The Casey Demons have fallen to the Box Hill Hawks by 57 points on Sunday afternoon, bringing their 2026 VFL season to a close.

The Demons started strongly, matching the Hawks early before Box Hill began to gain control after quarter time. Despite registering one more inside 50 and finishing with only two fewer scoring shots, Casey was unable to make the most of its opportunities going forward, with the final kick inside 50 often letting the side down.

Box Hill was able to dictate the game for extended periods through its ability to retain possession and find uncontested marks across the ground. The Demons continued to work hard to transition the ball from their defensive half, but struggled to turn those passages of play into consistent scoreboard pressure.

Despite the disappointing result, there were plenty of positives to come from the final game of the season, none bigger than the return of Jack Viney.

Playing his first competitive match of the year, Viney looked fit and firing from the opening bounce and immediately made his presence felt around the stoppages. He kicked Casey's opening goal before going on to finish with 20 disposals, a game-high 10 clearances and seven tackles. His ability to win the ball and influence contests around the ground was evident throughout the afternoon.

Xavier Lindsay also put together an impressive performance, playing out the full game and finishing with 25 disposals. He provided a highlight with a classy goal on the run, continuing his strong return to football after a long stint on the sidelines.

It was also a memorable afternoon for debutant Jackson Phillips, who slotted a composed goal in his first VFL appearance. Phillips showed plenty of promise as he continues his journey towards the 2026 AFL Draft.

Up forward, it proved to be a challenging afternoon for the Demons as they struggled to generate the quality of inside 50 opportunities needed to consistently threaten the Hawks' defence.

Jake Melksham was Casey's most lively forward, finishing with three goals and three behinds from 15 disposals and seven marks. Aidan Johnson also provided a target inside 50 and took some strong marks throughout the afternoon, although he was unable to convert his opportunities, finishing with three behinds.

Kalani White and Luker Kentfield found it difficult to have the same impact they produced against Gold Coast in the previous round, with Box Hill limiting their opportunities to influence the contest.

Across the ground, co-captain Riley Bonner continued his strong finish to the season, once again showing his class and composure off half-back. Bonner collected 33 disposals and seven intercept possessions, providing an important outlet for Casey in defence.

Ricky Mentha was another consistent contributor, continuing his impressive run of form with 21 disposals, while Luamon Lual stood up defensively with several important spoils and strong one-on-one efforts.

Lukas Cooke and Xavier Taylor also had their moments in defence, taking on the challenge of one of the competition's strongest forward lines. Both competed hard throughout the afternoon, showing composure and determination in one-on-one contests and working to limit Box Hill's opportunities inside 50.

Max Mapley also spent time in defence for the Demons, taking on a different role as Casey looked for options to combat the Hawks' attacking threats. Mapley adapted to the demands of the position and provided another option across the backline as the Demons worked to contain Box Hill's dangerous forward group.

Paddy Cross grew into the contest as the afternoon progressed, finishing with 19 disposals and four clearances as he worked his way into the midfield.

Max Heath faced a difficult assignment against 2025 VFL Team of the Year ruckman Ned Reeves, but continued to compete throughout the afternoon against a challenging opponent.

While the result wasn't the way Casey wanted to finish its season, the final game provided valuable opportunities for returning players, emerging talent and those pushing for greater responsibility at AFL level.

The Demons can now turn their attention to the off-season, with plenty of positives to take from the development and opportunities provided throughout 2026. The return of Viney, Lindsay's continued progression and Phillips' debut were among the highlights of a season that saw plenty of players continue to put their names forward.

BOX HILL HAWKS                 3.3    6.5    13.9   17.10 (112)
CASEY DEMONS                    2.7    2.11  6.15   6.19 (55)

GOALS
Box Hill Hawks: Schubert (3), Nairn (3), Reeves (2), Ramsden (2), McLaughlin (2), Butler (2), McCabe (1), Dear (1), Dalton (1)
Casey Demons:  Melksham (3), Viney (1), Phillips (1), Lindsay (1) 

DISPOSALS
Box Hill Hawks: Ryan (34), Bianco (31), Greeves (26), Hustwaite (25) 
Casey Demons:  Bonner (33), Lindsay (25), Mentha (21), Viney (21)