By Nick Creely
VICTORIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
REVIEW – DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
Casey will go down in history as the last ever team to win a premiership in the VFL’s Development League after a hard-fought 12-point victory over Williamstown.
With the league ending at the end of the season after almost 100-years of operation, the two sides battled it out for grand final glory in front of a packed crowd at Fortburn Stadium on Saturday.
The Seagulls kicked with the wind in the first quarter, and used it wisely to kick ahead to a 16-point quarter time lead despite the Dees kicking a wayward 2.6.
Mykelti Lefau got the Demons off to the perfect second quarter start to kick his first goal of the match, and the minor premiers found a spark, kicking three more goals and holding the opposition goalless to take the lead at half time.
The game tightened up dramatically in the third quarter, with goals becoming scarce, and the game remained in the balance ahead of an epic final quarter.
Daniel Johnston levelled the scores early in the last quarter with a major from outside the 50 metre arc, and the game remained neck-and-neck for the next 20 minutes as both sides traded goals.
With the Demons down by a point at the 21-minute mark, James Freeman stood up with a clever snap goal to put them in front, before Lefau kicked the sealer with just seconds to play to win the match.
Yilber Zijai (two goals) was awarded the Fred Hill Memorial Medal as best-afield in a classy display on a half forward, while Sean Dwyer (30 disposals), Mitch Cox (three goals) and Perry Lewis-Smith were all among the best for the Dees through the midfield.
Saturday’s premiership victory was the first flag that Casey have won since changing its name from Springvale in 2006, and it’s first VFL Reserve’s premiership since 1983.
CASEY DEMONS 2.6 6.11 8.13 13.16(94)
WILLIAMSTOWN 5.4 5.8 9.12 11.16(82)
CASEY DEMONS
GOALS: M. Cox 3, Y. Zijai 2, M. Lefau 2, C. Ambler 2, J. Briggs, D. Johnston, N. Foote, J. Freeman.
BEST: S. Dwyer, M. Cox, D. Johnston, J. Gains, N. Foote, P. Lewis-Smith.
WILLIAMSTOWN
GOALS: N. Ebinger 4, M. Norton 2, T. Wilkinson 2, T. Davies, C. Buykx-Smith, M. Philpot.
BEST: J. Chisari, N. Ebinger, B. Monk, T. Wilkinson, K. Gray, M. Norton.
