The Casey Demons VFLW side showed plenty of heart and resilience in a tough Round 13 outing against ladder leaders North Melbourne, going down by 64 points at Casey Fields.
While the final margin favoured the Roos, it didn’t reflect the spirit and fight shown by the Demons, particularly in a third-quarter surge that saw Casey outscore the visitors and inject life into the contest.
North Melbourne hit the ground running in the opening term, controlling much of the early play and peppering the goals. They managed just one major from six scoring shots, with the Demons' defence under constant pressure. Despite limited opportunities, Casey began to find some rhythm late in the quarter, pushing forward with repeat inside-50s that showed signs of promise. At the first break, the Demons trailed by 10 points.
The second term followed a similar pattern early, with North Melbourne striking within the first minute. As the quarter progressed, the Roos began to take control, kicking four unanswered goals as they found their groove. For Casey, it was a period of frustration, unable to convert possession into scoreboard impact despite the best efforts of Soph Casey, Ally Kirkwood, and Tegan Williams, who were all influential through the middle and across half-back.
With a significant deficit at halftime, the Demons could’ve easily folded. Instead, they came out in the third quarter with renewed intent. While North once again opened the scoring, Casey responded with their best football of the day. Meg Macdonald led from the front in the midfield, lifting her side with physicality and clean ball use. The forwards found their spark too, with goals from Natalie Banjavcic-Mills, Alice Robinson, and Anna Vrsecky giving the home crowd plenty to cheer about. The Demons won the quarter on the scoreboard and brought genuine energy and belief back into the contest.
Unfortunately, North Melbourne showed why they sit atop the ladder in the final term, regaining full control and adding five goals to their tally. While Casey couldn't add to their third-quarter efforts, they battled hard to the final siren. The backline worked tirelessly, and the midfield continued to scrap for every possession.
The third-quarter turnaround will serve as a strong reference point for the group moving forward. It showed what the Demons are capable of when they play with confidence, pressure, and purpose, a clear blueprint to take into the final rounds of the season.
North Melbourne 12.12 (84) def. Casey Demons 3.2 (20)
Goal Kickers:
Robinson, Vrsecky, Banjavcic-Mills
Top Disposals:
Soph Casey 18, Meg Macdonald 12, Zoe Mitchell 12, Kasey Phillips 12, Ally Kirkwood 11, Tegan Williams 11
