THE CASEY Demons VFLW side showed plenty of heart and resilience at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon but were ultimately outclassed by an in-form Collingwood outfit, going down by 46 points in Round 12.
It was a tough day for the red and blue, who struggled to find fluency forward of centre for much of the match. But through it all, there were positives to take, particularly the leadership shown by Meg Macdonald, the intercept work of Tegan Williams, and the team’s refusal to roll over even as the Magpies looked to take full control.
Collingwood set the tone early with forward pressure and repeat entries, scoring the game’s first goal inside the opening minutes. Casey struggled to move the ball out of their back half cleanly and didn’t register their first inside 50 until midway through the term. Despite the slow start, Delany Madigan found herself with a couple of chances in front of goal, but they went unrewarded.
The Pies were wasteful with six behinds, but their constant attack gave them the upper hand. A second goal on the siren extended their early lead, but it was the Demons’ defensive unit, particularly Williams, who kept the damage from blowing out.
Collingwood came out firing again to start the second term, but Casey weren’t going to let them run away with it. The Demons dug in, making it difficult for the Magpies to play their natural free-flowing game. Slowly, the tide began to turn as Casey started to win more of the ball and push forward with purpose.
Anna Vrsecky had a shot on the halftime siren which fell just short, but it capped off a much-improved quarter. Emotions boiled over in a fiery finish to the half, and the contest looked alive again. Tegan Williams was instrumental across half-back, leading all players with 11 disposals at the break, while Macdonald’s leadership through the midfield proved vital.
The third term began with another early Collingwood goal, as they continued to apply scoreboard pressure. But to their credit, Casey absorbed the hits and tightened up defensively, frustrating the home side with their ability to turn back multiple inside-50 entries.
While the Demons managed to slow the Magpies’ momentum, they couldn’t translate that into offensive threat. Despite patches of control through the middle of the ground, clean looks on goal were rare. Zara Klein and Shree Fairchild worked hard to generate movement, but the pressure from Collingwood’s defensive setup made things difficult.
The Magpies opened the final quarter with another goal, stretching the lead out to 40 points, but it was Casey who responded with a moment to savour. Anna Vrsecky, who had been working tirelessly, slotted the team’s first and only goal of the game, rewarding the side’s perseverance.
From there, Casey lifted again and had another scoring opportunity, but it sailed through for a behind. The rest of the term saw Collingwood slow things down with a possession-focused game style, while the Demons continued to push and test them until the final siren.
It wasn’t the result Casey was after, but the fight, structure, and defensive discipline on display showed there’s plenty of pride and growth within this group. Meg Macdonald (23 disposals) and Tegan Williams (17 disposals) were standouts in a side that never dropped their heads.
The Demons will return home next week, looking to bounce back with renewed confidence and hunger as they continue their VFLW campaign.
MAGPIES 2.6 3.7 5.8 8.9.57
DEMONS 0.1 0.4 0.4 1.5.11
GOALS: Vrsecky
DISPOSALS: Macdonald 23, Williams 17, Fairchild 15, Phillips 13, Vrsecky 12
