By Marcus Uhe
A huge clash with the reigning premier Brisbane will mark the return of the Casey Demons to their home ground of Casey Fields in the new AFLW season on Saturday morning.
Melbourne won two of its three games at home in 2023, after winning three of its four games at the venue in 2022 (Season 7), the club’s premiership season.
With Beaconsfield’s Tyla Hanks in the midfield, reigning co-winner of the Daisy Pearce Trophy with captain Kate Hore as the Demons’ best-and-fairest, the Demons still possess the star-power across the field, with Alyssa Bannan, Lily Mithen and more premiership stars still wearing the red and blue.
The Demons finished second on the ladder in 2023 with a 8-2 win-loss record but crashed out in embarrassing fashion in the second week of the finals, unable to repeat the premiership-winning heroics of 2022.
Melbourne kicked just one goal in the qualifying final loss to North Melbourne and frittered away its double-chance by falling to Geelong by five points a week later.
The Demons exacted revenge on the Cats on Saturday night, prevailing by two points in a cliff-hanger at Geelong’s GMHBA Stadium.
The Demons trailed for much of the game but took the lead late in the third quarter, courtesy of a goal to Irishwoman Blaithin Mackin.
Star forward Eden Zanker put the Demons ahead by six points early in the quarter and they held the lead for much of the final period, before Geelong set the stage for a thrilling conclusion with goal to cut the lead to two points with 43 seconds remaining.
Geelong mounted the game’s final push following the last centre bounce, and forced the ball inside 50, but Karen Paxman was there to clear the ball from defensive 50 as the final seconds ticked away.
Harris, however, missed the final quarter of Saturday’s game after succumbing to a shoulder injury, and her fitness will be monitored during the week.
Coach Mick Stinear described the injury as a “flare-up” of one she sustained during the club’s preseason camp, and said she would receive scans early in the week.
Brisbane will make the trip to Cranbourne, with the first bounce at 11.05am, on the back a disappointing opening round clash to North Melbourne at home, coming up 44 points short.
Brisbane won the most recent contest between the two sides in November last year, by 25 points in Brisbane.
