The Box Hill Hawks secured a 23-point win over Port Melbourne last weekend, with a strong showing from the AFL-listed players.

In the side's fourth win from four games, Senior Coach Zane Littlejohn said it was a pleasing result and tough win.

“A really good trip down to Wonthaggi again, a home-away-from home for us at Box Hill,” he said.

“Full credit to Port Melbourne, they play a really contested brand of footy and we had to make sure we matched them in there and full credit to our guys, I thought they did a really good job.

“We boasted 16 AFL-listed, a few guys in for their first game of the year but everyone gelled and acquitted themselves really well which is great, and a credit to the program.”

This coming weekend the Hawks host the Tigers at Kinetic Stadium in Frankston for Round 6, with the game set to be broadcast on Channel 7 from 7pm.

“Really looking forward to promoting our footy club and continuing to grow our program but more importantly putting on a good performance, with a really tough game this week against Richmond,” said Littlejohn.

Finn Maginness (38 disposals, 14 contested possessions, ten clearances)

“Probably a PB game for Finn, not sure he’s had 38 in a game before but his work rate was exceptional, his ability to get contest to contest was the real highlight for Finn’s game. From that 38, he had 11 score involvements, so a great return. He was tough around the footy with ten clearances as well, six tackles, a really nice balanced and all-round game for Finn. Great to see him come back into the team at Box Hill level and attack it with the right attitude and his performance was because of that, really pleasing for him.

 Changkuoth Jiath (26 disposals, eight intercept possessions, seven contested possessions)

“CJ’s first game for Box Hill this year, got sat on, so they sent someone to tag him effectively and he responded really well, he finished with 26. We played him a little bit high, to let him be a bit more creative with his run and drive in our offence but he defended really well, people at the game would’ve seen some big come forward moments where he had some big kills on the ball and really helped us relaunch our offence from his defence which was great. Another good return for someone coming back with the right attitude.”

Seamus Mitchell (22 disposals, eight marks, five intercept possessions)

“Really strong again from Shammy, he provided a lot of offensive drive, seven rebound 50s, seven score involvements, his run and carry and his creativity from our backend was really great. He naturally defended the ground really well, which is important from our defenders, we want them to be involved in our offence but also help defend the ground which he was able to do.”

Jai Serong (20 disposals, seven marks, five score involvements)

“Jai had to play a little bit smaller again this week and did a really good job with it, just ever reliable as we know with Jai, continues to turn up and do his job really well and really soundly. You just know what you’re going to get from Jai each week at our level and he’s doing a great job, he’s just now got to continue to see if he can take his game to the next level and really challenge himself in being elite at this level and continue to grow that area of his game to play above the standard of VFL, which he was able to do consistently last year but it’s now being really really consistent and going to another level.”

Cody Anderson (One goal, 17 disposals, seven contested possessions)

“Tough little bugger Codes, he’s got great speed and power, laid some big tackles and got up around the footy a bit more this week which was pleasing for his development to show that he’s able to do that. He provided great energy when he’s up and around the ball, has great speed and as I mentioned, really tough in the contest which is a great return from Cody.

Sam Butler (15 disposals, six score involvements, five inside 50s)

“People will look at Butsy and go ‘well he hasn’t kicked a goal this week’ but if we look at his 15 disposals, six of those resulted in a score, so a pretty high number, just under 50 percent of his disposals have then gone and resulted in a score which shows his value with ball in hand, his work rate. The areas he’s got to continue to work on is around his pressure and providing that consistently, and if he’s able to do that he’s going to be a really damaging player at whatever level he plays. Second game back, really pleased to see him get through a be a really strong contributor as well.”

Bodie Ryan (One goal, 14 disposals, four contested possessions)

“Bodie spent some time on the week, sometime across half back, just developing some strings to his bow as we say. I really liked Bodie’s game, he’s a tough bugger, hit the scoreboard. What I think I was really impressed with Bodie is with him playing on the wing it’s almost like he’s not having any lapses in the game, he’s staying involved for longer periods now which is really pleasing and a really strong part of his development.”

Sam Frost (Two goals, 13 disposals, 9 marks)

“It was great to have Frosty back, his leadership as we know, is exceptional, his voice and just his contest behind the ball is really strong. Obviously, we swung him forward late, he kicked two and his flexibility to show he can do that is really pleasing. I think for Frosty it’s playing some consistent footy and playing at AFL standard at our level, sometimes it’s tough when you come back to VFL level as an AFL-listed player to try and play at a really high level constituently and now that’s what Frosty will be focusing on moving forward, to put his hand back up for senior selection, which I’m sure he’ll be able to do in the near future.”

