The Casey Demons stamped their authority on finals football with a commanding 76-point victory over Williamstown in their Elimination Final clash.

From the opening bounce to the final siren, Casey produced a relentless four-quarter performance that left their opponents with no answers.

The Demons’ trademark pressure and ferocious contest work, set the tone early and only grew stronger as the game went on. Williamstown battled hard but struggled to withstand the Demons’ intensity, as Casey dictated terms across every line of the ground.

Backed by a vocal home crowd, the Dees showcased the brand of football that has carried them into finals, sending a strong message to the rest of the competition that they are here to contend.

The standout of the match was Casey-listed forward Noah Yze, who lit up the contest with a remarkable seven-goal haul. Returning to the side after recovering from injury, Yze wasted no time making his presence felt.

He consistently found himself in the right positions, clunked strong marks inside 50, and finished with precision. Under the pressure of a finals’ atmosphere, he proved unstoppable, converting every opportunity that came his way and capping off a dominant individual performance.

Another standout in attack was Casey-listed forward Paddy Cross, who proved a constant threat inside 50 and finished with four goals to his name. Cross consistently put himself in dangerous positions and looked menacing whenever the ball entered his area. His ability to capitalise on opportunities gave Casey another reliable avenue to goal and kept Williamstown’s defence under relentless strain.

In the midfield, Bailey Laurie continued his run of strong form with an impressive all-round performance. He racked up 29 disposals, laid five tackles and added a goal, showcasing both his inside toughness and outside class.

Laurie’s ability to win the ball at the coalface and then launch into attack highlighted his influence, while his composure under pressure and creativity going forward once again underlined why he has been such a key contributor this season.

Charlie Spargo made a strong start but was forced from the field in the third quarter with a shoulder injury, bringing an unfortunate end to his game.

Casey-listed player Mitch Hardie, was influential across the ground, gathering 26 disposals and making his presence felt in multiple areas. He pushed forward with intent and created opportunities, though he was unlucky to miss with his two shots on goal.

Koltyn Tholstrup impressed with his pace and explosive run, collecting 23 disposals at an outstanding 87% disposal efficiency. His speed with ball in hand consistently opened up play and added drive through the middle.

In the ruck, Tom Campbell produced another dominant performance, registering 29 hit-outs – 20 more than the next closest player – alongside 12 clearances and 23 disposals. His work around stoppages proved crucial and once again highlighted his importance to Casey’s recent midfield dominance.

Down back, Blake Howes was a welcome inclusion, amassing 27 disposals and 12 marks. He set up play from defence with composure, was clean in transition, and helped spark numerous attacking chains.

Jed Adams also stood tall in defence, locking down his opponent while cutting off several of Williamstown’s forward thrusts. He finished with 11 intercept possessions, underlining his ability to read the play and halt the opposition’s momentum.

It was an outstanding performance from the Dees, who have now booked their place in a semi-final against Frankston. With confidence high and momentum on their side, Casey will be looking to extend their winning streak and continue their charge through the rest of the finals series.

CASEY DEMONS                                      6.2     11.5    15.6     20.12 (132)
WILLIAMSTOWN SEAGULLS             2.3      4.3      7.4          8.8 (56)

GOALS
Casey Demons: Yze (7), Cross (4), Kentfield (2), Johnson (2), Woewodin (1), Laurie (1), Brown (1), Billings (1), Adams (1)
Williamstown Seagulls: McLaughlin (3), Hollow (2), Gollant (1), Collier-Dawkins (1), Colenso (1)

DISPOSALS
Casey Demons: Laurie (29), Howes (27), Hardie (26), Tholstrup (23), Campbell (23)
Williamstown Seagulls: Greiser (26), Fitzgerald (23), Toner (19), Hall-Kahan (18)