By Marcus Uhe
A hot start for the Casey Demons did not translate to a four-quarter performance in their VFL contest with Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.
The Demons kicked five goals in the opening term to hold a slender lead at the first break but managed just two in the following two quarters, where their opponents managed 11.
They shaved two points from the three-quarter-time margin upon the final bell, but it wasn’t enough to prevent conceding the four points, going down 11.11 77 to 18.15 123.
Casey’s aerial threats in the forward line were dangerous in the early stages, with Josh Schache, Shane McAdam and Matthew Jefferson each hitting the scoreboard in a busy opening term.
Two Brisbane goals in the opening two minutes of the second quarter, however, set the tone for the remainder of the game, with the Lions twice scoring from centre bounces.
Category B Rookie Kyah Farris-White goaled against the run of play for the Demons, but Brisbane took a four-goal lead into the long break and never looked back.
Another five goals to one in the third term grew the margin even further, despite Mitch White beginning the quarter promisingly with a much-needed captain’s goal from outside 50.
The advantage in AFL-listed players in Brisbane jumpers compared to Casey’s became evident as the match wore on, as was the gulf between the sides on the ladder – Brisbane entered in third, as one of the competition’s form sides, having won its last seven matches, while Casey sits 17th.
Casey outscored Brisbane in the final term, as McAdam and Jefferson both bagged their third goals, but the trip home from Queensland did not require extra luggage, as the four points remained in the Sunshine State.
Jack Billings finished with his best numbers in a Casey Jumper, doing a bit of everything in a 22-disposal, one goal, six-tackle effort, and defenders Blake Howes and Marty Hore combined for 49 touches and 17 marks, under immense pressure for much of the day in the Lions’ forward line.
Casey next faces Essendon at home on Sunday afternoon, with the chance to climb to 16th on the table if they can knock them off.
