2 weeks Ago
Demons forward Bayley Fritsch says getting dropped to the VFL was the “circuit breaker” he needed after returning for the club’s Anzac Day eve win over Richmond on Thursday night . Fritsch kicked two goals in his first game back from a one-week spell for Casey after he’d been below his best over the first few rounds of the season. The 28-year old conceded he needed to work on “everything without the ball” and his forward pressure in an area the team was “crying out” for more effort given the ball was coming out too easily.
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“My game probably hasn’t looked the way I wanted it for the start of this season. I think it was a bit of a circuit breaker and getting back to things the team values,” he told News Corp post-match. “I thought I went back (to the VFL) and did my job.
I got an opportunity tonight probably because Jake Melksham was managed. I thought I played my role and hopefully can keep building on tonight’s performance.” Simon Goodwin’s side has now won two in a row to breathe life into its season following a horror 0-5 start to the campaign.
Thursday night marked Fritsch’s first victory of 2025 after Casey was dominated the undefeated VFL Giants by 53 points in last weekend. It was a particularly special win for Fritsch after he and fiancée Natalie welcomed their first child, Noah, only 18 days ago, with the forward enjoying a “great moment” with his son in his arm during the team song. “Every career has ups and downs.
I’d love to be up all the time, but the start of this season hasn’t gone the way I wanted or the team wanted,” Fritsch continued. “I actually didn’t mind it, it was good to get back down with Casey and play with those boys. I haven’t played there for seven years and that’s where I was drafted from.
“To go back there and try and coach those young boys, unfortunately we had a tough day. But to be back out on the MCG tonight in front of our fans was great.” At times the subject of trade talk when things haven’t been going well, Fritsch declared he wants to be a Demon for life.
“I want to play my footy here forever. I don’t know where any of that chat came from,” he said. “I love Melbourne, they gave me an opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream.
” Fritsch isn’t the only key Demon to be linked to trades in recent times, with star teammates Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver’s futures at Melbourne uncertain last year. The club put a big emphasis on improving its culture in the off-season, which Fritsch thinks is in a good place as its form is now starting to catch up. “‘Goodey’ has (preached) from day one that we didn’t want to put the boots on until our culture was intact,” he said.
“We had to give to each other. Although we were 0-5 and the results haven’t been going the way we wanted, our off field has been really good. We probably just haven’t been able to translate it on the field.
“We’ve made some tweaks in our game and changed the way we play a little bit and now it’s started to catch up. When you change things it takes time. “I feel like the lag effect is really starting to catch up and hopefully we can keep that going.
” Goodwin was encouraged by Fritsch’s performance and had faith the goalkicker would build from here given how hard he was working to improve his craft. “He’s putting in a hell of a lot of work on his game and the rewards will come on the back of that work,” Goodwin told reporters. “There was a little bit tonight we can go forward with, but he knows as well, there’s more in him in terms of what he can deliver.
“He’ll keep working hard and training hard, we’ve got full belief in Bayley. He’s led our goalkicking for the last four years. “He’s a player we know can have a huge impact for us when he gets right back to his very best.
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