The Casey Demons have fallen to St Kilda by 48 points at RSEA Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Saints controlled much of the contest, with Casey unable to make the most of its opportunities going forward. While the Demons had periods where they were able to win possession and control the ball around the ground, too often the final kick inside 50 let them down and halted momentum.
St Kilda were strong around the contest and damaging in transition, moving the ball from end to end and applying pressure across all four quarters. The Demons continued to compete throughout the afternoon but were unable to close the gap as the Saints capitalised on their chances.
Tom McDonald was once again among Casey’s strongest contributors, working tirelessly in defence as the Demons faced consistent pressure throughout the afternoon. The experienced defender did all he could to repel St Kilda’s forward entries while also trying to generate drive from the back half with his ball use and composure. McDonald finished with an impressive 33 disposals, eight marks — including three contested — alongside 14 intercept possessions and 12 contested possessions in a standout individual performance.
Jack Henderson continued to compete strongly across all four quarters and provided energy around the contest despite the difficult conditions of the game. Henderson hit the scoreboard with two goals and also applied strong defensive pressure, finishing with five tackles in an encouraging performance.
Up forward, Luker Kentfield and Tom Matthews worked hard with limited opportunities, with both managing to slot two goals each while continuing to present throughout the day.
Casey-listed Demon Miller Bergman produced his best performance in the red and blue, showing composure and confidence with ball in hand across the afternoon. Bergman was clean in possession, finishing with 22 disposals and nine marks in an impressive outing.
Riley Bonner again found plenty of the football, continuing his strong run of form as he spends more time through the midfield. Bonner collected 29 disposals and four clearances, working hard around stoppages while also helping link the Demons between the arcs.
The match further highlighted the challenges Casey has faced in recent weeks, with a young side continuing to shoulder responsibility against experienced opposition. The absence of several AFL-listed players who featured earlier in the season has tested the group’s depth, with many younger Demons being asked to take on bigger roles and valuable minutes.
Despite the difficult result, the Demons remain focused on the long-term growth of the group and the opportunity for continued development across the list. There were periods throughout the afternoon where Casey showed its ability to compete, but consistency across all four quarters continues to be an area the side is working to improve.
The Dees will be hoping the lessons from Saturday’s performance can help build greater cohesion and composure moving forward, as they look to turn competitive patches into sustained football and put together a complete four-quarter performance in the weeks ahead.
ST KILDA SAINTS 7.4 10.5 13.11 15.15 (105)
CASEY DEMONS 0.3 5.6 6.6 8.9 (57)
GOALS
St Kilda Saints: Wood (3), Richardson (2), Maginness, Davey, Nagel (1), McGee Galimberti, Keeler, Dow, Chambers, Behnk
Casey Demons: Matthews (2), Kentfield, Henderson, Craven
DISPOSALS
St Kilda Saints: Wood (26), Phillips (26), Chambers (26), Collard (24)
Casey Demons: McDonald (33), Bonner (29), Bergman (22)
