan was prolific again with 35 possessions and nine clearances, Michael Hibberd was close behind with 32 touches and Bailey Laurie made the most of his 20 possessions and laid ten tackles and scored a goal. Casey was again well served by Jimmy Munro who did the hard yards with his fearsome tackling (a game high 16) to go with his 26 possessions and a goal while Mitch White and George Grey worked hard in the difficult conditions. With the bye coming up, Casey can only sit back next week, view the action while others make their move ahead of the finals. They will surely rue those last-minute lapses that saw the almost certain demise of their back-to-back premiership aspirations, missing out by a single point. CASEY DEMONS 1.1.7 5.5.35 7.5.47 11.8.74 WILLIAMSTOWN 6.4.40 6.4.40 9.8.62 11.9.75 GOAL CASEY DEMONS Moniz-Wakefield 3 K Brown Dunstan Grey Jefferson Laurie Munro Spargo White WILLIAMSTOWN Ottavi 3 Downie Ebinger Pickes 2 Conway Ellison BEST CASEY DEMONS Munro Dunstan Hibberd Laurie Moniz-Wakefield Grey WILLIAMSTOWN Downie Grieser Ebinger Ottavi Pickes Triffet Statistics Jed Adams 9 kicks 1 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 59 dream team points Ben Brown 2 behinds 2 kicks 1 handballs 3 disposals 1 mark 10 dream team points Kynan Brown 1 goal 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 39 dream team points Matt Buntine 8 kicks 4 handballs 12 disposals 2 marks 5 tackles 60 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 goal 1 behind 15 kicks 20 handballs 35 disposals 5 marks 3 tackles 114 dream team points Tyler Edwards 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 47 dream team points Tom Freeman 2 kicks 4 handballs 6 disposals marks tackles dream team points George Grey 1 goal 12 kicks 6 handballs 18 disposals 2 marks 7 tackles 86 dream team points Brodie Grundy 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 31 hit outs 84 dream team points Michael Hibberd 18 kicks 15 handballs 33 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 113 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 goal 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 1 tackle 29 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 goal 11 kicks 9 handballs 20 disposals 1 mark 10 tackles 97 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 3 goals 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 93 dream team points Ned Moodie 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 7 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 15 kicks 11 handballs 26 disposals 1 mark 16 tackles 143 dream team points Josh Schache 2 behinds 10 kicks 6 handballs disposals 8 marks 3 tackles 1 hit out 76 dream team points Oliver Sestan 3 kicks 1 handballs 4 disposals 2 tackles 21 dream team points (injured) Deaykin Smith 7 kicks 6 handballs 13 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 63 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 goal 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 33 dream team points Roan Steele 6 kicks 12 handballs 18 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 55 dream team points Ryan Valentine 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 41 dream team points Will Verrall 2 kicks 5 handballs 7 disposals 9 tackles 31 hit outs 80 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 83 dream team points

The Casey team that ventured deep into the northern suburbs to Piranha Park on Saturday to take on lowly Coburg who have yet to record a VFL win in 2023, was different to the one we normally see but the result was still as expected. The Demons were never troubled in compiling their comprehensive 42 point victory over the hapless Lions. Casey fielded a dozen Melbourne-listed players but there were a number of points of difference to the norm. This team included three giant ruckmen in All-Australian Brodie Grundy and rookies Will Verrall and Kyah Ferris-White while the team’s regular ruckman Jack Bell remains out injured. A number of other regulars were also out for one reason or another as the Demons shuffle some of their players between their two teams. If anything, the team might have been a little top heavy but irrespective, Casey was on top from the get go and won every quarter. They held the Burgers goalless in the opening term but for all their dominance, they managed only three goals from nine scoring opportunities in blustery conditions. The accuracy improved in the second term to see them out to a lead of 35 points at half time and they coasted