In the final home and away game of the season, the Casey Demons toppled the former ladder leaders, the Box Hill Hawks. With a composed and spirited performance at Casey Fields on Sunday afternoon, they secured a 23-point victory.

Despite kicking the opening goal of the game, the Dees were slow to settle, allowing Box Hill to respond with four unanswered majors in the first term. The effort was there early even if the scoreboard didn’t reflect it.

After quarter time, Casey began to capitalise on their immense pressure and midfield dominance, gradually taking control of the contest and keeping Box Hill at arm’s length for the second half.

With both teams needing a win to secure the best possible ladder position, the intensity never dropped. But it was the Demons who produced some of their best football of the season and secured the crucial four points.

Casey surged into 5th spot on the ladder and, in doing so, secured the coveted reward of a home final — a fitting result for their late-season resurgence and growing momentum.

Jack Billings and Riley Bonner led the way, each racking up a remarkable 40 disposals. Both players are in red-hot form and have been pivotal to Casey’s late-season surge. Bonner also produced one of the highlights of the day, stepping around his opponent before launching a goal from just inside 50 metres.

Bailey Laurie and Koltyn Tholstrup were equally influential through the midfield, collecting 25 disposals apiece. Working in tandem with ruckman Tom Campbell, they were able to gain the ascendency in the middle and give the Dees first use of the ball. Laurie’s 10 inside 50s and a goal, combined with Tholstrup’s eight tackles, left Box Hill with little answer to their dominance.

Up forward, it was a real team effort, with multiple players hitting the scoreboard. Luker Kentfield was quiet in the early stages but came to life when it mattered, kicking three late goals to help ice the contest.

Charlie Spargo was also impressive, finishing with 23 disposals, seven tackles and a goal. His pace and clean ball use stood out all afternoon, going at an elite 95% disposal efficiency and constantly putting Box Hill’s defence under pressure.

Down back, Tom Fullarton keeps going from strength to strength, collecting 10 marks and six intercept possessions in another assured performance. His ability to read the play and disrupt opposition attacks has become a huge asset for the Demons’ defensive unit.

Toby Sinnema — a Melbourne Demons NGA prospect — pulled on the red and blue for the first time and made an immediate impression. In a memorable debut, he collected 15 disposals and kicked a crucial third-quarter goal, offering an exciting glimpse of what he could bring as a potential 2025 draftee.

After a slow start to the season, the Dees have stormed home and enter the finals as one of the form teams of the competition. With confidence high and momentum firmly on their side, they’ll be looking to carry this rich vein of form into September and make a genuine impact in the finals series.

CASEY DEMONS                                      1.2     5.7    10.14     12.16 (88)
BOX HILL HAWKS                                    4.1      7.2      8.5          9.11 (65)

GOALS
Casey Demons: Kentfield (3), Spargo (1), Sinnema (1), Mentha (1), Laurie (1), Johnson (1), Jefferson (1), Cross (1), Bonner (1), Billings (1)
Box Hill Hawks: Scaife (3), Stanley (1), Ramsden (1), McCabe (1), Farrer (1), Butler (1), Bianco (1)

DISPOSALS
Casey Demons: Bonner (40), Billings (40), Tholstrup (25), Laurie (25)
Box Hill Hawks: Hustwaite (25), Butler (25), Serong (24), Mitchell (23)