On Sunday morning, the Dees and Essendon faced off in a 14-a-side scratch match at The Hangar, playing four shortened quarters of 10–15 minutes.
With the VFL on a league-wide bye, the hit-out provided an important opportunity for AFL-listed players to build match fitness and press their case for selection.
Taking part in the hit-out were:
16. Bailey Laurie
19. Xavier Taylor
20. Tom Matthews
21. Matthew Jefferson
24. Trent Rivers
26. Jed Adams
27. Max Heath
34. Kalani White
38. Oscar Berry
39. Ricky Mentha Jnr
40. Riley Onley
42. Aidan Johnson
43. Jack Henderson
44. Luker Kentfield
45. Andy Moniz-Wakefield
It was an exciting return for Kalani White, who featured after an extended stint on the sidelines with glandular fever. He looked right at home, attacking the ball in the air with confidence and finishing his work with a goal.
Matthew Jefferson was a strong presence up forward, presenting well and providing a reliable link between the midfield and attack, finishing with two goals.
Luker Kentfield made his impact felt despite not hitting the scoreboard, clunking contested marks and applying consistent pressure on the opposition defence.
Tom Matthews showed his versatility, rotating through the midfield and forward line. His pressure and pace stood out, helping create scoring opportunities while also getting on the board himself.
Aidan Johnson added another option in attack, presenting well and capitalising with a goal.
Max Heath once again impressed in the ruck, using his strength to dominate around the contest, before spending time up forward to add a goal of his own.
Bailey Laurie and Jack Henderson showed promising signs through the midfield, working well in tandem with Max Heath to drive the ball forward.
Trent Rivers showed encouraging signs rotating through the midfield and half-back, providing glimpses of his impact in both roles.
Down back, Xavier Taylor was a standout, combining strong defensive efforts with an ability to launch attacks from the back half. The 19-year-old read the play well, intercepted with confidence and used the ball effectively, continuing to build impressive form as a key piece of the defence.
Andy Moniz-Wakefield brought strong pressure around the contest and used his attacking kicking to good effect.
In the shortened match simulation, the main standout performances came from Max Heath, Matthew Jefferson, Luker Kentfield and Xavier Taylor.
The final score read 10.3.63 for Essendon and 6.6.42 for the Dees.
The Casey Demons return to action next Sunday at Casey Fields, where they’ll take on Brisbane’s VFL side.
