Casey Demons (formerly Springvale Scorpions) and George Gray will play the club's 500th VFL-era match against Port Melbourne on Saturday. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

CASEY Demons will become the latest club to front up for their 500th match in the VFL era when they take on Port Melbourne at Casey Fields on Saturday.

Most of the teams who were in the competition when it changed from the VFA to the VFL in 1996 are reaching the milestone 26 years later, with the Borough and Williamstown having already got there, while Casey will be followed by Box Hill, Werribee and Sandringham before the end of this season.

The Demons, who were of course known as Springvale Scorpions at that time and became the first premiers in the rebranded competition when they beat Frankston by three points, have a strong win-loss-draw record of 288-208-3 in that time.

Essendon is also marking a team milestone on Saturday, playing its 250th VFA/VFL home match when it meets Sydney, taking in all its home grounds – Windy Hill, NEC Hangar, East Melbourne Cricket Ground and Flemington Hill – and will be hoping to improve on its 151-72-26 record as it chases a fifth straight win this season.

Essendon's Nick Bryan wins a hitout over Carlton's Alex Mirkov in front of the Allan T. Hird Stand at Windy Hill. The Bombers play their 250th VFA/VFL home match on Saturday. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos

Frankston suffered its 550th VFA/VFL loss last week against Southport, while Carlton’s win over Coburg was its 50th in the VFL era.

Coburg co-captain Ryan Exon plays his 100th VFL game against Gold Coast on Sunday, a week after James Tsitas and Tom Downie reached their milestones.

Meanwhile, Werribee will wear an indigenous guernsey in its home clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.

FROSTY MILLER MEDAL LEADING GOALKICKER

33 Chris Burgess (GC) dnp
30 Fergus Greene (Box) 0
29 Ben Crocker (Car) 2
26 Joel Amartey (Syd) 5
26 Ben Cavarra (Box) 3
25 Mitch Brown (Cas) 6
25 Jacob Townsend (Sou) 2
22 Jack Boyd (NB) 1
22 Noah Cumberland (Ric) 4
22 Sam Day (GC) 1

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 14 PLAYER MILESTONES

  • 100 VFL matches: James Tsitas (Gold Coast/Geelong/North Ballarat) – 26 goals
  • 100 NEAFL/VFL matches: Tom Downie (Williamstown/GWS) 84 NEAFL/16 VFL – 72 goals
  • 50 VFL matches: Josh Begley (Frankston/Essendon) – 64 goals. Harry Macreadie (Williamstown/Northern Blues) – 0 goals
  • 50 VFL goals: Fletcher Roberts (Port Melbourne/Footscray) – 121 matches. Mat Walker (North Melbourne/Box Hill Hawks) 32 matches
North Melbourne's Mathew Walker booted his 50th VFL goal in the win over Northern Bullants last week. Picture: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 14 CLUB MILESTONES

  • 550 VFA/VFL losses: Frankston (455-550-11)
  • 50 VFL wins: Carlton (49-35)
  • Essendon defeated Williamstown at Williamstown for the first time since June 27, 1896 (7 losses)
  • Brisbane Lions moved ahead on its VFL win-loss record (11-10)
  • Brisbane Lions squared its VFL away record (5-5)
  • Collingwood v Brisbane Lions happened for the first time (1-0)
  • Collingwood fell behind on its VFL win-loss record (134-135)
  • Essendon squared its VFA/VFL away record (111-111-19)
  • Gold Coast squared its record at Carrara Training Oval (2-2)
  • North Melbourne squared its VFL record v Northern Bullants (2-2) and at Arden St (1-1)
  • Richmond took a lead v Geelong at Kardinia Park (3-2)
  • Southport v Frankston happened for the first time (1-0)
  • Southport moved to 10-0 in VFL matches at Fankhauser Reserve
  • Sydney v Sandringham happened for the first time (1-0)
  • Sydney squared its VFL record at Lakeside Oval (3-3)

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 14 RECORDS

(Figures in brackets are the previous record)

