The Casey Demons fell short in a tightly contested Round 7 clash against the Footscray Bulldogs, going down by 18 points at Mission Whitten Oval.

Despite a strong showing through the middle stages of the game, the Demons were ultimately overrun by a fast-finishing Bulldogs outfit who capitalised on late turnovers and structural breakdowns.

The Demons opened the game kicking into the sun and, despite a few missed early opportunities, matched the Bulldogs' intensity around the contest to finish the first quarter just five points behind. In the second quarter, Casey lifted their composure and brought a more controlled approach through the midfield, generating forward 50 entries while restricting the Bulldogs' ball movement. Relentless pressure and smart decision-making through the middle created scoring opportunities, helping the Dees close the gap to within a single point at halftime. 

Momentum swung firmly in Casey’s favour during the third quarter. The Demons lifted their intensity and ball movement, seizing the lead, outpacing the Bulldogs with a high-pressure playing style, jumping on dead balls and utilising key moments with confidence and control. However, the Bulldogs fought back harder in the final quarter, overwhelming the Demons with speed and pressure, forcing critical turnovers and disrupting Casey’s structure to run away with the win.

Standout performances came from Bailey Laurie (27 disposals), Mitch Hardie (26), Riley Baldi and Kynan Brown (25 each), and Ollie Sestan (24), who all worked tirelessly to keep the Demons in the contest. Up forward, Paddy Cross and Tom Fullarton each booted three goals, while Aidan Johnson added two and Hardie chipped in with one.

Riley Bonner, Deakyn Smith, and Cross were pivotal pressure players throughout the afternoon, applying strong tackling pressure and providing drive in key moments.

While the result didn’t fall Casey’s way, there were plenty of positives to take from a competitive performance across the majority of the match.

FOOTSCRAY          2.2    3.6    6.6    12.8 (80)
CASEY                     1.3    3.5    7.8    9.8 (62)                   

GOALS
Bulldogs: Hargraves (4), Kennedy (3), Crofts (2), Lewis, Orgill, Smith
Casey: Cross and Fullarton (3), Johnson (2), Hardie

DISPOSALS
Bulldogs: Duryea (32), Scott (30), Kennedy (28), Gardner and Jones (24)
Casey: Laurie (27), Hardie (26), Baldi and Brown (25), Sestan (24)