After last week's loss, the Casey Demons came out to prove a point on Saturday with a 17.14.116 to 7.15.57 win over Werribee.

The Tigers were also seeking redemption as before their bye, they went down to North Melbourne by five points, which halted their four-game winning streak.

The first quarter was a tough battle for the first 10 minutes, each side applying good pressure and defence. Oskar Baker’s intercept mark started a nice chain towards the Demons’ forward line and resulted in a Sam Weideman goal. 

It was another 10 minutes before the next Casey goal; George Grey snuck through with a clever dribbler and then Kade Chandler snapped a brilliant shot from the boundary. The Tigers kicked their first goal not long after and it was their only one for the quarter, Casey taking a 10-point lead at the first break.

The Demons started the second quarter well with vice-captain Jimmy Munro kicking a goal in the first two minutes. They had another two chances that went through as behinds before Werribee kicked their second goal of the game. Both sides had further opportunities but failed to convert, kicking three behinds each. 

Casey seemed to be more in control of the game, however, the Tigers never gave up and were able to press forward in creating some opportunities. In the latter part of the quarter, the ball seemed to ping between the teams’ defences with neither side able to break through. Casey went into the main break with a 17-point lead.

The third quarter started well for Werribee as they kicked the first goal reducing Casey's margin to 11 points. The Tigers looked to be on song and ready to take the challenge to the Demons. Then it was like a switch turned on for the Casey boys as they kicked five unanswered goals in eight minutes. 

Werribee finally replied but the Demons hit back with Corey Ellison adding another two goals to his name. Casey held a 46-point lead at the last break, with both Sam Weideman and Ellison having three goals each and Tom Sparrow having 18 disposals.

Casey started the final quarter well with Ellison kicking his fourth goal of the game, which took the Demons out to a 54-point lead. The Demons had set up the win, and now it was just going to be a question of by how much.

The Tigers, to their credit, kept pushing but the damage had been done. Ellison capped off a great second half when he put through his sixth goal of the day after the siren sounded to give the Demons a 59-point win.

“It was a hotly fought contest for the entire day,” Casey Demons midfield coach Taylor Whitford said when speaking with Melbourne Media post-game.

“We knew what Werribee was going to bring, they are really good inside the contest and have some great midfielders and a quality ruckman.

At halftime the Demons were only 17 points up, however, for Whitford, there was no real change in the message for the game.

“There was nothing different to what we said before the game,” he said.

“We knew what Werribee was going to do, as they are the number one team in the competition for hardball gets and clearances.

“The first half was our inability to get our hands on the footy first, as we had the outside covered, just lacking on the inside.

“We went back to basics and got the work done on the inside, led by Aaron vandenBerg, Jake Melksham, Tom Sparrow and Majak Daw. We got the ball inside and moved it forward as quick as we could.”

Ellison had a half of football that he will remember forever as the defender-turned-forward kicked six goals in what was a brilliant performance.

“Corey Ellison was playing some really good footy at the local level, and then for him to come in at VFL level have an impact kicking six goals is a fantastic effort,” Whitford said.

In the end, it was a fantastic reply from the Demons and they will look to take the same form into next week’s game against a red hot Box Hill Hawks. 

The Hawks and Demons met back in round one where Casey had a resounding 51-point win. However, since then Box Hill has steadied the ship with only one other loss and find themselves sitting fifth on the ladder, which provides the Demons with another great challenge.

Casey Demons          3.0       5.5       13.8     17.14.116
Werribee                    1.2       2.6       5.10     7.15.57

Goals: 6 Corey Ellison, 3 Sam Weideman, 2 Kade Chandler, 1 Toby Bedford, Kye Declase, Jimmy Munro, George Grey, Jake Melksham, Tom Sparrow

Best: Aaron vandenBerg, Corey Ellison, Jay Lockhart, Jake Melksham, Sam Weideman, Kye Declase