Box Hill Hawks managed a 16-point win in the wet over North Melbourne at Arden Street last Saturday.

VFL Senior Coach Zane Littlejohn detailed the performances of the AFL-listed players in Box Hill’s Round 17 win.

“Really pleasing to bounce back from last week's performance against Southport," Littlejohn said.

“Obviously, very different conditions, wet and windy this week, and I thought we adjusted and adapted well to the conditions compared to probably how we did against Port Melbourne a few weeks ago when we played in the wet.

“But yeah, really pleasing return to some form for some guys, but most importantly, it was off the back of effort, and I’m proud of how the guys responded.”

Seamus Mitchell

“So Seamus obviously had the most disposals for us with 33 but the most pleasing thing was how he defended, he was hard to play against. He had some really good moments where he was able to execute one v one and also help and support his other fellow teammates, which was really pleasing. And then naturally, off the back of that, you get rewarded with offence and that's what we saw with Seamus game. So really happy with how he responded.”

Jai Serong

“Jai is a bit of a rock for us at the moment in our back sort of 6, 7, 8, just ever reliable, gets his job done. But what I really loved about Jai, he didn't go into his shell with his ball moving and with the conditions, he played them really well. When we were able to move the ball with some speed and really change angles, he really adapted well to that. But then when the game needed us to play a bit more conservative and play straight and longer, he was also able to execute that. So a really solid return off the back of what Jai would say is a disappointing game the week before.”

Harry Morrison

“Harry Morrison back into the team, the ever calm, cool, composed, Harry Morrison for us on the weekend. We want the ball in his hands, the decision making was really pleasing. We looked in control of the game more regularly when Harry had the ball in his hand. Spent some time across half back, spent some time on a wing, and also spent some time inside. Just a really solid performance from Harry and ever reliable.”

Henry Hustwaite

“So Hus worked his way into the game really well, naturally around clearances where his weapons were and was able to showcase that at times. He's working really hard with his touch and his stop his craft. So we saw some growth in that, which is really pleasing. The next step now is what he's doing on the outside of that and his ability to impact more on the outside of the contest.”

Cooper Stephens

“So Cooper's first full game, although was on some limited minutes, but across the whole game, just looked powerful. Looked like he covered the ground well, had some moments around stoppage, which was really classy and clever and then made some good decisions with ball in hand. But the really pleasing thing from Cooper we saw is as I mentioned we saw his power back, but was his defensive aspects. Had some really big crucial tackles, really good D1 pressure, and now the next growth for him is to be involved in more offence on the outside of the stoppage in contest. So great return again, to have Coop back out there and looking really powerful.”

Jack O’Sullivan

“Jack O’Sullivan was arguably our most dangerous and potent forward, 18 touches, played a bit higher up the ground this week, which probably got him around the footy a little bit more. Laid some crucial tackles inside 50 and hit the scoreboard with two goals, which is a great return from him, and really pleasing. And just now it's about him being really reliable and consistent with his role in his execution as well.”

Bailey Macdonald

“Solid game from Baz. What I loved about Baz was his defensive aspects of his game, he's hard to play against, there's no time that stands out in a game where Baz was laying off his opposition, he's right up there defending really hard. And then ultimately, as we see, we get rewarding offence as well off the back of that. So really solid performance from Baz in that space, which is great.”

Ethan Phillips

“The same, all our defenders responded well this week and Ethan was a real key contributor to that. Not his best game by any means, but just really reliable and consistent, held his positioning really well and kept us in shape as a defensive group, which is really important. And sometimes that's what you need from your key backs and I thought him in Denver really helped control that.”

Max Ramsden

“So Rama sort of a 50/50 split with Noodle (Ned Reeves) in the ruck, and gave us some really good running capacity on the outside of the contest when he was in the ruck and kicked a really vital goal late in the game, which arguably put us to the winning margin, gave us enough room to sort of really lock the game away. So that was really pleasing for Rama to get that, he's had his 13 touches, one goal, 17 hit outs, good return.”

Will McCabe

"Will McCabe on some limited minutes again, so sort of played his 70 minutes across the three quarters. And was really solid, it's great to see him respond after what he would think of the second game blues back. And the pleasing thing I guess for him, was he didn't get overwhelmed by the conditions, he continued to play his way offensively and defensively, which is really pleasing. And like I've mentioned, with all our defenders, he defended the ground really well, some really great effort in the way he played.”

Clay Tucker

“Tuck just looked vibrant this week. Played predominantly forward, spent some time in the ruck and was able to give us a great option when he did go in the ruck, he still gave us great energy in that space, which is really pleasing. Hit the scoreboard, 10 touches, and as I mentioned just look vibrant, had energy, and just gave great effort, which is what we what we need from Tuck regardless, it's a minimum standard for him. Now he's got to make sure that he can bring that each week, which he's working really hard on doing, which is great.”

Ned Reeves

“So Ned spent time forward and in the ruck 50/50, split with Rama, and obviously Tuck doing a little bit in there as well. Yeah just really happy with Ned's effort to get through the game, he's a bit hindered with a bit of a back issue and with us already being two down early in the game, his ability just to execute and play a vital role for us still was really important and then the hit the scoreboard was good reward for that.”

Bodie Ryan

“So Bodes when we lost a few soldiers early in the game Bodes got sort of shifted from half back and spent some time on a wing. And you look at Bodes numbers and they're not huge, but what's the pleasing thing for that was his role and his patterning and his running just shows the development this young man's made. Wingers aren't getting used an awful lot in the wet conditions, but he continued to turn up and run really good, solid patterns, and his work rate was great in that space. So we talk about playing roles, and he did that, he played his role. He didn't get rewarded with possession this week, and we hope that he'll continue to play his role but ultimately, he'll get rewarded eventually with that the footy gods, as we say, will pay him back.”

Josh Bennetts

“So unfortunately, as I'm pretty sure most our fans would know, Joshy, unfortunately dislocated his shoulder, so he didn't play any further part in the game. He sort of played the first quarter, and then really early in the second, that popped out. So he didn't play any further part in the game for us, so that was disappointing for him and us and we love what Joshy has been able to provide us and the energy he's given us. So yeah, disappointing to lose him.”

Denver Grainger-Barras

“So Denver, obviously, you look at his numbers, not huge. But again, like I mentioned with Ethan, was really solid with setting us up and making sure we had really good positioning as a back to the six all day. And late in the game, took some crucial marks and some crucial spoils, really the defenders had a real focus on golden fists and they got that job done this week, which was really pleasing and great reward and Denver was a big driving factor behind that.”

… A couple of shout-outs to Box Hill players

Jake Arundell

“So give a shout out to the return of Jake Arundel, the snake. Obviously made a return this week after returning back to Melbourne midway through this year due to an injury that he sustained playing SANFL footy, and we were wrapped to get him back onto all involved with our program. So a shout out to Jake on his return, it’s not just what he can do with the footy, but his energy. So he's finished with 14, kicked a goal, provides great pressure and work rate between the arcs and his effort is something that we really love amongst our group.”

Jaylon Thorpe

“So Thorpey, obviously amongst the Hawthorn people and Box Hill people, is a really valuable member of our whole footy community, and he been battling a bit of injury of late but got his body right. We'll look at Thorpey’s numbers, and they're not huge but again, his effort, his repeat effort, just to turn up, pressure, force the opposition to hack, kick the ball out, which with Denver, Ethan Phillips, obviously Jai Serong and these guys sit up behind the ball, allows us to lock the ball in our front half. Went through some vision with Thorpey last night and didn't show him his goals, what I showed him was the effort that he provided where he actually didn’t get any stats for it. So shout out to Thorpey as well.”