CASEY has had its four-game win streak snapped on the Gold Coast despite a gallant final-term fightback to pull within a goal in the closing stages of the match.

A match-leading 13 marks for Jake Lever and two crucial back-to-back Jack Billings goals in the last weren’t enough for the Demons to overcome a 23-point final change deficit.

Lever worked his way into the match after his omission from the AFL side, following three surgeries in eight interrupted months since the beginning of pre-season.

Billings led the Demons with three majors alongside the recently re-signed Luker Kentfield, who had his own successive goal purple patch in the at the start of the third quarter.

Kentfield, who was signed in last year’s mid-season draft as a prospective key forward, had been playing in defence this season prior to today’s outing.

The Suns took control of the match on the cusp of quarter time and didn’t look back, with Davies, Swallow and Lombard playing key roles through the midfield.

It was a game of runs for Melbourne’s key forwards, with Tom Fullarton kicking the first two majors of the match.  

The 22-year-old van Jacob Rooyen kicked an eye-catching goal in the second quarter, sending his opponent flying in a one-on-one race to the ball before breaking free to run into an open goal.

The classy Caleb Windsor played the first VFL match of his career, collecting 17 disposals and six marks on his Casey debut.

While not prolific in his ball-winning, his surging runs to break the lines were impactful.

First-year Demon and Alice Springs product Ricky Mentha rivalled Windsor’s smooth-moving, playing one of his best games to date with some trademark burst.

Small forward Jack Henderson gave his all with nine tackles and 19 disposals.

Casey-listed Demons Mitch Hardie (32 disposals, one goal) and Riley Bonner (34 disposals, 12 marks) were steadying influences on the afternoon.

GOLD COAST                            3.1     6.3       12.5     15.7 (97)
CASEY DEMONS                       2.2     4.5       8.6       13.10 (88)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Evans (3), Jepson, Moyle (2), Rosas, Davies, Swallow, Harris, Gulbin, Enders, Beikoff, O'Brien (1)
Casey: Kentfield, Billings (3), Fullarton (2), Laurie, van Rooyen, Hardie, Culley, Craven (1)

BEST
Casey: Billings, Hardie, Bonner, Lever, Mentha, Kentfield