1^ST PRELIMINARY FINAL
CASEY DEMONS   3.3       7.6       12.7    15.9    99
BRISBANE LIONS  1.2       2.3       4.3       7.6       48

Goals: CASEY DEMONS: T. McDonald, J. van Rooyen 3, T. Bedford, J. Bowey, M. Brown, K. Chandler, G. Grey, B. Howes, A. Moniz-Wakefield, R. Valentine, S. Weideman. BRISBANE LIONS: K. Lohmann 2, N. Cockatoo, B. Coleman, R. Matheson, H. Sharp, J. Tunstill.
Best: CASEY DEMONS: J. Munro, S. Weideman, L. Dunstan, T. McDonald, A. Moniz-Wakefield, J. van Rooyen, M. White, J. Bowey, O. Baker, M. Brown. BRISBANE LIONS: W. Buzza, M. Robinson, W. Fletcher, E. Smith, J. Madden, H. Sharp.

ALL season the Casey Demons have seemed destined to play in the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, and on Saturday they finally took the chance to book their ticket with a comprehensive 51-point thrashing of the Brisbane Lions in the first preliminary final at Casey Fields.

The Lions started in positive fashion with Rhys Mathieson winning a free kick for a high tackle and converting from 30m out in the third minute, while the Demons took until the 16^th minute to respond through the impressive Andy Moniz-Wakefield, who kicked truly following a pinpoint left foot pass from Luke Dunstan.

It set the flow of the game in stone, and despite losing Fraser Rosman early in the piece, the Demons took control with two more goals to lead by 13 points at the opening break.

The home team then added the first three of the second term, including a conversion from Tom McDonald after a one-handed mark to make it six in a row and lead by 32 points before Kai Lohmann snagged a beauty from the boundary to stop the rot for the Lions.

But when 23^rd man Ryan Valentine won a free kick and a 50m penalty shortly after, normal service was resumed and Casey had the game in its keeping with a 48-15 lead at the main break led by 10 first-half tackles from captain Mitch White and the class of Dunstan, Moniz-Wakefield, 50^th gamer Oskar Baker and Jake Bowey.

The Demons carried on their merry way in the third quarter, adding 5.1 to 2.0, with Jacob van Rooyen continuing his outstanding form as he terrorised the Lions defence with strong marking and good decision-making when the ball hit the ground on his way to six marks and three goals, while McDonald was also important with 20 touches and 3.2.

While the Brisbane Lions kicked the first two goals of the last term and won the quarter by a point, it was all junk time as the home team was never seriously threatened to cruise into next week’s decider at Ikon Park.

Casey’s barometer Jimmy Munro was outstanding in the clinches as usual, finishing with a game-high 27 disposals, six marks and eight tackles, Dunstan was also terrific with 25, six marks and 10 tackles, Bowey provided terrific drive off half-back and the wing to pick up 23 and kick a goal and Mitch Brown (22, nine marks, one goal) was also important.

Moniz-Wakefield (17, five marks, one goal), Baker (18) and White (17, 12 tackles) were much more important than their numbers suggest, Kade Chandler was quiet early but worked his way into the contest to grab 25 touches, six marks, eight tackles and a goal and Adam Tomlinson picked up 22 touches and five tackles as he was regularly taken to the ball by the Lions’ captain and best player Wylie Buzza.

Sam Weideman was outstanding as the No.1 ruck with 14 disposals, four marks, seven tackles and 37 hitouts opposed to Lions youngster Henry Smith, who could hold his head high for his team with 15 touches, nine tackles and 25 hitouts.

Buzza started forward and roamed far and wide for the visitors and was much better than his 16 touches and 17 hitouts would suggest, while Mitch Robinson was terrific in what could turn out to be his last game in maroon, blue and gold to lead all comers with 29 disposals and six tackles.

Will Fletcher was magnificent at the coalface for the Lions, picking up 24 disposals (20 handballs) in his best game at State league level, while Mathieson (23, one goal) started well but probably didn’t have the impact he would have liked, with James Madden (23), Ely Smith (20) and Harry Sharp (19, one goal) all playing well and Nakia Cockatoo (16, one goal) also having some nice moments.

The Demons have been the best team all year and will deservedly enter next Sunday’s Grand Final against either Southport or Gold Coast as favourites, with Jake Melksham (AFL), and possibly Taj Woewodin (concussion), Deakyn Smith (groin) and Bailey Laurie (shoulder) able to return for the big game.

The Lions can finish proud of what they achieved this year, climbing from 17^th spot last year with a 3-7 record and four 100-point plus losses to finish the home and away season in second spot and end the year in either third or fourth spot overall.

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

SUNDAY

2^nd Preliminary Final: Southport v Gold Coast (Fankhauser Reserve, 1.10pm)

NEXT WEEK: Sunday, September 18: Smithy’s VFL Grand Final: Casey Demons v Winner 2^nd PF (Ikon Park, 2.30pm)

Twitter: @BRhodesVFL

To thank football fans for their outstanding support throughout the 2022 season, the AFL is pleased to announce that entry to all matches in Weeks One to Three of the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series will be free.

For the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, admission prices will be adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free.

All remaining matches in the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series will be broadcast live and free on the Seven Network.

All finals, including the Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, will be streamed live and free on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App.