Success has followed the Casey Demons through almost all the leagues they have played in.

While the club was forced to become nomadic two decades ago when it outgrew its traditional home at Newcomen Rd before a full relocation and a name change to Casey in 2005 – followed by a rebranding to the Demons in 2017 – it retains an impressive history stacked with premiership glory.

Much like the Sydney Swans still hold their roots to South Melbourne dear, the Casey Demons’ heartbeat remains in the Springvale Scorpions and previously the Vales.

That’s why there is an underlying desperation inside the four walls at Casey Fields to end the longest premiership drought in the club’s outstanding history in Sunday’s Smithy’s VFL Grand Final against Southport at IKON Park.

With 21 premierships (and 10 runners-up) since the club first played at an old ground behind the town’s post office in 1903 in the Mulgrave Football Association, Springvale has never been far from a flag.

Therefore, the present 23-year wait since the last of the four premierships in five years was won in 1999 has club greats champing at the bit to get back to the top.

The previous longest gap between premierships was 17 years between 1939’s Dandenong Association title and the club’s lone Caulfield-Oakleigh District Association flag in 1956 – and there was five years of football lost to WWII during that period with many of that 1939 team in active service.

Before the VFA/VFL flags of 1995-96-98-99, Springvale had two previous golden eras, winning five premierships in six years in 1960-61-62-63-65 and three from four in 1930-32-33.

That record makes this drought wrangle even more, especially given the club has had two chances in recent years to claim that 22nd title, going down to Footscray by 31 points in 2016 and Box Hill Hawks by 10 points in 2018, both times after going into the decider as premiership favourites.

The drive to finally put a much-deserved medal around the necks of modern-day club greats Jimmy Munro and Mitch White, who played in both those losing Grand Finals, will be an extra motivation for their teammates.

They are the only two remaining from the 2018 decider, although Bayley Fritsch, Jayden Hunt and Harry Petty are still at Melbourne, while Sam Weideman and Joel Smith also played in the 2016 decider and will front up for a second crack at a VFL flag.

CASEY DEMONS GRAND FINALS

VFL

2018: Box Hill Hawks 10.12 (72) def Casey Demons 8.14 (62)
2016: Footscray 13.19 (97) def Casey Scorpions 10.6 (66)
1999: Springvale 19.11 (125) def North Ballarat 9.11 (65)
1998: Springvale 11.17 (83) def Werribee 5.15 (45)
1996: Springvale 11.7 (73) def Frankston 10.10 (70)

VFA

1995: Springvale 14.10 (94) def Sandringham 6.15 (51)
1990: Williamstown 16.11 (107) def Springvale 15.15 (105)
1987: Springvale 14.16 (100) def Port Melbourne 7.20 (62)
1983 (Division 2): Springvale 17.9 (111) def Brunswick 13.16 (94)

FEDERAL LEAGUE

1980: Clayton 17.30 (132) def Springvale 13.4 (92)
1977: Springvale 18.19 (127) def Oakleigh District 17.13 (115)
1975: Springvale 20.14 (134) def Parkdale 16.13 (109)
1971: Highett 17.10 (112) def Springvale 12.7 (79)
1970: East Malvern 20.12 (132) def Springvale 15.12 (102)
1966: East Malvern 13.13 (91) def Springvale 11.13 (79)
1965: Springvale 15.13 (103) def Glenhuntly 3.12 (30)
1963: Springvale 17.16 (118) def Mentone 8.14 (62)
1962: Springvale 14.13 (97) def Glenhuntly 7.12 (54)
1961: Springvale 12.8 (80) def Glenhuntly 10.11 (71)
1960: Springvale 14.9 (93) def McKinnon 8.16 (64)

CAULFIELD-OAKLEIGH AND DISTRICTS LEAGUE

1956: Springvale 11.16 (82) def Oakleigh District 8.17 (65)

DANDENONG AND DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

1950: Clayton 12.14 (86) def Springvale 9.19 (73)
1939: Springvale 17.23 (125) def Clayton 10.16 (76)
1933: Springvale 8.6 (54) def CYMS 5.7 (37)

BERWICK AND DISTRICT ASSOCIATION

1932: Springvale 10.11 (71) def Noble Park 8.9 (57)
1931: Bangholme 7.14 (56) def Springvale 7.9 (51)
1930: Springvale 12.10 (82) def Mulgrave 11.8 (74)
1921: Springvale 7.9 (51) def Pakenham 5.12 (42)
1920: Springvale 7.9 (51) def Pakenham 2.9 (21)
1919: Dandenong 6.9 (45) def Springvale 6.4 (40)
1911: Springvale won premiership (no Grand Final)

2022 SMITHY'S VFL GRAND FINAL
Sunday, September 18
Casey Demons v Southport (IKON Park, 12.50pm)

Broadcast/streaming: Seven Network from 12:30pm (Vic - Channel 7 / Brisbane and Gold Coast – 7mate / National - 7plus). Free live stream on AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official app

Ticketing: For the 2022 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final, admission prices are adults $20, concession/pensioners $15 and children under 15 free. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online via: www.intix.com.au/events/vflgrandfinal2022