through the remainder of the game which never reached great heights as a spectacle. Grundy’s well-documented move to the VFL to work on his forward craft could hardly be termed an unqualified success in his first official hitout but he had his moments finishing with one goal three behinds, 12 disposals, four marks, four tackles and 12 hit outs, mostly while stationed on the forward line. His goal came just before half time when he plucked the ball out of a ruck duel and he could easily have scored more given that he missed a few gettable shots at goal. Grundy’s presence up forward was also important for Casey’s attacking set up. The forwards all pitched in with Matt Jefferson, Josh Schache, Charlie Spargo chipping in with two goals each. Jefferson is developing nicely at this level although he’s probably twelve months away from an AFL berth. His marking is strong and he presents well in front of goal at ground level. Andy Moniz-Wakefield was lively and always looked dangerous. The standout player on the ground was Luke Dunstan who amassed more than forty disposals in a game for the second time this year. Along with James Harmes who was also prolific collecting 33 possessions, they controlled the midfield winning the clearances at stoppages and also gaining plenty of touches in general play. The Demons had the benefit of an outstanding defensive display from Michael Hibberd who is returning from injury. He amassed 30 touches and took nine marks in a role as the general of the Casey backline in a performance that should see his early return to AFL ranks. Hibberd worked well with young rookie Deakyn Smith who benefited from playing with someone of his experience and he played with great composure in a 21 disposal display, probably his best at the club. Jimmy Munro was as always, a tough customer and Casey listed youngsters Tyler Edwards, George Grey and Roan Steele were solid contributors. Grundy wasn’t the only All-Australian on the ground. Exciting draft hopeful, Gippsland Power’s Zane Duursma, gained that recognition coming out of the recent national under 18 carnival after a brilliance performance for Vic Country against Vic Metro last week and he showed why in a fine cameo performance in his second game for Casey. He is expected to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming AFL draft. (Matt Jefferson also gained All-Australian honours at last year’s carnival). The Demons have three more games to play before the finals and sit in fifth place. Unfortunately, the situation near the top of the VFL competition is so tight that a win in each of them might not guarantee a berth in the all-important top four for the finals. Next week they take on fellow finals contenders Williamstown at Casey Fields. CASEY DEMONS 3.6.24 8.9.57 11.13.79 13.17.95 COBURG 0.2.2 3.4.22 6.7.43 7.11.53 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson Schache Spargo 2 Dunstan Edwards Grey Grundy Moniz-Wakefield Munro Sestan COBURG Clarke 2 Mason Podhajski Simpson Sturgess Weightman BEST CASEY DEMONS Dunstan Harmes Hibberd Moniz-Wakefield Edwards D Smith COBURG Jepson Mason Nelson Podhajski Clarke Gentile Statistics Jed Adams 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 24 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 goal 1 behind 17 kicks 24 handballs 41 disposals 8 marks 5 tackles 141 dream team points Zane Duursma 1 behind 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 42 dream team points Tyler Edwards 1 goal 17 kicks 4 handballs 21 disposals 8 marks 1 tackle 94 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 3 handballs 3 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 6 hit outs 19 dream team points Tom Freeman 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 40 dream team points George Grey 1 goal 5 kicks 6 handballs 11 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 46 dream team points Brodie Grundy 1 goal 3 behinds 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 12 hit outs 72 dream team points James Harmes 14 kicks 19 handballs 33 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 105 dream team points Michael Hibberd 20 kicks 10 handballs 30 disposals 9 marks 1 tackles 103 dream team points Matt Jefferson 2 goals 3 behinds 8 kicks 1 handball 9 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 61 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 goal 1 behind 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 7 marks 6 tackles 99 dream team points Ned Moodie 7 kicks 3 