Box Hill Hawks have had an outstanding season so far. 

This seems like an obvious point to make given that the Hawthorn affiliate sit undefeated at the top of the VFL ladder. 

But when you consider all the factors at play, you realise just how impressive the efforts of head coach Chris Newman and his charges have been to this point in the season. 

Injuries can severely affect AFL sides, as has been the case for Hawthorn this year, with a multitude of experienced players having been forced to spend stints on the sidelines. 

But senior injuries can place an even greater consequence on that respective AFL sides’ reserves team as their best players are called upon for senior selection, thus stretching the depth of their list.

Since having 18 AFL-listed players available for their Round 3 clash with Williamstown, Box Hill’s numbers have steadily dwindled to the point where that number was halved in their last game against North Ballarat, with only nine AFL-listed players being available.

The latest injury list published by the AFL showed Hawthorn as having the most names on their injury list of any team in the competition, with 12 players currently out of action.

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This includes the GWS Giants, whose list of 11 players has been endlessly pointed out as being so devastating and disastrous, yet the Hawks’ medical room is more crowded. 

Furthermore, the discrepancy of experience that is on each club’s injury list is alarming.

Currently, 1,032 games worth of experience is sidelined for the Giants, but this number is dwarfed by the 1,577 games that have been played by the currently-injured Hawks.

The reason this is relevant to Box Hill is that the Giants’ reserves side sit bottom of the NEAFL ladder, having recorded just one win against the Gold Coast back in Round 1 on April 1. 

Over the last month, the NEAFL Giants’ have not only failed to record a win, but have suffered an average loss of 90 points, including a 171-point thumping at the hands of Sydney Swans. 

Meanwhile, the Box Hill Hawks have staved off the adversity that has confronted them, remaining undefeated in the fierce competition that is the VFL. 

Box Hill’s success can be primarily attributed to the strength and depth of the Hawks’ list with first-year players Harry Morrison and James Cousins notable performers over the Hawks’ opening eight games.

Box Hill resume their season this week against the Casey Scorpions, minor premiers and grand finalists last year, as the Hawks look to build on what has been an exceptional first half to their 2017 campaign.  

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The Box Hill Hawks take on the Casey Scorpions at their home ground, Box Hill City Oval, this Saturday at 2:10pm. 

Number of AFL-listed Hawks playing for Box Hill:

Round 1- 13 players
Round 2- 16 players
Round 3- 16 players(2 in VFL Development League)
Round 4- 15 players
Round 5- 13 players
Round 6- 8 players
Round 7- 11 players
Round 8- 9 players