Match Preview: Time To Tame Tigers
The Hawks travel to Punt Road this Saturday to tackle the Tigers in an important and intriguing match-up.
Who: Richmond
Where: Punt Road
When: Saturday, 12:05pm
Radio: 3WBC, 94.1FM
TV/Streaming: VFL live stream available via the VFL Match Centre
Box Hill: played 10, won 7, lost 3 – 5th on the ladder
Richmond: played 10, won 6, lost 4 – 9th on the ladder
A Little Bit of History
Played 10 (since 2014) – Box Hill 5, Richmond 5
Of the five Box Hill wins against Richmond since the team from Punt Road re-entered the competition prior to the 2014 VFL season, two came in the first two meetings between the sides and two have come in most recent two match-ups.
In between those bookend losses, the Tigers nabbed four wins on the trot between the 2017 Preliminary Final and round 16 of 2019, but who wants to talk about those? Not me.
Let’s talk better times and more enjoyable days instead. Like Round 8, 2022 at Box Hill City Oval. A day remembered by Box Hill people for how it started and finished.
Stand-in skipper Stu Horner won the toss and, in accordance with a pre-planned tactical decision, opted to kick into the win in the first term. A decision which ensuring his side would have the breeze come the final quarter… so long as conditions didn’t change.
The Hawks did well enough in the opening half-an-hour to stay within 15-points at the first change, knowing the conditions to be worth at least four goals.
But the Tigers were able to flip to script when play resumed, kicking two quick goals to stretch their lead to 27-points and break the contest open.
Four goals down with the breeze at their backs and 15 minutes on the clock, Ben Cavarra kicked a sensational crumbing goal to ignite his side, but to the annoyance of most inside Box Hill City Oval Richmond got it right back.
Jordan Cunico snapped a remarkable goal from just on 50 a short time later – but his side still trailed by 18-points as the second quarter ticked into time on.
Between the 22 and 28 minute marks the Hawks attacked relentlessly and peppered the goals for the frustrating return of just 0.5 – only for Judson Clarke to kick one against the run of play.
20-points in arrears and staring down the barrel of losing the quarter despite having the better of the conditions and chances, Fergus Greene kicked the most timely of goals right on half-time to draw his side within 14-points at the long break. WIth Box Hill having failed to make much ground it was now advantage Richmond.
When play resumed the Hawks did to Richmond what the Tigers had done to them – kicking the first two goals of the term into the breeze to wrestle back momentum. The sides traded goals thereafter to leave the contest delicately poised as it inched towards time on in the third.
A Noah Cumberland goal ended a run of three minor scores for Richmond, but with one to play the Tigers’ advantage was just 10-points.
The Hawks were close enough to make their gambit at the coin toss work, but the question was could they be the first team to take full toll of the wind at their backs? The answer was yes.
Cal Porter burst from the first centre bounce of the fourth term to goal after just 14 seconds, before kicking another spectacular six-pointer a short time later. Suddenly the Hawks lead for the first time since the eight minute mark of the first quarter.
Kyle Hartigan went forward to kick one of the most popular goals of the season (a left footed snap, if you’re interested) to extend the advantage, before Cavarra kicked his third and Greene his third and fourth. The Hawks had kicked 6.1 in 20 extraordinary minutes to snatch the game away… but things weren’t done.
Ed Phillips split the middle, Cumberland got one back, and Cavarra joined good friend Fergus Greene on four goals for the day. Box Hill had kicked 8.4 to the Tigers 1.3 to erase a 10-point three quarter time deficit and run out 33-point winners.
Porter was superb with 24 disposals, seven tackles and 10 clearances to go with his two crucial fourth quarter goals, while Daniel Howe was immense with 26 touches, nine tackles and five clearances.
Damian Mascitti was his reliably brilliant self, tallying 28 touches, seven marks, five inside 50s and 10 rebound 50s, while Jordan Cunico finished with a game-high 30 touches to go with his spectacular goal, five rebound 50s and five inside 50s.