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 43 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 11 kicks 11 handballs 22 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 84 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 5 kicks 2 handballs 7 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 35 dream team points Josh Schache 2 goals 2 behinds 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 8 marks 3 tackles 2 hit outs 81 dream team points Oliver Sestan 1 goal 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 35 dream team points Deaykin Smith 13 kicks 8 handballs 21 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 86 dream team points Charlie Spargo 2 goals 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 78 dream team points Roan Steele 11 kicks 6 handballs 17 disposals 7 marks 1 tackle 68 dream team points Ryan Valentine 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 16 dream team points Will Verrall 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 2 tackles 13 hit outs 50 dream team points Mitch White 9 kicks 8 handballs 17 disposals 1 marks 5 tackles 67 dream team points

The Casey Demons celebrated stalwart Jimmy Munro’s 150th VFL game with a pulsating 34-point victory over the Sandringham Zebras at the Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday. The win was the club’s third in succession and more importantly, saw it return to the top four on the competition ladder. The visitors were never headed through the game and had winners all over the ground with the exception of in the ruck where the Zebras’ seasoned big man Tom Campbell used his vast advantage in size and experience to control the ruck duels and often giving his teammates the first use out of the stoppages. However, his opponent in the absence of regular ruckman Jack Bell was not disgraced. Rookie ruckman Will Verrall battled manfully to accumulate 15 possessions to go with his 15 hit outs and six tackles. It was an education that will hold him in good stead in the future. Elsewhere around the ground, it was the Demons who were doing most of the teaching. Playing in the key forward role, Josh Schache kicked four goals straight which will not hurt his AFL prospects given the club’s issues in finding the best connection between its midfield and its forward unit. Jacob van Rooyen had his moments but was beaten early and played better when further afield. He finished with just one goal. Other Melbourne youngsters with future forward potential in Matt Jefferson and Oliver Sestan were quiet. The best of the Melbourne listed players are all closing in on veteran stage. Adam Tomlinson, unlucky to be out of AFL action at the moment, picked up 27 touches and nine marks playing deep in defence, James Harmes collected 26 touches, had six clearances, eight tackles and kicked a goal while former Saint and Zebra Luke Dunstan had 22 disposals and nine tackles. Blake Howes matched that number of possessions but went off injured late in the game with what has been reported as a severe cramp. Rookies Deakyn Smith, busy with 19 disposals and nine marks and Andy Moniz-Wakefield two goals, were handy contributors. But the day belonged to 150 gamer and Casey premiership player “Moose” Munro who put in a typically hard performance with nine kicks, eight handballs and nine tackles, a performance he would have relished particularly as it was against his original team Sandringham for who he played 22 games a decade ago. Tom Freeman with 19 touches and Tyler Edwards (two goals) both produced their best games for the club in a pleasing effort for the Demons who have a bye next week. Unfortunately, this means they will lose their hard fought for position in the top four because they are equal on points with Box Hill and North Melbourne who meet each other in the next round. CASEY DEMONS 4.6.30 6.8.44 9.12.66 13.15.93 SANDRINGHAM 2.0.12 3.4.22 4.7.31 8.11.59 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Schache 4 Edwards Laurie Moniz-Wakefield 2 Harmes van Rooyen White SANDRINGHAM Heath 3 Gawn Hipwell Hotton Keeler Peris BEST CASEY DEMONS Harmes Tomlinson Schache Dunstan Freeman Munro SANDRINGHAM Campbell Bytel Clark Highmore Hayes Statistics Jed Adams 10 kicks 3 handballs 13 disposals 8 marks 5 tackles 80 dream team points Riley Baldi 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 32 dream team points Kade Chandler 9 kicks 7 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 61 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 behind 12 kicks 10 