Box Hill has continued its strong season by defeating North Melbourne by 60 points at Arden Street Oval to remain on top of the VFL ladder.

It was a remarkable finish to the game from Zane Littlejohn's team, scoring 10.1 (61) in the final term - the first time the Hawks have kicked 10 majors in a quarter since Round 5 2021, which was also against the Roos. 

Before reviewing the AFL-listed players who featured in the Round 14 win, Littlejohn took the opportunity to promote this weekend's big double-header against Sandringham.

"It's a big game this week against Sandy, and a big game for Box Hill Football Club," he said.

"We celebrate the 50th year of the Mustang jumper, so the boys are wearing a replica of the jumper from 50 years ago, which is really exciting.

"There will be a lot of great people back at Box Hill City Oval who have played a big role in where the football club is to this day, so we'll hopefully put in a really strong performance on Sunday and do those people who have come before us really proud in the Mustang jumper 50 years ago."

Henry Hustwaite (28 disposals, 11 clearances, five tackles, five inside 50s) 

"Really dominant again around the footy. With his clearance work, he probably didn't use the ball as well as we know Henry can, but his stoppage craft and his toughness and being a real leader amongst our midfield group were really pleasing. Again, just continually working really closely with Collo (Andy Collins) at the moment around transition defence." 

Finn Maginness (One goal, 26 disposals, eight clearances, five inside 50s, five score involvements) 

"So again, as we know, his work rate, his ability to get contest to contest, he's elite, and he was able to provide that. Again, some really good stoppage work, he got forward, hit the scoreboard and really challenged the oppo both ways. He's one whose defensive transition both ways is really strong. Like with all of our mids, we just probably lacked a little bit with our scanning and ability to see or help our own handovers and see where the opposition was in transition. So we'll continue to work on that with him but great performance, really dominant around the midfield. Our midfield was really dominant across the whole day."

Cody Anderson (One goal, 23 disposals, nine clearances, six tackles, six inside 50s, four score involvements) 

"That was probably Cody's best game all in all. As a mid, his pressure and his ability to turn up and get from contest to contest was really pleasing. He's working really hard at the moment now on his defensive scanning and the ability to better see different opposition, so where they are positioned. So he did a really good job. He's just continuing to grow to his next level and his understanding around transition defence. Really pleased to see him play arguably his best game for Box Hill."

Bailey Macdonald (20 disposals, five intercept possessions, four tackles)

"Fantastic, full credit to him. His contest and toughness have really improved. We saw some unbelievable one-on-one wins and halves on the weekend. We know what Baz can give offensively, and he provided that still. But then obviously, still to give that one-on-one contest and halves is a full credit to him and the people he's worked really closely with. He was really damaging and set up really well. Probably the big thing for Baz is just now him providing leadership and helping others around him. We know Baz is naturally quite an introverted person, so for him to come outside himself, to help others around him is really the next growth for him, in particular, if he wants to play consistent AFL footy."

Noah Mraz (20 disposals, 10 intercept possessions, eight marks, three tackles)

"Yeah, one of the best on the ground. He had a job on one of their key forwards and did a really good job. His ability to take contested marks, have a role and then still have 20 disposals himself was elite. He just played a really professional game and he was tough in the contest. He's working really hard with Arryn Siposs on his positioning and how he can make sure he's in the most dangerous position. So yeah, really solid performance there from Noah."

Calsher Dear (Two goals, 17 disposals, 12 marks, three score involvements)

"What we loved about Calsher was that after a week off, we saw him running and jumping at the footy again and getting his timing right, which was really pleasing. He took 12 marks, seven of those contested and big marks, in regards to just helping relieve a bit of pressure when we needed to get out of D-50, he provided a great outlet. He took some really good marks and then was able to hit the scoreboard as well. He was really damaging in front of the ball, so it was a great return from Calsh."

Jai Serong (17 disposals, five marks, five tackles, four score involvements, four intercept possessions)

"Jai Serong is ever the professional at our level. Really consistent in his performance, sets us up well behind the ball. Probably the aerial (side of the game), he wasn't as dominant as he has been in some games, but I'm loving that he's looking to be creative now in offence as well, not just purely defend the game. So yeah, really promising signs, I guess, offensively from Jai. He didn't lose many one-on-ones, but just didn't have his normal, probably aerial dominance reached with a lot of intercept marks. But we're so lucky to have a player like him in our program."

Luke Breust (Three goals, 15 disposals, six marks, six tackles)

"Hawthorn fans would be rapt to hear this - that's probably the best I've seen him move and seen him play, probably this year in all honesty. He pressured with six tackles and then was able to hit the scoreboard, especially in the second half. I know he didn't have the half he wanted in the first half, but it shows the character of the man he is, the way he's stuck at it and continues to work really hard at making himself a good teammate. And then he got rewarded in the second half, but his pressure was elite, his leadership, his attitude, it all shone through and he got rewarded in the second half, which was really pleasing."

