Round Seven Match Report

The Box Hill Hawks have bounced back from a last-start loss, recording a comfortable wire-to-wire victory over the Northern Blues on Saturday.

The 38-point win improves the Hawks’ record to five-and-one on the season following seven rounds, good enough for a share of top spot on the VFL ladder.

Fourteen AFL-listed Hawks comprised Chris Newman’s match day squad and three combined form the off to give the hosts the dream start.

Jonathon Ceglar, playing his third game back from a serious knee injury, won the hit-out at the opening bounce, which was sharked by Lovell and delivered onto the chest of the leading Schoenmakers. The resulting set shot never left its line and ‘Schoey’ had his first of the afternoon.

The search for a second proved trickier and despite the Hawks’ best efforts ran aground against the Blues’ organised defence.

The visitors enjoyed their best period thereafter, and were soon rewarded for staying in the contest with their first of the day.

It was a tight contest in and around the stoppage, with control something neither side could truly grasp.

It was the quick thinking and opportunism of youngster Jackson Ross who provided the first inkling of an opening, when he toed one of the deck deep in the forward pocket. It proved an inspired piece of improvisation once Brendan Whitecross marked uncontested at the top of the square and kicked his first.

Quickly the difference became conversion from limited opportunity.

Brolic snuck out the back, finding best position to get on the end of a nice passage of play for his first; Billy Murphy was all poise to square a pass to Lovell for his goal; and Ceglar rose highest to mark contested, dished to Murphy who spotted the second-gamer Boucher, who added his name to the growing list of goal kickers from shot that followed.

Five individual goal kickers was testament to the Hawks’ early willingness to work, as well as reward for their persistence.

When play resumed after quarter time the Blues found the goals first, before Will Hams answered on the run just a few minutes later.

Jackson Ross was growing in influence, marking well on a number of occasions, whilst Billy Murphy and Vincent Adduci worked tirelessly to break containment and pressure the Blues’ defence.

Adduci was the recipient of a free kick and fifty metre penalty mid-way through the term, which advanced him to the goal line to kick his first, before Moore marked inside the arc and received a fifty of his own to do the same.

All of a sudden the Hawks were pushing the Blues’ defence deeper, had a six-goal lead and had broken the game open.

The midfield brigade were particularly lively during this period, with Ceglar offering first-use, Lovell and Moore combining at the coalface and Whitecross’ presence in the clinches providing the perfect platform for his teammates.

The visitors retuned to the field in the second half with a renewed defensive focus and stifled the contest as they searched for a foothold from which to attack.

Their efforts saw the first action on the scoreboard, before a trio of Hawks majors all but ended the game as a contest.

Langford, offering excellent energy off a wing and half forward burst through the middle, combining with Billy Evans to get the ball to Brolic, who steadied and snapped his second.

The Hawks’ number seven soon turned provider, this time sending a long, raking right footer towards goal for Hanrahan to run onto and slam into an open goal.

A beautiful Whitecross set shot concluded the scoring, confirming a 52-point three quarter time lead.

It had been a tough term, but three goals to one ensured the lead had been extended and the four points well within sight.

The Blues began the fourth as they had done the second and third, kicking the opening goal of the period early in the piece.

Billy Murphy answered with a fine snap of his own – roving the ruck contest deep in attack that was the result of his own good tackle – before the Blues managed back-to-back goals to reduce the margin to 39-points.

Schoenmakers marked brilliantly twice in as many minutes, nailing both set shots, to bring his personal tally to three for the day, before Lobbe kicked the last deep into time on to close the close the scoring.

The Hawks had produced a fine four quarter effort to capture the four points and regain that winning feeling.

 

Box Hill	5.1	8.5	11.10	14.12 96
Northern Blues	1.2	2.4	3.6	8.10 58

Goals: Schoenmakers 3, Brolic 2 Whitecross 2, Lovell, Ceglar, Hams, Adduci, Moore, Hanrahan, Murphy

Disposals: Moore 31, Lovell 29, Ceglar 29, Miles 26, Whitecross 24, Willsmore 24

Best: Moore, Ceglar, Lovell, Hams, Whitecross, Schoenmakers