handballs 22 disposals 2 marks 9 tackles 93 dream team points Tyler Edwards 2 goals 13 kicks 1 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 77 dream team points Tom Freeman 13 kicks 6 handballs 19 disposals 11 marks 1 tackles 89 dream team points James Harmes 1 goal 2 behinds 9 kicks 17 handballs 26 disposals 6 marks 8 tackles 115 dream team points Blake Howes 1 behind 14 kicks 8 handballs 22 disposals 5 marks 4 tackles 82 dream team points Matt Jefferson 5 kicks 1 handball 6 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 34 dream team points Bailey Laurie 2 goals 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 76 dream team points Tom Macrae 1 kick 3 handballs 4 disposals 9 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 2 goals 2 behinds 8 kicks 3 handballs 11 disposals 3 marks 7 tackles 81 dream team points Ned Moodie 7 kicks 7 handballs 14 disposals marks 53 dream team points James Munro 3 behinds 9 kicks 8 handballs 17 disposals 2 marks 9 tackles 83 dream team points Josh Schache 4 goals 10 kicks 2 handballs 12 disposals 8 marks 4 tackles 3 hit outs 103 dream team points Oliver Sestan 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 1 tackles 23 dream team points Deaykin Smith 14 kicks 5 handballs 19 disposals 9 marks 79 dream team points Roan Steele 12 kicks 6 handballs 18 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 64 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 21 kicks 6 handballs 27 disposals 9 marks 94 dream team points Ryan Valentine 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 8 hit outs 35 dream team points Jacob van Rooyen 1 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 45 dream team points Will Verrall 1 kicks 14 handballs 15 disposals 6 tackles 15 hit outs 70 dream team points Mitch White 1 goal 7 kicks 5 handballs 12 disposals 1 marks 3 tackles 52 dream team points

It was a strange day for the Demons across the country, it took Casey 60 inside 50s to produce a 96 point win while Melbourne scored five goals in Alice Springs going into the arc 73 times. In the absence of a Casey correspondent for Sunday’s game due to KC’s unavailability, here’s coverage from Around the state leagues on the AFL site. “James Jordon continued to push his claim for a regular starting spot in the senior side with a strong performance in Casey's thumping 96-point win over Greater Western Sydney on Sunday. Jordon finished with a game-high 41 disposals, seven marks, five tackles, seven clearances and kicked a goal. Young spearhead Jacob van Rooyen responded to his omission from the top side in emphatic fashion, kicking an equal game-high four goals to go with his eight marks. Son-of-a-gun Taj Woewodin was a strong contributor with three goals and six marks to go with his 26 disposals, while midfielder Luke Dunstan collected 31 touches and had four clearances. First-year forward Matthew Jefferson had a day out with four goals and five marks, while Andy Moniz-Wakefield (three goals) and Mitch White and Josh Schache (two goals apiece) were also busy up forward. Bailey Laurie (25 disposals, three clearances), Blake Howes (24, six marks) and Daniel Turner (22, six) were solid.” CASEY DEMONS 3.7.25 8.9.57 12.12.84 20.14.134 UWS GIANTS 1.3.9 2.6.18 3.12.30 4.14.38 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson van Rooyen 4 Moniz-Wakefield Woewodin 3 Schache White 2 Jordon Munro UWS GIANTS Flynn Gruzewski Rowston Stone BEST CASEY DEMONS Jordon Munro Woewodin Dunstan van Rooyen Howes UWS GIANTS Flynn Peatling Fleeton O’Connor Davis Anderson Statistics Jed Adams 4 kicks 1 handballs 5 disposals 2 marks 3 tackles 32 dream team points Riley Baldi 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 48 dream team points Jack Bell 7 kicks 8 handballs 15 disposals 4 tackles 18 hit outs 68 dream team points Luke Dunstan 1 behind 17 kicks 14 handballs 31 disposals 6 marks 1 tackles 102 dream team points Tyler Edwards 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackles 49 dream team points Tom Freeman 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 29 dream team points George Grey 2 kicks 1 handballs 3 disposals 1 marks 11 dream team points Blake Howes 1 behind 17 kicks 7 handballs 24 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 91 dream team points Matt Jefferson 4 goals 8 kicks 8 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 59 dream team points James Jordon 1 goal 2 behinds 26 kicks 15 handballs 41 disposals 7 marks 5 tackles 157 dream team points Bailey Laurie 2 behinds 