It was billed as a blockbuster final round clash and it delivered as Casey gave its all to go down by six points to the Bombers.

 If the VFLW needed another reminder that the Demons would be a force in the upcoming finals series, it received it on Saturday morning.

Casey Demons produced one of its finest performances of the season in a see-sawing contest with the ladder-leading Essendon, but ultimately ended narrowly behind the Bombers in the 4.3 (27) to 2.9 (21) result.

The Demons proved they were in the hunt from the first bounce, dominating the clearances and inside-50 count to control possession for most of the first term.

With a dynamic midfield line-up consisting of Samantha Johnson, who shone yet again with 27 disposals in a terrific captain’s display, Eliza West, Emma Horne and Shelley Heath all dominating Essendon’s vaunted centre group.

Shelley Heath was electric from the get-go, racking up 11 disposals in a wonderful performance on the wing as the Demons caused headaches.

But Casey just couldn’t break through, with the Bombers instead taking a four-point lead into the first break with the match’s solitary major.

Yet the Demons weren’t put off, as Megan Fitzsimon (15 disposals, seven tackles, two goals) started her brilliant game in front of goals with an amazing running goal to get Casey on the board.

Mel Hogg’s (14 touches, four clearances) busy presence in the midfield nearly paid off immediately after as her snapped effort went through the big sticks, only for the umpires to call touched and deny the Demons a second goal on the trot.

Essendon capitalised, as the game fell into a goal-for-goal groove with the Bombers taking a two-point lead into half-time.

Casey’s defence had a tough task ahead of them having to nullify Essendon’s star forwards, but they responded brilliantly.

Maeve Chaplin (eight touches, four marks) and Alison Brown (12 disposals, six tackles) showed their poise and class under pressure, while Tahlia Gillard locked down hard.

In the ruck, Stephanie Wales (25 hit-outs, 16 disposals) took the opportunity with both hands, providing silver service to Casey running midfielders.

Fitzsimon picked up where she left off in the second term, classily moving through a stoppage inside forward 50 to snap through her second major.

The play remained tight all day, pinging from end to end as both sides desperately tried to make a statement on the eve of the VFLW finals series.

With the game evenly poised at 20-20 at the final break, Essendon made the first breakthrough of the last term with a quick goal.

But courage from Chaplin and Shree Fairchild kept Casey in it right until the final siren.

Georgia Campbell began to take vital marks, while captain Johnson was everywhere ­– mopping up in defence and then sending the Demons forward just moments later.

The final minutes saw the ball trapped inside Casey’s forward 50, as it tried everything to snap through a match-levelling goal.

But the Demons just couldn’t break through, going down by six points in a gut-wrenching slog that prepares Casey for a massive VFLW finals campaign.

ESSENDON  1.0       2.0       3.2       4.3 (27)

CASEY          0.2       1.4       2.8       2.9 (21)

GOALS: Fitzsimon 2

DISPOSALS: Johnson 26, West 17, Wales 16, Fitzsimon 15, Hogg 14, Heath 13

BEST: Johnson, Chaplin, West, Fitzsimon, Wales, Hogg, Heath, Brown