Jasper Scaife (Six goals, 12 disposals, four contested possessions)

“So Scaifey’s kicked six, great reward, he’s the one who go on the end of it. We saw some things we’ve been working on with Jasper, with his footwork and his reaction to get back into the contest when the ball hits the ground, so it was pleasing that he was able to do that, give a contest, get the ball to ground but more importantly then be able to follow up, either pressure or win that ground ball. So that’s an area we’ll continue to work on with Jasper but we’re seeing some signs in that which has been really pleasing. We continue to work on his contested marking so his ability to be strong in the contest and take marks around the ground, which he’s working really hard on which is really pleasing.”

Ned Reeves (One goal, 37 hitouts, eight contested possessions)

“A good challenge for Ned this week, the Port Melbourne ruck is a quite athletic ruck and got some good hops but I thought Ned did a fantastic job and was probably the pick of the big men on the ground, around the ball. What we’re seeing with Ned is his ability to hit the scoreboard, he’s pushing forward, kicked another goal this week. He’s won five free kicks himself so that’s really important around the footy, it’s a free start and away we go. Great reutn from Ned, he’s playing some really solid footy. We talk about playing above VFL level and that’s something Ned’s been able to do consistently now for a few weeks.”

Noah Mraz (One goal, 11 disposals, five intercept possessions)

“This kid’s kicked his first goal which is really pleasing, and a great reward. But more importantly, his defensive 1v1, he had some really good wins in that space, he’s had five intercept possessions again this week and he’s getting even better each week with ball in hand, more around the decision making so he’ll continue to work with Arryn Siposs around that area, which he’s doing a great job.”

Will McCabe (One goal, 11 disposals, three contested possessions)

“A really solid game from Will, in regard to his work rate, his ability to get up the ground and help link our back end to our front end was great. Now it’s just about continuing to work on reaction for will and putting himself in that more dangerous spot where he can get some reward in the front end of the ground. But his work rate, his ability to play higher up the ground was a highlight for me.”

Calsher Dear (One goal, 11 disposals, two contested marks)

“Great to have Calsh back, he played just over two and a half quarters, and got through really well. It was great to see him run and jump and literally jump, he nearly took a hanger in the first quarter I think and just launch at the ball in the air. What we know what Calsh does really well, is as soon as his feet hit the ground he’s going again, it’s what can he do, he’s either pressuring, tackling, or winning the ground ball himself, which is sometimes what almost sets Calsh apart from other tall forwards around his age group is his ability to be agile and want to be involved once the ball hits the ground again. It was great to have Calsh back out there.”

Max Ramsden (One goal, 10 disposals, five contested possessions)

“Again, a lot like Scaife we’re seeing Rama work really hard on some particular areas of his game, his footwork, his reaction and his contested marking, and we’re seeing that come out in games now which is really pleasing. The thing for Rama this week, I thought when he went into the ruck he was really dominant, not just playing well as a forward but staying involved in the game when he goes into the ruck. Another really solid performance from Ram, hit the scoreboard, dominant when he was around the ball, tough and the reaction footwork stuff that we’re seeing is improving which is great.”

James Blanck (10 intercept possessions, nine contested possessions, nine disposals)

“Ever-reliable Blancky, some massive kills, some great moves, he’s had ten intercept possessions which is huge for a defender, that’s effective and their way to win the ball back from the opposition. So a really positive return again from Blancky in his second game back. He’s won four free kicks himself, tough in the contest, Blancky’s not going to be a big possession winner but what we expect from him is being tough in the contest, just halve or win his 1v1’s, which he’s able to do and really help repel defence and turn it into offence which is great.”

 Matt Hill (One goal, six disposals, two inside 50s)

“Hilly’s second game as a forward, continuing to learn the traits of a forward and what he needs to do and I guess showcase his weapons as a forward, he’s got some elite speed, he’s really tough. He’ll continue to watch some vision this week around what he can do to put himself in more situations. The good this is he hit the scoreboard again and he’s learning every day which is really exciting and I think he’s really excited about playing as a forward and the energy he can bring in there, we’re really looking forward to seeing him grow in that area.”

A few VFL player shout outs…  

Kye Declase (Two goals, 26 possessions, seven marks)

“He was awesome across the wing, he’s had 26 (disposals), five shots on goal, nine score involvements, six inside 50s. We’re really lucky and fortunate to have him as part of our football club, his buy in, his attitude, his commitment and then his football that he’s able to play is first rate and he’s built great relationships with one, the Box Hill and two, the Hawthorn players and that helps to strengthen our alignment and our program at Box Hill.”

Ethan Stanley (27 disposals, eight clearances, six tackles)

“Probably the best game of footy I’ve seen him play for us, even before he got drafted to Freo. He was tough, he drove legs, got out of contest, he’s had eight clearances, eight score involvements, was just a real link player, him and Finn their ability to link up, work contest to contest was a highlight. So shout out to Milky again, we love what he’s been able to bring to our group.”

VFLW Round 2 Results

Goals: Dillon, Fogarty, Matin, Stevenson, Zielinski

Disposals: Baldwin 16, McLinden 15, Exon & Neaves 13.