A fast start from the Casey Demons wasn’t enough to hold off a surging Coburg Lions outfit, who edged out the Dees by just three points in a tense finish.

Casey controlled much of the early play and took the lead into halftime. However, the Lions responded strongly after the main break, chipping away at the margin and narrowing it to just four points in Casey’s favour at the final change.

The last quarter was a goal-for-goal battle, with the game hanging in the balance. In the end, it was Coburg who broke the deadlock, kicking two late goals to secure a hard-fought 11.8 (74) to 9.17 (71) victory.

Despite the narrow loss, there were plenty of positives for the Dees, led by a dominant performance from Casey-listed forward Mitchell Hardie, who was a constant threat inside 50. Hardie finished with 4 goals and 27 disposals, showcasing his scoring power and work rate. His standout moment came from a brilliant tap by Tom Campbell, setting up a sharp snap goal from Hardie in front of the sticks.

Campbell was instrumental in the ruck, recording a game-high 39 hitouts and leading the team in clearances. His physicality and presence gave the Dees first use throughout much of the contest.

Luker Kentfield was another standout up forward, finishing with 2 goals and 10 marks – including a strong contested pack grab that ranked among the match highlights.

Taj Woewodin brought elite pressure across the ground, laying 9 tackles alongside his 21 disposals, while Tom McDonald held firm in defence with 24 touches and 12 marks, several of those crucial intercepts.

Returning from injury, Charlie Spargo showed promising signs in his first game back, finishing with 16 disposals and involvement in several key passages of play.

Once again, Riley Bonner delivered a strong performance off half-back. With 33 disposals, he was pivotal in setting up play and generating drive from defence.

After a tough loss, the Demons will be eager to bounce back when they take on reigning premiers, Werribee, in a high-stakes Round 16 clash at Mission Whitten Oval.

CASEY DEMONS                      2.6     4.11    5.16     9.17 (71)
COBURG LIONS                      1.1     2.3       6.6       11.8 (74)

GOALS
Casey Demons: Hardie (4), Kentfield (2), Fullarton (1), Cross (1), Baldi (1)
Coburg Lions: Weightman (3), Johnston (3), Trudgeon (1), Thompson (1), Podhajski (1), D'Intinosante (1), Andrew (1)

DISPOSALS
Casey Demons: Bonner (33), Hardie (27), McDonald (24)
Coburg Lions: Toohey (34), Trudgeon (31), Kennedy (27)