Ned Reeves (41 hitouts, 14 disposals, eight score involvements, six marks)

"Ned Reeves was the dominant big man on the ground, again, giving us great use. But again, the real pleasing thing from Ned's game was his ability to be really aerially dominant across the whole ground, so taking some good contested marks and putting himself in some really dangerous positions as well, and then bringing his mids into the game, which was awesome. Great to see him do that and push forward, taking forward 50 marks as well."

Will McCabe (Two goals, 11 disposals, six marks, six inside 50s, three score involvements) 

"It was pleasing to see Will hit the scoreboard. What I loved about Will was his composure with ball in hand this week, so his ability to get up between the arcs and not just be stuck inside 50, although he did present inside 50 as well, but he wasn't just purely stuck there. He got up and worked hard for an outlet. He got rewarded and he kicked two goals. But what I'm loving about Will's game at the moment is we're seeing his toughness being a lot more consistent. So his ability to keep his feet in contests, his ability to go body-line the ball and stay really tough in the contest is an area of his game that's really improving, so loving that we're seeing that from him."

Mitch Lewis (Two goals, 10 disposals, four marks, three tackles) 

"Yeah, great return. It was just great for him to get back to playing some footy. His attitude and the way he played was actually really solid. We challenged him to make sure he should continue to get up the ground, not just stay deep. His work rate and his connection with all his teammates was elite. He worked really hard up the ground and we saw him get a lot of possession between the arcs. As much as he got his possessions inside 50, he was able to hit the scoreboard, and I think we all saw after he kicked his goal how valuable he is to the whole football club at both Box Hill and Hawthorn, so rapt to have him back out there."

James Blanck (Seven disposals, six intercept possessions, five marks)

"Blancky was solid. What we know with Blancky and what he can do regularly, is get some good one-on-one wins. He really helped structure us up really strongly. He had still some one-on-ones he would like to have again, but the fact is, he's ever-reliable in his contest work and provides great love amongst our group and celebrates the little things really well. Obviously, being most of the time the last defender you can sort of see the whole ground, and he celebrates that stuff really well. His contest and his defensive structure was really solid for the majority of the day. There were still some behind-the-ball moments where he wasn't at the level he would like to be, but overall, a really solid performance from Blancky."

Matt Hill (Four disposals, two tackles, two score involvements)

"Quieter day for Hilly. He just didn't use his speed like we know he can. So we keep encouraging Hilly to use his speed and when he uses his speed, he is a real offensive threat, but he's also a real defensive threat. His ability to pressure and close space down really fast, it's one of his real strengths, and we saw parts of that, but just a little bit inconsistent through the game, and he's working really hard. He's got a lot of upside in his game... but yeah, obviously, just needing to be more consistent with his pressure and his toughness in that space."

Jasper Scaife (Nine hitouts, four disposals, four tackles)

"Scaifey supported Noodle (Ned Reeves) in the ruck really well this week. Although we'll look at his numbers and there's not a lot, what we loved about Scaifey's game was the ability to pressure, chase, tackle and just provide that genuine presence about being a nuisance around the footy, which was really pleasing. So although not huge numbers, and we had this chat with him through the week, he's got to be able to buy into both sides of the game and he did that. So some days you're not going to have, especially as a forward/ ruck, you're not going to have a huge game offensively, but you need to still be involved defensively. He was able to do that and he's working really hard on his reaction from offence to defence and defence to offence. I thought we saw some really positive glimpses of that."

A few VFL-listed player shout-outs...

Billy Hicks (Five goals, 15 disposals, nine marks)

"I'll give Billy Hicks a shout-out, his sixth game with Box Hill. So he played three last year and played his third game this year and kicked five goals. He got rewarded off the hard work of a lot of others, but ultimately, he worked really hard himself. He had five shots at goal for five goals. So it's really important to be accurate in front of goal and execute really strongly, which he was able to do, which is a great return.

Kye Declase (Three goals, 25 disposals, seven marks, five inside 50s)

"We're just so lucky to have this man, the player and the person, he's so valuable to our program as a leader. He's brought in so strongly and his connection with the AFL and VFL group has been elite. When we saw his last quarter, he was by far the best player on the ground, he kicked three and was just so dominant offensively and we're just so lucky to have him."

VFLW Round 10 results 

Box Hill     0.1  1.4  1.4. 3.5  (23)
Collingwood    2.3  3.5  4.9  4.10 (34)

Goals: Van Berkel, Juneja, Matin 

Disposals: Murdoch (17), Baldwin (16), Price (16), Cattle (16), Collingwood (15)