By Marcus Uhe
The Casey Demons will make history in 2023, although not the history they were hoping for when they set out on the campaign back in March.
The Demons will host North Melbourne in the VFL’s first ever wildcard round, having finished seventh in the home-and-away season after a fourth quarter fade out against Brisbane at Casey Fields on Sunday.
The Kangaroos finished 10th, earning them the right to participate in the new knockout week of fixtures.
Casey begun the fourth quarter with an 11-point lead but failed to kick a goal in the final term as the Lions recovered to secure a top-four finish, winning 11.14 80 to 12.6 78.
The Lions kicked the only two goals of the final term, hitting the lead after seven minutes of play and holding on tight for their 14th win of the season and the crucial double chance.
Of particular frustration for the Demons will be letting slip the 33-point lead they held midway through the third term.
When Luke Dunstan snapped truly after seven minutes in the second term to give them said lead, the home side had kicked seven of the opening eight goals of the contest, looking more like the top four side of the two combatants than their opponents.
It was Dunstan’s second, joining Tom McDonald with two, making the most of the home ground conditions at Casey Fields.
But the Lions answered back with the final four goals of the half, meaning the Demons led by just seven points despite all their excellent work in the first hour of play.
Goals were traded throughout the third term and Brisbane even put their noses in front, but the Demons secured a minor buffer late in the piece with three goals in six minutes, including a second to debutant Ziggy Toledo Glasman, who earlier joined the ‘first kick first goal’ club.
But Brisbane responded through Tom Fullarton on the stroke of three-quarter-time, setting up the tight finish.
Henry Smith goaled early in the term to cut the lead to six before Tunstill’s remarkable floating snap gave the Lions a one-point lead.
His goal would be the last of the game in what became a grind to the final siren.
Toledo Glasman and Andy Moniz-Wakefield had their chances to put the Demons back in front during the final term, but behinds only tied the scores.
A behind to Harry Sharp, and a rushed behind minutes later, proved to be the crucial minor scores that secured Brisbane the four points.
It leaves the Demons heading into finals without a win in its last three, having lost by a combined margin of 11 points in those contests.
The cut-throat final against North Melbourne will be played at Casey Fields on Sunday 27 August at 2.45pm.
Recent history between the two is on Casey’s side, getting the better of the Kangaroos in their only contest this year by 15 points at Casey Fields in round nine.
A win will see them face Footscray in the second elimination final the following week.
