Box Hill endured its third loss of the season on Sunday, going down to Darebin by eight points at Fenjiu Stadium (Box Hill City Oval).
VFLW Senior Coach Michael Ericson said it was a difficult result with lots of learnings.
“They just brought the pressure and we didn’t bring it for long enough,” he said.
“They got the ball out first and they got first use of it and we sort of felt like we were chasing them all day.
“We started well but faded away, but credit to them.”
Ericson also reviewed the four AFLW Hawks who featured in the game while giving some shout-outs to VFLW-listed players.
Bridget Deed (22 disposals, six tackles, five inside 50s)
“She played well and as an inside midfielder again. She’s just going to continue to learn and develop in that midfield group. It’s now about her continuing to have that impact and drive out of stoppage. There was a lot of defensive work that was done on the weekend which was positive for her.”
Sophie Butterworth (One goal, eight disposals)
“It was a tough day for the talls. With conditions, it was quite wet but Butters was probably the pick of the talls. She had a good goal and she probably should’ve actually finished with a couple more, to be honest. She competed consistently throughout the day, brought the ball to ground, didn’t get outmarked by the opposition and will get better for the run.”
Louise Stephenson (Four disposals, five tackles)
“It was a tough day for Lou. What she did bring was tackle pressure and she was physical when she needed to be.”
Jess Vukic (Eight hit-outs, three tackles, two disposals)
“Jess played a different role this week. She got to roll through the ruck and it was nice to see what her skillset was there. She showed that she could compete in that role. Up forward, it’s just about improving that work rate offensively. She likes to be physical, which is positive.”
…and a couple of shout-outs for some VFLW-listed players
Nadia von Bertouch (18 disposals, eight marks, two inside 50s, two clearances)
“It was her first game back this year and she slotted in seamlessly into the backline. She was one of our leading disposal-getters and just seemed to mark everything that came across half-back. It was pleasing to see her back.”
Danika Spamer (18 disposals, 11 tackles, four clearances, two inside 50s)
“She played against some quality midfielders and provided a physical presence, laying lots of tackles.”
Ellie McLinden (16 disposals, six tackles, three marks, three inside 50s)
“She played across multiple lines and gave us some great options.”
The loss against the Falcons sets up a crucial clash against Carlton for the top-of-the-table Hawks.
Ericson hoped his team could respond come Saturday.
“It’s about just building the connection of the group, the culture that we’ve had since day one of pre-season and being able to play as a team,” he said.
“If we get that, the rest should take care of itself.”
The Hawks and Blues will go head-to-head at IKON Park on Saturday from 2pm AEST, with the match available to stream on VFL.com.au or the VFL App.
