Summary
The wind caused havoc at Casey Fields on Saturday afternoon, severely favouring one end of the field. A crucial coin toss allowed the Demons to benefit from the breeze in the opening term, and that they did.

Casey kept the Blues scoreless in the first period, and booted eight goals to take a match winning 53-point lead into quarter-time. The Northern Blues showed some resistance in the second term, competing stronger around the contest and booting four goals, but they couldn’t deny the Demons.

The game lost its intensity in the second half, but Casey continued to impress, controlling the ball and using it well to hit the scoreboard effectively. The Demons went on an impressive run after the main break kicking eight goals in a row to blow the final margin out to 91 points.

On a monumental day for the club, there was a sour note with injuries to Mitch King and Oskar Baker. King left the field in the second term with a knee complaint while Baker pulled up sore in the third quarter with tightness in his hamstring. The pair will have to prove their fitness for this week’s match.

Telling stat
It’s pretty clear that if you win more of the ball you’ve got a greater chance of scoring, and on Saturday Casey had 380 disposals to the Blues’ 243. A massive discrepancy of 157 touches showed exactly how superior the Demons were as they moved the ball forward with ease.

Disposals
Pedersen 31, C Wagner 27, Machaya 25, J Wagner 23, Gent, Lockhart, Weideman 22, Hunt 20, T Smith 19.

Goals
C Wagner 4, White 3, Lockhart, Keilty, Machaya, Weideman 2, Baker, Gent, McKenna, Pedersen, Stockdale.

3 Votes: Corey Wagner
Corey Wagner has produced a tremendous season of VFL football and showcased his talent yet again on Saturday afternoon. Wagner played a complete midfielders game gathering 27 disposals and pushing forward to hit the scoreboard with a game-high four goals. The former North Melbourne player continues to put his hand up for an AFL re-drafting and thoroughly deserves the success he’s having.

2 Votes: Jay Lockhart
Jay Lockhart is another who is staking his claim for higher honours next season with his dash and class on display against the Blues. Lockhart had 22 touches running forward with pace and helped Casey attack efficiently all afternoon. He has a great ability to read the play, his foot skills are elite and he was a major factor in the Demons big win.

1 Vote: Cameron Pedersen|
Swingman Cameron Pedersen racked up the highest possession tally on the ground on the weekend and was a massive factor in defence. He drifted forward early to snap a goal, but did his best work across half-back taking 12 marks and driving the Demons forward with some thumping inside 50’s.

Apologies to
Declan Keilty played a different role on Saturday spending the entire game at one end of the field. Keilty matched up the loose man in defence to even the numbers when Casey kicked with the wind and booted a bonus two goals. When the Blues had the breeze, Keilty defended well, while Josh Wagner provided plenty of rebound with 23 touches.

Youngster Cory Machaya had one of his best games collecting 25 disposals, but in a game where six Demons returned from injury, it was vice-captain Mitch White who stood up with three goals as a forward.

Good to see
Casey sit in second position on the ladder, just percentage behind the Tigers who have played an extra game and sit in top spot. The Demons incredible 11-game winning streak has put them in a prime position heading into September, and they are playing with a spirit which could see them go deep in the finals series.

Coach’s say
“Every club would like to think their home ground is an advantage and we’re no different. There are a lot of demands when you come and play us at home, especially when the conditions are the way they’ve been. We’re aware of how we need to perform in these conditions and we want to make our home ground a competitive advantage.” – Jade Rawlings

Looking ahead
The Demons will face Sandringham at Casey Fields on Saturday in a game which could secure a top two finish. With just three matches remaining, a win against the Zebras would hand Casey a home qualifying final.