The Casey Demons fell agonisingly short of a VFL premiership, coming runners up to the Box Hill Hawks in devastating fashion at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
After falling behind at stages in previous weeks, Casey ensured it didn’t have to play catch up, jumping out of the blocks with the first four goals of the match. The Demons looked to be in complete control, dominating the footy and pressuring Box Hill into errors in the first half.
But after some wasted opportunities in the second term, Hawk Dylan Moore benefited from a free kick to slot a crucial goal after the half-time siren and cut the margin to 17 points.
From that point, the momentum seemingly shifted in Box Hill’s favour as it began to gain some ascendancy and outscored the Demons to draw within nine points at the final change.
Tempers flared after the three quarter-time siren with a scuffle between a mass of players taking place, but it just spurred the Hawks on as they kicked three unanswered goals in the final term to run away with a 10-point victory.
Casey appeared to tire in the final term as the Hawks leg speed proved too much to handle, ending an impressive season on a desperately sour note.
In testing circumstances, the Casey Demons handled the devastation of a Grand Final defeat with pure class. There was raw emotion in the rooms post-game, but the players and their loved ones rallied around each other to help embrace the situation. The Demons had a terrific year and despite the disappointing conclusion, were able to show some pride in their efforts and enjoy the night.
“I think our staff and players should be commended for what they’ve been able to do over the course of the year. We just weren’t quite good enough in the moments required in the last quarter to end the season.” – Jade Rawlings
“The Casey Demon’s should be extremely proud of the season they’ve put together in 2018. Despite falling short of the premiership, Wolfdene has been lucky to be associated with a great club with such committed players and staff. We look forward to supporting the men’s and women’s VFL next year in their quest to bounce back and go one better,” said Wolfdene Director Jon Atchison.