  • 6.10 46 Box Hill Hawks' lowest score v Footscray (10.8 68 all venues, 2016; 18.12 120, Whitten Oval, 2015 QF)
  • 7.13 55 Carlton's lowest score v Coburg at Princes Park (20.10 130, 2000)
  • 21.17 143 Casey Demons' highest score v Gold Coast (18.11 119, all venues, 2010)
  • 76 Casey Demons' biggest win v Gold Coast (8, all venues, 2010)
  • 7.9 51 Coburg's lowest score v Carlton at Princes Park (13.13 91, 2000)
  • 16.14 110 Essendon's highest score v Williamstown at Williamstown (13.6 84, 2015, and 12.12 84, 2019)
  • 14.10 94 Footscray's highest score v Box Hill Hawks at Whitten Oval (14.9 93, 2017)
  • 48 Footscray's biggest win v Box Hill Hawks (22, all venues, 2014 GF; 5, Whitten Oval, 2016)
  • 9.13 67 Gold Coast's lowest score v Casey Demons (10.9 69, all venues, 2010)
  • 16.7 103 Richmond's highest score v Geelong at Kardinia Park (14.13 97, 2019)
  • 14 Richmond's equal biggest win v Geelong at Kardinia Park (14, 2019)

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 14 DEBUTS

(Round 14 total: 11. Season total: 252. NEAFL games counted)

  • Box Hill Hawks (total 17): Mason Hawkins, Max Ramsden
  • Casey Demons (17): Ryan Valentine
  • Coburg (7): Josh Watson
  • Collingwood (15): Viv Blackmore-Moore, Noah Bradshaw
  • Geelong (20): Matty Lloyd
  • North Melbourne (16): Will Doquile
  • Sydney (15): Kaelen Bradtke, Indhi Kirk
  • Werribee (5): Daniel Sharrock
Richmond's Bigoa Nyuon (spoiling Essendon's Harrison Jones) broke an 18-game wait for his first VFL goal, with the major after the three quarter-time siren sparking a huge comeback win over Geelong. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 14 FIRST GOALS

(Round 14 total: 11. Season total: 187. NEAFL goals counted)

  • Box Hill Hawks (11): Max Ramsden (debut)
  • Casey Demons (11): Ryan Valentine (debut)
  • Coburg (3): Josh Watson (debut)
  • Collingwood (12): Viv Blackmore-Moore (debut)
  • Geelong (12): Cooper Stephens (6th)
  • Gold Coast (7): Rhys Nicholls (13th)
  • North Melbourne (11): Jack Mahony (2nd), Phoenix Spicer (6th)
  • Northern Bullants (7): Liam Kolar (3rd)
  • Richmond (11): Mate Colina (3rd), Bigoa Nyuon (18th)

SMITHY’S VFL ROUND 15 MILESTONES

  • 500 VFL matches: Casey Demons (288-208-3)
  • 250 VFA/VFL home matches: Essendon (151-72-26)

SMITHY’S VFL POSSIBLE ROUND 15 MILESTONES

  • 100 VFL matches: Ryan Exon (Coburg/Frankston/Box Hill Hawks)
  • 50 VFL matches: Jackson McLachlan (Geelong)
  • 50 NEAFL/VFL matches: Sam Wicks (Sydney) 45 NEAFL/4 VFL
  • 100 VFL goals: Wylie Buzza (Brisbane Lions/Werribee/Geelong) needs 2; Fergus Greene (Box Hill Hawks/Footscray) needs 9; Corey Rich (Williamstown/Frankston) needs 10
  • 100 NEAFL/VFL goals: Billy Murphy (Northern Bullants/Aspley/Box Hill Hawks) needs 2 – 39 NEAFL/59 VFL
  • 50 VFL goals: Jed Anderson (North Melbourne/Box Hill Hawks) needs 1; Josh Corbett (Gold Coast/Werribee) needs 1; Tom Gribble (Werribee/Geelong) needs 1; Joe Maishman (Werribee) needs 2; Matt Hanson (Werribee) needs 4; Mitch Wooffindin (Port Melbourne) needs 4
  • 50 NEAFL/VFL goals: Sam Day (Gold Coast) needs 1 – 26 NEAFL/22 VFL; Reuben William (Werribee) needs 6 – 32 VFL/12 NEAFL; Josh Bruce (Footscray/Sandringham/GWS) needs 4 – 26 NEAFL/20 VFL

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

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