The Box Hill Hawks held on for a one-point victory over the GWS Giants in Sydney, moving them to fourth place on the ladder.

VFL Senior Coach Zane Littlejohn said it was a vital win, with some big performances across the side.

“Stoked to get away with the win, especially with I guess how the game finished for us in regards to having no interchange left with the injuries we had and guys on minutes,” Littlejohn said.

“A really pleasing result, a really important result and great reward for the players and their efforts.

“Obviously go into a bye this week and then a huge task against the ladder leaders in Werribee, who we weren’t able to beat last year and is going to be a really important game for us and them, to try and hit some form leading into finals.”

Littlejohn reviewed the individual performances of the AFL-listed Hawks and praised a few VFL players.

Cam Mackenzie

“Started the game unbelievably well again, I think he had ten in the first quarter. Ultimately, drifted a little bit out of the game but worked his way through the game really solid, finished with 32 (disposals), nine score involvements, five clearances, five tackles. The performance I guess we expect from Cam at AFL level but was a real driving factor in that first quarter dominance we had.”

Finn Maginness

“Like Cam, had the 32 (disposals), nine score involvements as well and was a big part of the first quarter as well, he hit the scoreboard himself in the first quarter, kicking two goals. He was everywhere and covered the ground really well, one thing we know about Finn is he’s super fit and he works his backside off and with no rotations in the last quarter and Finn was still able to cover the ground really well which is pleasing.”

Henry Hustwaite

“Another one of our mids who started the game really well and just found his way through the game again was Henry Hustwaite, finished with 28 (disposals). So that’s two really solid performances for Henry two weeks in a row. Again, some good balance between contested possession and uncontested possession, with 15 contested and 13 uncontested. Probably just missed his balance between kick and handball, had 22 handballs and only the six kicks but showed some great class where he was able to slow the game down and make some good decisions.”

Seamus Mitchell

“So Seamus is ever reliable again, just getting his role done. Started a little slowly if anything, with a few contests early but definitely worked his way into the game and probably got the better of his opposition, the more the game went on. A sound game from Seamus, was able to hit the scoreboard as well which was pleasing.”

Bailey Macdonald

“His first quarter, a bit like Cam Mackenzie, was very strong, gave us heaps of run and drive from the back end, heaps of inside 50s, so really pleasing. Probably later in the game, there were a few decision making things he’s like to tidy up. Really great return to form for Baz, he’s been able to put two solid performances in a row in now, it’s about him just continuing to be consistent in that space.”

Jai Serong

“Jai did a great job, played on Callum Brown who has a bit of AFL experience and is quite a dangerous forward if you don’t respect him and Jai did a great job in that space, was able to nullify him but still find a bit of the footy himself and be a real general in our back end.”

Bodie Ryan

“A really solid performance from Bodie, ever reliable again in his role, had to play a little deeper at times, so was out of the goal square at full-back as such. Which is great for his development to have a mix of that but also be able to play high, which is what VFL is about for our AFL-listed players, working on their development and showing their versatility to play a variety of roles in their particular area and Bodie was able to do that on the weekend.”

Ethan Phillips

“I thought Ethan was arguably our best defender on the day, had a job on Lachie Keefe and really nullified him, I didn’t think Lachie had much influence on the game until the last quarter when he moved into the ruck. Ethan then just had to realign himself and get to the next best match up and I think we all would’ve seen the vision going around this week of Ethan’s two crucial marks late in the game. Understanding what the scoreboard was showing, especially the last one where he couldn’t rush a behind because it would’ve evened the game. A really smart player and a really solid performance from Easy.”

Jack O’Sullivan

“So Sul had a bit of a mixed bag game, had some moments where he was able to really compete really well and play high, had some moments where he was really dangerous around stoppage. But the thing we continue to work on with Jack is, is game understanding and with any young player, it takes time and everyone will learn this at different rates, so we’re working really closely with Jack, Arryn Siposs is doing a fantastic job. He’s just learning the different times when to insert himself into the game and really influence and when he just needs to be really reliable and predictable to his teammates.”

Cooper Stephens

“So unfortunately, Coop got a head knock in the second quarter so only played the quarter and a bit but was on fire really, was playing really well with our other mids. He’d had 12 before he came off and was having a great influence on the game, looking very damaging and just unfortunate he got that head knock.”

Denver Grainger-Barrass

“Denver again, solid without being amazing. Played the role we expected of him, found a bit more of the footy, was required to play a little bit smaller this week but did a really good job in his role. Some great moments with his attack on the footy and really tough, strong defence game from Denver but was still able to find a bit of the footy and used it a bit better this week as well which is a great return from Denver.”

Max Ramsden

“Maxy was our number one ruck and I thought did a really good job, especially early in the game but with limited rotations and Clay Tucker rolling his ankle, didn’t give Max as much time forward or off the ground as we would’ve liked an ultimately just got fatigued. We lost a bit of that in the last quarter where he wasn’t able to follow up and have his normal influence around the game which we know Max can give. But earlier in the game when he was fresh and able to fire I thought we saw the best of Max.”

Chad Wingard

“Great return for Chad, just great to have him back out there, we miss him a bit in our Hawks ball offence. But we saw when Chad had ball in hand, his ability to execute, we ultimately scored off the back of that. So just great to have Chad back out there, being a real leader and providing a great offensive threat. For Chad now it’s just being really consistent with his body and growing his minutes now so he can play some consistent footy in the back end.”

Will McCabe

“Again, still managing Will’s minutes. A little bit of a quieter game in regards to offence, had some great moments where he was able to run and dash but not as consistent this week as we’ve seen previous weeks. And some defensive errors that we’re working with him on and that he’ll learn from, but all in all just a really sound performance from Will which will see him continue to get more minutes into his game and get some consistency.”

Jasper Scaife

“Scaifey was arguably the most dangerous forward on the ground, kicked four goals two from his seven disposals, so he’s had six shots on goal from seven touches. The thing with Scaife is just about consistency now, he’s been able to kick goals at the level which we know he can do, I think ultimately now it’s just about how he can have bigger influence on the game for longer periods, when we have got the ball and when we don’t have the ball, all of those little areas of the game. That’s an area for Scaifey to continue to work and focus on.”

Clay Tucker

 “Thought Tuck was in for a huge day, started unbelievably, took some big marks, kicked a great goal early from a big mark from centre bounce and really looked lively. But we just lost Tuck’s effort again which I’ve spoken about over the previous weeks when Tuck’s got real effort, we’ve seen him be able to really compete at the level. Unfortunately that effort just waivered a little bit through the week and just wasn’t able to see the best of Tuck’s footy, and then unfortunately he got the little stinger in his ankle and wasn’t really able to cover the ground how he would’ve liked.”

… A few VFL player shout outs.

Callum Porter

“A shout out to our Captain Cal Porter, started forward and then when we lost Coop to the injury he had to move on ball and did a really solid job in there and was able to get the game locked away, especially late in the game, great leadership. The thing about Ports is, that we probably don’t value enough, is that he’s really eager to learn himself, he’s still quite young one as a leader and still as a footballer. Yes, he’s played a fair bit of VFL footy, but real eager to learn so we’ve got to make sure we continue to help him learn and grow.”

Stu Horner

“And our Vice Captain Stu Horner, he’s been thrown around lately, people would’ve seen last week he was forward and this week he played a little bit forward but also played some time on a wing which he wouldn’t have done a lot in his VFL career. So I thought he adapted really well to the role, he’s had it 12 times but used it at 92 percent, really consistent, really reliable, really predictable, which we love about Stu. And late in the game when he had to go back, got his job done and really settled us down back there.”

Header image by Keith McInnes.