12 kicks 13 handballs 25 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 79 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 3 goals 9 kicks 4 handballs 13 disposals 3 marks 5 tackles 77 dream team points Ned Moodie 3 kicks 6 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 27 dream team points James Munro 1 goal 1 behind 11 kicks 14 handballs 25 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 110 dream team points Josh Schache 2 goals 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 1 hit out 70 dream team points Oliver Sestan 1 behind 7 kicks 7 handballs 14 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 50 dream team points Deaykin Smith 14 kicks 6 handballs 20 disposals 6 marks 1 tackles 71 dream team points Roan Steele 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 46 dream team points Daniel Turner 18 kicks 4 handballs 22 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 85 dream team points Jacob van Rooyen 4 goals 1 behinds 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 8 marks 2 tackles 100 dream team points Will Verrall 1 kicks 4 handballs 5 disposals 3 tackles 7 hit outs 30 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 1 behinds 9 kicks 2 handballs 11 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points Taj Woewodin 3 goals 11 kicks 16 handballs 27 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 103 dream team points

The Demons and the Cats met once more at GMHBA Stadium 24 hours after their AFL counterparts saw Melbourne meekly capitulate in the final quarter. This time, the VFL version of the story was a vastly different one. The Casey Demons have been going through a rough trot as of late but this time they took control and established themselves after an early arm wrestle and had the opposition by the scruff of the neck at half time. Josh Schache kicked the opening goal and the Cats responded to briefly hold the lead before three quick goals to Ben Brown, Mitch White and Bailey Laurie had them a handy 19 points in front at the first break. The second term was a repeat of the first — four goals to one in favour of the visitors with Jake Melksham coming to the fore with two majors. Ben Brown was having a good game, marking strongly and picking up plenty of possession around the ground and up forward. Adam Tomlinson had a point to make to the senior match committee and made it well, dominating possession. James Harmes and Jake Bowey, likewise. With a 40 point lead at the main break and a number of players putting their hands up for a trip to the country’s red centre next week, a funny thing happened. The team must have decided to do an impersonation of the AFL Demons from the final quarter of the night before. They released the pressure valve, made the same mistakes, fumbled and were uncertain but to their good fortune, the VFL Cats failed to emulate their senior counterpart’s accuracy in kicking for goal. Two goals for a term in which they dominated and kept the reigning premiers to a single point wasn’t enough to steal the momentum away. A couple of goals in the early stages of the last by Jake Melksham was all it took to snuff out the opposition and the skipper scored his second to restore the Demons 40 point ascendancy at the end. The Casey victory was the result of the return of hard nosed footy and the fundamentals of playing to the conditions. Harmes and Jimmy Munro led the way. Tomlinson made his point. Bowey and Daniel Turner was impressive and Taj Woewodin had his moments. Next week’s challenge is a vital match up at Casey Fields against close competitors, the GWS Giants who sit in eight place, a game behind the Demons with a game in hand. CASEY DEMONS 4.4.28 8.8.56 8.9.57 11.14.80 GEELONG VFL 1.3.9 2.4.16 4.9.33 5.10.40 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Melksham 4 Brown Schache White 2 Laurie GEELONG VFL Byrne 2 Dempsey Neale Quick BEST CASEY DEMONS Harmes Melksham Tomlinson Bowey D Turner Munro GEELONG VFL Dempsey Knevitt Clohesy Van De Heuvel Herbert Parfitt Statistics Jed Adams 7 kicks 1 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 31 dream team points Jake Bowey 21 kicks 6 handballs 27 disposals 12 marks 5 tackles 126 dream team points Ben Brown 2 goals 1 behind 16 kicks 2 handballs 18 disposals 9 marks 1 tackle 1 hit out 95 dream team points Luke Dunstan 11 kicks 10 handballs 21 disposals 7 marks 1 tackles 72 dream team points George Grey 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 60 dream team points James Harmes 