If Casey needed to make another statement this VFL season, it duly did so on Sunday as it destroyed Collingwood to the tune of 52 points.

A scintillating first half established the buffer and Casey never looked in trouble as it compiled one of its best four-quarter performances for the season in a 14.10 (94) to 6.6 (42) win over Collingwood.

The highly billed game quickly went Casey’s way as the Demons settled into a groove and played at their dominant best.

Roan Steele opened the scoring with a stellar left foot snap, while a Jimmy Munro running goal from 50 metres set the tone.

When Jacob van Rooyen continued his strong form with a toe-poke goal, the Demons were away, as goals to Josh Smith and Moniz-Wakefield confirmed a five goal to zero first term.

Casey coach Mark Corrigan said the spread of goalkickers was pleasing and showed an expanding depth building at the club.

“That’s the strength of this time – our ability for the load to be spread right across the group,” Corrigan told Casey Media.

“If you look at the goal kicking tallies in the competition, Mitch Brown is up there but we’ve kicked a lot of goals this year and we don’t have one or two players right at the top.

“It’s such an even contribution and not only from a goal kicking perspective but from what we expect from everyone.”

If the first quarter was constituted by Casey sprinting out of the blocks, the Demons then held its pace and continued putting Collingwood to the sword in the second term.

Luke Dunstan (38 disposals, seven clearances) got on top in the midfield and flourished, collecting possessions with ease and controlling proceedings at centre bounces.

Jack Bell (29 hit outs, 14 disposals) continued his solid output in the ruck, giving Munro (28 touches), Dunstan and Mitch White (18 disposals, two goals) first hands to the footy plenty of times.

Andy Moniz-Wakefield (15 disposals, one goal) was once again lively up forward, dominating at ground level with his turn of pace and silky moves.

Taj Woewodin (14 disposals, one goal) capitalised on this midfield dominance when he steered a goal through a slicing Casey Fields wind, before van Rooyen and Sam Weideman both added majors to prove their class in wet conditions.

Riley Baldi (21 disposals, six clearances, one goal) put his head over the footy all day in a different role through the midfield, picking up a free kick and converting his opportunity to get on the scoreboard as the lead pillowed out.

Just 30 seconds later Dunstan stamped his class on the contest, streaking away from the centre bounce and slamming home a superb running goal to give Casey a 52-point lead at the main break.

But a dump of rain meant the game slowed down its scoring in the second half, as Collingwood came out of half time with renewed spirit as they tried to stop Casey from continuing its scoring avalanche.

It lasted most of the quarter, until some Demons perseverance was rewarded with two late classy goals to skipper Mitch White.

Corrigan said his side’s ability to push through tough conditions and a dogged opposition was proof of its continued development as a young team.

“You want four quarter performances against good sides like Collingwood who were always going to come,” Corrigan said. “For me what’s pleasing about the performance is that the scoreboard was irrelevant. It was about playing the right way and we saw that.

“The last quarter and the result was done, but for our guys to keep playing and putting that excellence into a habit was pleasing.”

With Dunstan and Munro still cherishing the dominance of Bell in the ruck, Casey’s even spread of contributors rose to the fore in the final term.

“You want to see more than four or five playing well and the rest dropping away,” Corrigan said. “The backs were really good considering Collingwood had a similar amount of inside 50s to us.

“Belly (Jack Bell) in the ruck really set the tone for the players and then Riley Baldi in the midfield and Taj Woewodin on the wing were really good in playing their roles.”

Handy contributions from Woewodin, Bailey Laurie and Toby Bedford meant the Demons never experienced a period where they weren’t on top of the contest.

Laurie capitalised in the opening minutes of the final term, finishing off a spirited team play with a smooth snapped goal.

But for all the great goals kicked up forward, Casey’s defence was yet again sublime.

Corey Ellison was a pillar in defence, while Deakyn Smith, Matt Buntine and Trent Rivers all beat their opponents while rebounding effectively.

Although Casey had three late outs to its side, Corrigan is content heading into another bye that his side is still building and learning throughout a VFL season that has been flawless to date.

The Casey coach said the Demons’ dominant win over a finals contender in Collingwood was one of the club’s best wins in 2022 so far.

“The players executed the way we wanted to play really well,” Corrigan said. “The first half was really good. They generated a lot of opportunities, so I thought we defended really well.

“From that end we were really good. It’s a pleasing result against a decent opposition in these conditions.”

CASEY                      6.2       11.3     13.8     14.10 (94)

COLLINGWOOD    0.2       2.5       4.6       6.6 (42)

GOALS: van Rooyen, White 2, Baldi, Bell, Dunstan, Laurie, Moniz-Wakefield, Munro, J. Smith, Steele, Weideman, Woewodin

DISPOSALS: Dunstan 38, Munro 28, Laurie 23, Baldi, Rivers 21, White 18

BEST: Dunstan, Baldi, Bell, Munro, Rivers, Woewodin, White