CASEY has handed Box Hill its first loss of the season, able to outlast the home side down at Wonthaggi, the final score 11.10 (76) to 16.10 (106).
It didn’t come easy for Casey, with the top-of-the-table clash living up to its name and providing a fantastic spectacle on a day where there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky at the Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve.
Box Hill commanded early proceedings, with Casey getting caught too high up the field and the Hawks finding ways to get in behind the likes of Jed Smith and Adam Tomlinson, causing headaches.
The Demons began to grow into the game and so did captain Mitch White, who was returning from injury.
He was able to win the clearance on regular occasion and started to influence the game on to Casey’s terms.
This was before a flurry of goals from the home team, which saw a tight first term end six points in the Hawks’ favour.
As is characteristic from this Casey team, the surge was coming, and it came in the second quarter.
A six-goal second term was enough to build a strong lead for the Demons thanks to the likes of Joel Smith, who also returned from injury, and Taj Woewodin, who was able to slot a sensational goal from 45m out on the boundary line, Buddy Franklin-esque.
Up until this point, experienced forward Jake Melksham couldn’t find a way to impose himself on the game and right before the end of the first half, he kicked the first of his five goals.
Within his five-goal haul was an unthinkable Goal of the Year contender. Melksham controlled the ball out of mid-air with his foot, similar the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, to then gather the ball and kick around his body in the pocket to score.
The second half was more of the same from the Demons.
Control around the stoppages, strong in defence, fast, free-flowing attack, and with the star-studded forward line Casey currently has, the Demons started to finish off their chances.
White was remarkable around the contest, a neutral wouldn’t know that it was his first game for the season. He finished with 24 disposals, nine tackles and ten clearances, leading from the front and providing a great example of dedication and commitment to the rest of the squad.
Youngster Zane Duursma was also incredible in his first appearance in the red and blue. The Gippsland Power utility put his skills on display, his run and carry on the ball an influential factor in the game, as he broke free from opponents, applying plenty of pressure on the ball carrier.
It was an impressive outing by the Casey Demons, and they will look to back it up again as they travel up north to face a strong Gold Coast Suns on their home turf.
CASEY DEMONS 2.3 (15) 8.5 (53) 13.7 (85) 16.10 (106)
BOX HILL HAWKS 3.3 (21) 5.6 (36) 9.8 (62) 11.10 (76)
GOALS: 5 Melksham, 3 J.Smith, 2 Woewodin, 2 McDonald, 1 Sestan, Laurie, Jefferson, Brown
DISPOSALS: 27 Harmes, 24 White, 22 Tomlinson, 20 Laurie, 19 Melksham