16 kicks 11 handballs 27 disposals 9 marks 10 tackles 135 dream team points Blake Howes 8 kicks 11 handballs 19 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 76 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 behind 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 2 marks 31 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 goal 2 behinds 10 kicks 10 handballs 20 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 77 dream team points Jake Melksham 4 goals 1 behinds 10 kicks 4 handballs 14 disposals 6 marks 3 tackles 95 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 5 kicks 11 handballs 16 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 50 dream team points Ned Moodie 3 kicks 3 handballs 6 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 21 dream team points James Munro 12 kicks 11 handballs 23 disposals 5 marks 7 tackles 95 dream team points Josh Schache 2 goals 2 behinds 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 11 hit outs 81 dream team points Oliver Sestan 3 kicks 4 handballs 7 disposals 2 marks 20 dream team points Deaykin Smith 6 kicks 6 handballs 12 disposals 8 marks 49 dream team points Charlie Spargo 1 behind 11 kicks 9 handballs 20 disposals 7 marks 2 tackles 73 dream team points Roan Steele 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 7 tackles 77 dream team points Adam Tomlinson 25 kicks 2 handballs 27 disposals 9 marks 2 tackles 114 dream team points Daniel Turner 18 kicks 2 handballs 20 disposals 14 marks 2 tackles 109 dream team points Will Verrall 1 kick 5 handballs 6 disposals 1 mark 5 tackles 23 hit outs 59 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 2 behinds 9 kicks 5 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 6 tackles 87 dream team points Taj Woewodin 11 kicks 10 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 3 tackles 74 dream team points

Late in the opening term of their game at Casey Fields on Sunday afternoon, the Casey Demons were dominating and held a lead of 31 points over Collingwood VFL. Was it the wind advantage? The fortress is well known at this time of the season for the strong winds that can mess with a game but that wasn’t the case this time. The way the hosts were playing, it looked as if a Magpie nightmare was about to unfold. But alas for Casey, that was not to be and rather, it was exactly the opposite as from that point in things fell apart for the reigning VFL premier. They were uncharacteristically held goalless in the second term, managed only one in the third and took until halfway through the last before kicking a couple of goals that were too late to avert another bad loss at home that has seem them lose touch with the top echelon of teams on the VFL premiership table. The story began well before the opening bounce. With two key Melbourne listed key position talls in Harry Petty and Tom McDonald and rookie ruckman Will Verrall already out injured, the Casey Demons were struck a body blow with injuries to full forward Ben Brown, key defender Daniel Turner and ruckman Jack Bell and the unavailability of Matt Buntine forcing a major recasting of the side that left it undermanned and undersized. When the Magpies made their comeback in the second quarter, their efforts were aided by the fact that the Casey Demons lacked the big men to go with the Magpies who dominated the air in the last three quarters. That dominance began in the ruck where their super tall men feasted on a young light bodied learner in rookie Kyah Farris-White who recently has been plying his trade in the Coates Talent League. The youngster tried hard in the ruck but struggled around the ground and in the air. Teammate Josh Schache was also conscripted into the ruck and while he too worked hard in the ruck duels, he had his hands full with the Collingwood big men. To compound the situation, Magpie forward Nathan “Freddy” Kreuger turned things around and gave Casey coach Taylor Whitford a nightmare of his own with his strong marking and accurate kicking for his five goals. For the Demons, it’s hard to fathom where they would have been without the return from injury of Jimmy Munro who finished the game with 21 disposals and 10 bone crunching tackles. Early in the game youngster Matt Jefferson was dangerous up forward with the first two goals of the game but lack of opportunity kept him to only one more for the day. Another youngster in Andy Moniz-Wakefield was busy throughout and contributed a nice goal. He was unlucky not to get a second but it was