SUMMARY
CASEY DOMINATES in the heart of the nation as the Demons thump the Thunder by 65 points on Saturday night.
After showing glimpses of their potential in the previous few matches, everything clicked in Round 11 in the team’s most complete performance of the year.
Eden Zanker’s three goals powered the girls to a dominant victory.
THE NUMBERS
DISPOSALS: Birch 22, Mithen 21, Zanker 20, Hore 19, Emonson, Jakobsson 18
GOALS: Zanker, Wearne 3, Hore 2, Howes, Cordner, Jakobsson, Sherriff, Webber
Eden Zanker continues to emerge as a superstar
The Casey forward and ruckwoman continues to evolve and continues to learn and understand what she is capable of doing on the football field.
In Round 11, it was a superb performance by Zanker booting three goals and providing a target for her teammates in a best on ground performance.
She has emerged as a true superstar in the women’s game this year going from strength to strength.
The next challenge will be how she responds when opponent coaches start game-planning for her.
A full flight Casey makes for an impressive sight
Throughout the 2019 season, the Demons have shown glimpses of the sides’ incredible potential when they are firing on all cylinders… fighting their way back to a victory in Round 1, thumping Carlton, pushing the top of the ladder Collingwood all the way.
But it was against the Thunder where the team was able to showcase its true dominant form.
From the opening bounce, Casey was in control and were never challenged, it was a significant win and sends a message to the rest of the league the Demons are no going to go down without a fight.
Lily Mithen and Kate Hore making immediate impacts
Welcoming the Melbourne AFLW duo back to the Casey side over the past three weeks has started to pay dividends for head coach Damien Keeping.
Both players have quickly worked themselves into the Demons best 23 players and are having a tremendous impact on the games.
Mithen has been influential through the Demons midfield, while Hore has been relentless in her pressure up forward and turning the pressure into goals, booting two against the Thunder.
Finals hopes are still alive
With only five rounds remaining in the season, every match takes on an extra level of importance heading towards September.
With a few results going their way, the Demons hopes of playing finals football are still alive.
Now if they can replicate this style of play for the remaining four games then Casey will emerge as a dark horse for the premiership.
But let’s just focus on the next game for now.
A word from the co-captain
“We’ve been really building and had a couple of close losses over the past four or five weeks, so to be able to put that score on the board and have everything come together, it’s really exciting,” Jakobsson told Melbourne Media post-game.
“We’ve been up there with the best teams for a lot of the year, but we just haven’t quite put together a consistent four-quarter effort.
“Today, that was absolutely a four-quarter effort. There wasn’t anything different, everyone just played their role and really bought into our game style and what we stand for.
“It was really important in the context of the year.”
Looking forward
The Southern Saints look to be one of the favourites for the VFLW flag this year, riding an 8-game winning streak into Round 12. The Saints have already defeated Casey this year, punishing an inaccurate Demons side at home to run out 11-point winners. But the game was closely contested through three quarters, and it was missed chances which spoiled the Demons’ day. Should make for a cracking rematch.
