THE CASEY Demons will be playing in 2020, with confirmation the VFL season will recommence in August.

In a modified competition, the Demons will feature alongside Box Hill, Coburg, Frankston, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Werribee and Williamstown, with each team to play each other once across seven rounds.

A three-week finals series will then be held, culminating in a Grand Final on October 10.

With Casey being an affiliate team of Melbourne, General Manager of Football and Casey Operations Josh Mahoney said the club was thrilled with the opportunity to be involved.

“The Casey Demons’ Board have made the decision to enter the Casey Demons into the revised VFL season in 2020,” he told Melbourne Media.

“There has been a lot of work done to allow this decision to be made, but we’re pleased to provide an opportunity for our players to play at the highest level in Victoria in 2020.

“Well done to all of the other VFL teams who have pushed very hard to get this competition going, and for the AFL for providing the model for the season to go ahead.”

The decision to participate comes after careful consideration of several factors, including the health and safety of players and staff, the financial feasibility and the development of a competitive playing list.

While the competition’s return could still face its challenges, Mahoney said it was essential for the club to give back to its biggest supporters. 

“As a Board, we think it is important that we support our key stakeholders, namely, our players and staff, our club, the league, our sponsors, and our members and supporters in making the decision we have,” Mahoney said.

“We, along with the other VFL clubs, could not have made this decision without the support of key sponsors, who have stuck by us throughout this period.

“Thank you to our principal sponsors, Chisholm Institute and Advanced Traffic Management, and our major sponsors King Gee, Cameron, ResourceCo, Prestige Hino and City of Casey.

“We look forward to maximising this opportunity and watching Casey Demons play starting from August 1.”

All eight clubs will return to full-contact training from Monday 13 July, with further updates on a revised fixture to come.

In accordance with the AFL’s ‘Return to Play’ protocols, no AFL-listed players will be permitted to participate in the VFL program.