Preliminary Final Preview
By Aaron Pereira
Box Hill will take on Williamstown to secure its second successive VFL Grand Final berth this Sunday at North Port Oval.
Coming off a 24-point victory over Minor Premiers Port Melbourne in the Qualifying Final, the Hawks are flying and a successful September beckons.
Having already defeated the Seagulls twice in the home and away season, Box Hill will go in as heavy favourites for the right to stake a premiership defence.
Games between the two clubs in the last two seasons have been decided by less than three goals on average, anticipating a close game once again on Sunday.
Williamstown will need to shut down tall forward Sam Grimley who has kicked 17 goals in the last three games and averages two goals a game against the Seagulls.
Recently crowned J.J. Liston Medalist Alex Woodward was also prominent each time the two clubs met, garnering two votes in the Round 10 clash.
Dallas Wilsmore and Mitch Hallahan were also destroyers in the two earlier victories, both taking three votes in the Round 10 and 15 clashes respectively.
The Hawks will boost an impressive three J.J. Liston medalists in the game with this year’s winner Alex Woodward joining 2013 winner Mitch Hallahan and 2012 winner Ben Ross as recipients of the award playing in Sunday’s game.
First-year Coach Marco Bello cited early in the season that a game against Williamstown was going to be tough and contest.
“A tough physical contest is what we expected and we got nothing less,” Bello said.
A win for the Hawks would mean they would enter the Grand Final winning eight of the last nine, their last loss against Collingwood in Round 17.
The winner of this game will take on either Footscray or Port Melbourne in the Peter Jackson VFL Grand Final at Etihad Stadium.
The Preliminary Final will be held at North Port Oval on Sunday at 2.10p.m. Tickets available at the gate.
