CASEY has fallen just short of North Melbourne in sweltering conditions at Arden Street following Melbourne’s convincing AFL victory win over the Kangaroos in the clubs' afternoon of match-play.

In three 30-minute terms of VFL football under the baking sun, Jai Culley was a standout performer for the Demons as they fell one point shy of the home side after a slow start.

The Kangaroos boasted a stronger contingent of AFL talent and dominated the first period of play, leading by 20 points at the first change.

Casey slowly edged their way back, gaining ascendancy for patches of the second and third stanzas.

Melbourne Media cast an eye over the Melbourne-listed players getting a hit-out during the afternoon’s play.

Kynan Brown

Brown checked into the proceedings for the final term of the AFL encounter and wowed with a running checkside finish to go with clean hands and hard, linking runs. This continued for the duration of the VFL portion of the afternoon, with the handy second-year Demon providing a steady impact all day, playing from the forward half.

Aidan Johnson

The mature-age key forward, coming off a premiership for the Werribee Tigers, got off to a hot start for Casey in his debut for the club. Melbourne gave the 24-year-old the reins in the ruck for the final term of the AFL clash and the hard-edged hitter more than delivered. Johnson showed his veteran toughness opposed to the 19-year-old Taylor Goad, man-handling the young ruck for a number of first-use opportunities. Johnson played almost exclusively as a stay-at-home forward in the VFL section of the afternoon and was largely starved of opportunities.

Will Verrall

The two-metre 20-year-old picked up where Aidan Johnson left off when inserted into the match following the AFL clash. The third-year Demon got the honours over the Kangaroos’ Goad, winning first use at the source and beating the North ruck around the ground. Verrall will continue to learn his craft behind Gawn and Campbell in 2025.

Jed Adams

Adams’ impact was largely confined to the AFL portion of the match simulation, featuring only very briefly in the first period of Casey play.

Oliver Sestan

Sestan’s damaging boot continues to be a weapon behind the ball after the former forward made the switch of ends this pre-season. The stocky half-back brought his own football to last week’s intra-club match simulation and performed solidly again against the Kangaroos. The uncapped third-year Demon is learning the positioning and structures required at the other end of the ground, which will be his biggest growth area after the positional change.

Ricky Mentha Jnr

Mentha Jnr partnered with Casey forward Roy George to pile on the pressure in the front half of the ground. The Demons’ academy product and Alice Springs local’s highlight of the afternoon came in the form of a goal assist, juking defenders with a feigned handball and deadly step before unselfishly dishing off a handball. Mentha Jnr will be hoping to clean up some uncharacteristic errors by foot in his next outing.

Tom Fullarton

Fullarton threatened at points across the afternoon while playing alongside Johnson as a key forward. The former Lion almost tore the game open in the third period but hit the left and right goalposts from set shots before finally converting for his one major. Fullarton’s basketball background was on show as a duked a darted football on the lead at full-stretch in the second stanza.