As for the goal-kickers, Greene and Cavarra booted 4.2 apiece, with the latter recording 19 touches and the former finishing with 14 disposals and a game-high 10 marks.
The Hawks survived an almighty scare the last time the sides met, in round 18 of 2023 at Punt Road. Relatively even all afternoon, Box Hill lead by 13-points at three quarter time and as much as 20-points with seven minutes played in the final term thanks to goals from Lloyd Meek and Brandon Ryan.
Goals to Tom Brindley and Tyler Sonsie got the Tigers to within a kick with 23 minutes gone, before the Hawks rallied to see out a frantic final five minutes. James Blanck was the hero late on, running back with the flight to spoil a goal-bound kick with seconds on the clock.
Callum Brown was sensational in amassing 36 touches, finishing his day’s work with seven marks, five inside 50s and six rebounds 50s, while future Tiger Jacob Koschitzke kicked four crucial goals.
Cam Mackenzie put in a great shift, tallying 27 touches, 10 clearances and eight inside 50s, while Harry Morrison won 25 disposals and took an equal game-high 11 marks.
2023 So Far
Beaten badly at home by the Lions three weeks ago, the Hawks responded with big wins against Essendon and the GWS and, in doing so, recorded successive victories for the first time since rounds four and five.
The 72 and 68 point wins shape as being crucial for the fifth placed Hawks’ percentage and confidence ahead of this week’s assignment against the Tigers, who sit just a game back in ninth.
A third win on the trot would be the perfect way for Box HIll to head into their second bye of the 2024 season as teams jockey for and look to consolidate places in the competition’s top six.
Richmond’s form at the VFL level has been good in it’s own right, but looks even better when you account for the injury issues they’ve had to endure and overcome in both their AFL and VFL programs.
The Tigers started the season with a win on the Gold Coast against an admittedly undermanned Suns outfit, before beating the Swans and falling to Werribee in subsequent weeks.
Wins against Casey and Coburg had Steve Morris’ side at four-and-one after round six, but a 31-point loss to Footscray and a 110-point drubbing at the hands of Sandringham put the brakes on their good start.
They bounced back to see off Essendon in an MCG curtain raiser, followed-up with a 17-point loss to Geelong, before returning to the winners’ list last weekend with a 49-point victory over Port Melbourne at North Port Oval.
With just a game separating the sides ahead of Saturday’s meeting, this match-up shapes as significant in the Hawks and Tigers quests for finals footy in 2024.
Selection News
The Hawks have made five changes for the trip to Punt Road, re-gaining Mitch Lewis from injury, Seamus Mitchell, Bailey Macdonald and Clay Tucker.
A 2018 premiership player with Box Hill, Lewis will play his first match at VFL level since round 13, 2019 and his 38th state league game all told as he starts his build to a senior return.
In exciting news, Drouin Hawks and Gippsland Power product Seb Amoroso has been named to debut
Nick Watson’s excellent performances against Essendon and the Giants has been rewarded with senior selection, while Chad Wingard has been managed after reporting some soreness during the win over GWS.
One(s) to Watch
Isn’t it great when options for this heading pick themselves.
Our ones to watch this weekend just have to be the returning Mitch Lewis and the debutant Seb Amoroso.
Lewis returns to the field for the first time since the Hawks round four match-up with Geelong, while Amoroso has overcome a hand injury sustained while playing for Drouin way back in round one to earn his first senior VFL appearance.
The tall and small forward combo will likely spend time in one another’s orbit, too, which is an added bonus!
How To Follow
Match coverage will be provided via our social channels throughout the day, while a radio call will be available via our wonderful community partners 3WBC 94.1FM.
Where To Watch
You can catch the live stream via the VFL match centre!
Membership
Membership, as always, is the best way to support the Box Hill Hawks in 2024!
You can purchase your 2024 Box Hill Hawks membership via this link.
