Preview: Werribee Await Hawks Seeking Response

Box Hill hit the road again this weekend, travelling out to Werribee to take on the reigning premiers in a bid to return to the winners’ list.

Who: Werribee
Where: Avalon Airport Oval
When: Saturday, 12:05pm
TV/Streaming: Live stream available via the VFL Match Centre

Beyond Blue Cup

Box Hill and Werribee will play off for the Beyond Blue Cup on Saturday afternoon – a contest which dates back to 2010.

The two clubs have great pride in playing for this cause, a cause which aims to encourage conversations about depression and anxiety around not just young men in football, but society as a whole.

A Little Bit of History

Played 45 (since 1996) – Box Hill 16, Werribee 29

While a far from ideal head-to-head record sees the Bees well in front, Box Hill and Werribee have shared several memorable tussles in years gone by.

The teams have played off in seven finals since the turn of the century – including, of course, the 2001 VFL Grand Final won by the boys in brown and gold.

Box Hill won a pair of semi-finals in 2003 and 2004 to send the Tigers packing, while the yellow and black returned the favour with elimination final victories in 2011 and 2019.

Its been some time since the Hawks tasted victory at Avalon Airport Oval. Round 11, 2013 to be exact. That day it was the would-be Premiers who triumphed over their hosts by 43-points. Perhaps victory out that way is a bit of an omen…

The two sides would meet again in that season’s preliminary final, played on neutral ground at North Port Oval. In control but far from home, the Hawks lead by four goals at three quarter time before kicking away to win the match and a place in the following week’s grand final by 52-points.

The most recent September meeting occurred just two seasons ago. After the two sides finished top four on the back of terrific home and away seasons Werribee hosted and won a hard-fought qualifying final.

The Hawks have bested this week’s opponent just once since 2017 and are one-and-seven in the years since. The average losing margin, however, in the five home and away losses is just 18-points.

It’s fair to say, however, that one win was a memorable one. Trailing by 16-points at the last change, the Hawks booted 6.4 to 2.5 – including the final four majors of the afternoon – to run out seven point winners.

The Season So Far

Box Hill – played five, won four, lost one third on the VFL ladder
Werribee – played six, won three, lost three, eighth on the VFL ladder

The Hawks 100% start to the new campaign came undone in disappointing fashion last Saturday, beaten by a well disciplined and hungry Tigers outfit under the Saturday night lights in Frankston.

Well down on their usual levels in the first half and as much as seven goals behind as a result, Box Hill’s method improved after the long break. Such was the gulf between first and second half performances, the Hawks were able to draw to within a kick mid-way through the final term… but that was as close as they got.

If it was a bit of energy and application which cost the team in brown and gold in quarters one and two, it was execution which was lacking come quarters three and four.

Despite being well on top, Box Hill managed 4.11 to the Tigers’ 3.3 in the second half to fall by 25-points.

It was a first blemish in a season in which the Hawks have beaten Carlton, North Melbourne, Geelong and Port Melbourne to date.

As for Werribee, the reigning premiers have been a little bit up-and-down to start 2025. An opening round defeat to Southport in the Grand Final rematch was followed by a strong win against the Bombers.

Back-to-back defeats to Footscray and Sydney – by a combined total of just six-points saw them slip to one-and-three, but they’ve bounced back to record successive wins against Williamstown and Frankston to square their ledger at three-and-three.

Selection News

Zane Littlejohn and his match committee have made two changes to the side which fell to a first loss of 2025 last weekend.

Out of the 23-man squad comes the injured Ben Cavarra, who sadly suffered a hamstring strain during the defeat to Richmond, and off-season recruit Sam Durdin, who has been managed.

Durdin was an receiving end of an unfortunate knock which lead to a cork against the Tigers. While he played on and was able to train during the week, the Hawks have taken a conservative view with an eye to the weeks ahead.

Into the team comes Jai Serong, who missed last weekend as a holdover in the senior set-up and Nathan Philactides, who is named for his first VFL match of the year.

One(s) To Watch

The defensive trio of Sam Frost, James Blanck and Noah Mraz each represent different levels of experience in the game – and at the VFL level specifically – but will work in tandem to keep Werribee under wraps in the back half.

It’s been exciting to observe what the veteran, someone on the comeback trail and the new kid on the block have been able to do in recent weeks, and as their chemistry together grows they’ll surely form a formidable rearguard.

How To Follow

Match coverage will be provided via our social channels throughout the match, while a radio call will be available via our wonderful community partners at 3WBC 94.1FM.

Where to Watch

You can catch the live stream via the VFL match centre.