touched by a teammate as it went through. Blake Howes was another young Demon who worked hard against the odds with 28 possessions that must see him closing in on an AFL debut. Casey listed players Roan Steele and George Grey gave their hard working skipper strong support on the day and Ryan Baldi also worked hard. The defeat sees Casey drop to 7th on the ladder, a situation that is not likely to improve in the short terms as the Demons have a bye next weekend. CASEY DEMONS 5.4.34 5.6.36 6.10.46 8.11.59 COLLINGWOOD VFL 1.2.8 6.3.39 9.3.57 11.7.73 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Jefferson 3 White 2 Melksham Moniz-Wakefield Neocleous COLLINGWOOD VFL Krueger 5 Longmire T Wilson 2 Kelly Steene BEST CASEY DEMONS Munro Howes Moniz-Wakefield Steele White Grey COLLINGWOOD VFL Krueger Steene Jetta Ruscoe Begg Bianco Statistics Jed Adams 1 kick 3 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 16 dream team points Riley Baldi 9 kicks 6 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 54 dream team points Luke Dunstan 7 kicks 12 handballs 19 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 52 dream team points Kyah Farris-White 1 kicks 4 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 15 hit outs 33 dream team points Tom Freeman 8 kicks 1 handball 9 disposals 2 marks 29 dream team points George Grey 9 kicks 3 handballs 12 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 56 dream team points Blake Howes 15 kicks 13 handballs 28 disposals 6 marks 2 tackles 94 dream team points Matt Jefferson 3 goals 1 behind 6 kicks 3 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 52 dream team points Bailey Laurie 9 kicks 10 handballs 19 disposals 5 marks 1 tackle 60 dream team points Cooper Macdonald 3 kicks 3 disposals 2 tackles 14 dream team points Tom McRae 1 behind 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 1 mark 27 dream team points Jake Melksham 1 goal 1 behind 10 kicks 6 handballs 16 disposals 6 marks 1 tackle 69 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 goal 11 kicks 7 handballs 18 disposals 6 marks 5 tackles 91 dream team points James Munro 11 kicks 10 handballs 21 disposals 3 marks 10 tackles 108 my dream team points Harvey Neocleous 1 goal 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 2 marks 35 dream team points Charlie Peters 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 1 tackle 39 dream team points Josh Schache 7 kicks 7 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 3 tackles 17 hit outs 70 dream team points Oliver Sestan 1 behind 5 kicks 4 handballs 9 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 49 dream team points Miles Shepherd 6 kicks 4 handballs 10 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 37 dream team points Deaykin Smith 3 kicks 5 handballs 8 disposals 2 tackles 24 dream team points Roan Steele 14 kicks 7 handballs 21 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 89 dream team points Ryan Valentine 2 behinds 5 kicks 5 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 5 tackles 8 hit outs 65 dream team points Mitch White 2 goals 15 kicks 6 handballs 21 disposals 2 marks 2 tackles 69 dream team points

The Casey Demons had a number of points to make to themselves, their opponents and the VFL football world when they traveled up to the Gold Coast to take on the Southport Sharks in the 2022 Grand Final rematch at Fankhauser Reserve. After living off the glory of an almost perfect premiership, the Demons stumbled after winning the opening four games of the season and have struggled in their recent northern state sojourns - their only loss in 2022 came at the hands of the Lions in Brisbane and they were given a touch up by Gold Coast in Round 7. Last week, a team of 14 Melbourne listed players folded like a rickety card table in the final term of their match at Werribee. Suddenly, they were in fifth place with a few competitors breathing down their necks. Add some injuries and a suspension and Casey’s season was on the line. As it was a week earlier against Werribee, the Demons were pitted against a committed team with some experienced mature bodies, desperate for a victory to keep them finals contention. This time however, the Demons maintained their composure for most of the game and they were able to do so through the agency of their mix of AFL and VFL listers. Of the former, two in particular stood out. Josh Schache started proceedings for the visitors with the opening goal of the game in its opening minutes. He kicked his second