HAWTHORN’s Matt Spangher is optimistic about the season ahead, after stringing together three consecutive games at VFL level.

The 29-year-old has had a tough start to 2016, with injuries restricting him throughout the pre-season and the early stages of the season.

But Spangher has been building in recent weeks, and was among Box Hill’s best playing as a key defender in his first full game this year.

“I was really pleased to get through a full game with normal rotations, and also pull up as well as I have,” he told hawthornfc.com.au.

“That’s a massive step forward for me personally. As far as the game goes, I’m still finding some touch a little bit, but each week I’m getting better.”

Spangher had 16 disposals and four marks against Werribee on Sunday, in the Hawks’ two-point loss.

He said he was regaining confidence on-field, after a 2015 season in which he featured in a combined 12 games at AFL/VFL level.

“You always declare you’re fit once you cross the line, but certainly last year the back of mind sort of stuff was I had to be more controlled,” Spangher said.

“Whereas now I can play my natural style, which is a bit more uninhibited and just going for the contest – which allows me to fly for those marks and just fly for the ball a bit better. It’s been a frustrating 2016 so far, but it sort of seems to be looking alright at the moment.”

The fan favourite concedes he still has plenty of room to improve – which will happen with more time on the park – and is hoping he can press his case for senior selection as the season continues.

“I still think I’d like to feel a little bit better,” Spangher said.

“It was my first full game back, the backline worked pretty hard and I was blowing a bit towards the end – just the nature of not having played a lot of footy and not really having a big pre-season.”

“I think getting some continuity in my footy would be great, and then obviously looking forward hoping for senior selection. But that’s out of my hands, I can’t really control it, I just want to play as well as I can.”

Spangher was among the most experienced players in Box Hill’s line-up on the weekend, featuring alongside Hawthorn-listed youngsters including Kurt Heatherley, Angus Litherland, Teia Miles and Jermaine Miller-Lewis in defence.

It was a strong defensive performance from the Hawks, who are gelling with each game together.

“We’re really fortunate – most of the guys that flow through there, Box Hill and Hawthorn-listed blokes, have played together for quite some time and know each other, which really helps,” Spangher said.

“That familiarity helps when the pressure’s on. We were pretty solid – we were pretty happy as a back six or seven… but when you don’t get the win obviously you feel pretty bad about it."