PATRICK Cross has produced a huge performance as the Casey Demons defeated North Melbourne in Round 18 of the VFL Premiership Season. 

VFL Senior Coach Rhett McLennan sat down with Melbourne Media to review the AFL-listed Demon performances.

Patrick Cross (24 disposals, 3 goals, 7 tackles)

“Awesome game from Paddy. He’s had a pretty quiet month by his standards, so it was pleasing to see him get some reward for his work rate.

“He was effective around the stoppages and scrimmages, while we were also able to stretch him forward, where he looked really dangerous. I was really happy to see Paddy get some reward for effort.”

Christian Salem (26 disposals, 5 tackles, 5 clearances) 

“Salo was a little bit quiet early when he played forward, but his ability to roll higher up the ground and swap with Paddy at times freed them both up to be dangerous in different areas.

“He finished the game really strongly and was instrumental in creating some good looks for us going forward with his elite ball use.”

Ricky Mentha (22 disposals, 1 goal, 5 tackles)

“Ricky’s form has been fantastic. Because of the lack of numbers and rotations in the second half, he played across all three lines and was really effective.

“His tackling has become a real asset for us over the past month. He looks proactive with his movement and some of his ball use and evasiveness have been a real treat to watch.”

Tom McDonald (3 goals, 15 disposals, 6 marks)

“TMac’s impact was really solid. We had the opportunity to throw him forward and he delivered, kicking three goals and providing a strong focal point for us throughout the day.

“I also liked the way he showed the other forwards where to lead and which patterns to run. His ability to hit the scoreboard while doing some great ruck work, potentially expands the options to enter the side at AFL level.”

Riley Onley (19 disposals, 6 marks, 4 tackles)

“Riley started the game really strongly and had moments where he looked powerful around the midfield. He showed some good tackling and did some strong work at ground level.

“It’s just the consistency that he’s chasing. On the most positive note, he finished the game strongly, and if he can bring that finish into the start of the game against Geelong, a really good VFL side, it can set the tone for his entire four quarters.”

Lukas Cooke (1 goal, 14 disposals, 8 marks)

“Lukas was fantastic in the half that he played. He patrolled the back half of the ground really well and showed a strong understanding of when to attack and when to defend.

“He sees space and knows how to get to it from an offensive point of view, while also identifying the dangerous areas the opposition wants to use. If he gets called up, I think he’s ready to play some consistent AFL football.”

Jed Adams (18 disposals, 9 marks)

“Jed played a great game, he fought right until the end which included a late chase and block in the final passage of the game. He's continuing to show that he can perform strongly at this level.”

Xavier Taylor (18 disposals, 8 marks)

“Xav is another who had a fantastic game. He started on Zane Duursma and shut him out of the game to the point where North had to move him."

“His willingness and ability to defend were excellent. We’re now looking at the smaller aspects he can improve, including some of his contested defence and marking craft. His desire to defend and use his weapons was a really positive sign.”

Jack Henderson (14 disposals, 10 tackles) 

“Hendo received a fair bit of attention from North Melbourne, which is a credit to the strong form he’s been in. He had someone run with him for most of the day.

“It was great to show his flexibility by using him forward and through the midfield. Even though he didn’t win as much of the footy as he has in previous weeks, he remained competitive in all three phases of the game.”

Aidan Johnson (13 disposals, 4 tackles)

“You always know what you’re going to get from AJ, which is 100 per cent effort. He had some contest wins and defensive efforts that were next level and helped create goals for us.

“He didn’t get enough reward from a personal perspective through goals or contested marks, but the effort was certainly there. We’ll continue working with him on playing smarter, not harder, and finding ways to get the ball in his hands more often.”

Max Mapley 18 disposals, 6 clearances) 

“It was Max’s best game of the year. He played against a more experienced, highly rated ruckman and I thought he clearly won his position.

“He finished the game strongly and produced some excellent hit-outs to advantage, but what really catches your eye is what he does when the ball hits the ground. His agility, ball use and ability to find space for a young player of his size are really promising. Demons supporters should be excited by what they’ve got in Max.”

Oscar Berry (12 disposals, 8 marks)

“Oscar keeps improving week by week. He had some important contest wins, particularly when he was able to establish a strong defensive position.

“We’ll continue working with him on how he defends back towards goal and identifying when to come forward. You can clearly see the improvement from Round 1 to now, and it’s pleasing that he’s producing more significant positive moments throughout games.”

Kalani White (1 goal, 5 marks)

“Kalani again had some strong moments when he was able to run and jump at the football, showing how good his hands can be. He also displayed elements of the aerial craft we’ve been working hard on, using his body rather than solely trying to jump and mark the ball.

“He had a couple of long shots at goal and created opportunities, but his impact is still a little spasmodic. If we can get four quarters of Kalani at his best, we’re going to see one hell of a game.”

Bailey Laurie (1 goal, 10 disposals)

“Bailey was really good. He probably didn’t get the most effectiveness out of his possessions early, but as the game started to come onto our terms late in the second quarter, he was instrumental in driving that.

“He kicked a great goal, and his clearance work and work in close helped us build a strong lead before half-time, when he was taken out of the game.”

Thomas Matthews (8 disposals, 5 tackles)

“Tommy worked really hard. The key areas we’ve been focusing on are his running patterns and speed, and he showed both. He produced a fantastic defensive effort in the second quarter that created a goal and helped us build some momentum.

“His ability to run and tackle was good. He probably didn’t win as much of the ball as he would have liked and didn’t get an opportunity to have a shot at goal, but his effort and willingness to do the team things were really pleasing.”

Luker Kentfield (3 disposals, 4 tackles)

“Luker probably didn’t have a day where he saw a lot of the football, but when he attacked the contest, he had a positive impact.

“He found himself in situations where the ball was either too far away or going over his head, so it’s about helping him find better positions to get his hands on the footy more often as a forward. His work in the ruck was great.”