before half time and then booted his team’s only two goals in the last including the final score late in the match that put Casey in front by a solitary point. Apart from his accuracy when up forward, Schache fought valiantly in the ruck against Southport’s man mountain, Brayden Crossley who was called in to the task after the injury to Jake Bell. Crossley was dominant in the ruck duels but Schache's contribution around the ground as well as up forward which included 15 possessions, seven marks, four tackles, and five hitouts on top of the four straight goals was crucial. James Jordon has spent much of 2023 on the cusp at Melbourne with a number of appearances as a substitute. He was back in the midfield at Casey this week but his prolific 30 disposal display was sublime, on top of which his five clearances, and four tackles and a goal were timely given Clayton Oliver’s injury and suspension ahead of the Kings Birthday blockbuster. This spectacular goal has all of the hallmarks of goal of the year. Casey was well led by Mitch White and the experienced Matt Buntine and fueled by outstanding performances from Roan Steele (23 touches, 10 marks) and George Grey (3 goals, 16 disposals, 5 marks and 6 tackles). Two of Grey’s goals came late in the third term after the Sharks had wrested the lead for the first time in almost an hour of play, a contribution that gave the visitors an 8 point lead at the final break. A few young Demons who are pushing hard for AFL promotion in Blake Howes (23 touches, 8 marks), Taj Woewodin (23 disposals, six tackles and three clearances) and Bailey Laurie (22 touches, six tackles) were all busy. Deakyn Smith played a strong game as the small defender while Daniel Turner, Andy Moniz-Wakefield and Ollie Sestan all had their moments. Together, they put together a fine team effort and made their points well in the Queensland sun. With the upcoming Kings Birthday weekend, the Demons return to their home fortress for a match up against Collingwood VFL next Sunday. CASEY DEMONS 1.2.8 6.6.42 9.9.63 11.10.76 SOUTHPORT SHARKS 3.0.18 4.5.29 8.7.55 11.9.75 GOALS CASEY DEMONS Schache 4 Grey 3 Brown 2 Jordon Sestan SOUTHPORT SHARKS Crossley Foggo Lockett Lockhart 2 Fields Heron Thurlow BEST CASEY DEMONS Jordon Grey Schache Laurie Steele Howes SOUTHPORT SHARKS Woodcock Crossley Joyce Dawson Thurlow Spencer Statistics Jed Adams 3 kicks 2 handballs 5 disposals 1 mark 13 dream team points Riley Baldi 4 kicks 4 handballs 8 disposals 3 marks 2 tackles 38 dream team points Jack Bell 2 handballs 2 disposals 1 tackle 6 hit outs 14 dream team points [injured] Ben Brown 2 goals 1 behind 8 kicks 2 handballs 10 disposals 4 marks 1 tackle 56 dream team points Matt Buntine 7 kicks 9 handballs 16 disposals 1 mark 2 tackles 47 dream team points Tom Freeman 12 kicks 2 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 50 dream team points Rhys Galvin 2 kicks 2 handballs 4 disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 17 dream team points George Grey 3 goals 1 behind 11 kicks 5 handballs 16 disposals 5 marks 6 tackles 102 dream team points Blake Howes 14 kicks 9 handballs 23 disposals 8 marks 81 dream team points Matt Jefferson 1 behind 4 kicks 2 handballs 6 disposals 3 marks 1 tackle 27 dream team points James Jordon 1 goal 15 kicks 15 handballs 30 disposals 3 marks 4 tackles 104 dream team points Bailey Laurie 1 behind 16 kicks 6 handballs 22 disposals 3 marks 6 tackles 97 dream team points Andy Moniz-Wakefield 1 behind 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 4 marks 4 tackles 63 dream team points Harvey Neocleous 10 kicks 4 handballs 14 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 58 dream team points Josh Schache 4 goals 8 kicks 5 handballs 13 disposals 7 marks 4 tackles 105 dream team points Oliver Sestan 1 goal 1 behind 7 kicks 1 handball 8 disposals 1 mark 4 tackles 51 dream team points Miles Shepherd 6 kicks 2 handballs 8 disposals 4 marks 2 tackles 40 dream team points Deaykin Smith 14 kicks 4 handballs 18 disposals 5 marks 2 tackles 76 dream team points Roan Steele 16 kicks 7 handballs 23 disposals 10 marks 1 tackle 93 dream team points Daniel Turner 11 kicks 4 handballs 15 disposals 5 marks 56 dream team points Ryan Valentine 1 behind 2 kicks 5 handballs 7 disposals 1 mark 1 hit out 18 dream team points Mitch White 1 behind 11 kicks 8 handballs 19 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 75 dream team points Taj Woewodin 1 behind 10 kicks 13 handballs 23 disposals 2 marks 6 tackles 76 dream team points