Box Hill recorded its third win from three matches so far in 2025, securing a 46-point win over the Cats at GMHBA Stadium last Sunday.

A highlight of the day was the official return of Sam Butler from his broken leg sustained last season, he finished with four goals.

Box Hill Senior Coach Zane Littlejohn said it was a great trip down the highway to Geelong.

“It didn’t look like it was going to start super well, being 21 points down at quarter time but the most pleasing thing from my perspective as a coach is how the group responded after quarter time,” he said.

“I thought our pressure lifted, our work rate lifted and then ultimately we got reward, we got on top around clearances as well which was pleasing and were able to get territory off the back of that.”

Henry Hustwaite (35 disposals, 12 clearances, eight tackles)

“Another great performance from Henry, his work around the footy, clearance work was really pleasing. Obviously as I mentioned in the second, third and fourth quarters we got some dominance around the footy, him and Ned Reeves connected really well. For Henry to finish with 35 (disposals) again, was the most dominant player on the ground, so he’s been able to do it consistently now, the first three games this year he’s been above 30 (disposals) which is great reward for him. But it’s also the work he’s doing around the contest, his pressure has been really pleasing so that’s great reward for Henry.”

Bailey Macdonald (24 disposals, five score involvements, three inside 50s) / Seamus Mitchell (23 disposals, four tackles, four intercept possessions)

“Arguably one of Bailey’s best games we’ve seen him play. Attacked the game really well offensively, his run and carry was great, he obviously defended the ground really well as well and had some really good pressure moments which is pleasing from him. And obviously a great return in that space. I guess the real promising thing was Seamus Mitchell was able to join in on that as well, for them two to both really provide some really good offensive drive and run and carry but also defend the ground really strongly as well was great and great reward for their work rate I thought after quarter time, which put them both in great positions to be able to attack and defend. We call them the dash brothers and they definitely dash which is great.”

Jack Ginnivan (Four goals, 22 disposals, six score involvements)

“Ginni, the pleasing thing from our perspective as coaches around Ginni was his toughness, he was tough in the contest, kept his feet and made some really good decisions with ball in hand. And I know everyone’s talking about his second-half goals, but that’s the reward you get when you’re tough in the contest and you work hard, he’s work rate regularly saw him hit top speed and run really fast to engage forward or his work defensively as well. He came back with a great attitude and he bought in really strongly which is great.”

Noah Mraz (16 disposals, seven intercept possessions, three contested marks)

“Probably a personal best game for Noah, had seven intercept possessions, was able to take a few moves as well, and then defend really strongly. We put him across Kreuger who was their most damaging forward early in the game, he kicked three first half goals and didn’t kick another goal for the game. Great long-term sight for Hawthorn fans is the development of Noah and how he’s on a long journey and got a lot of years hopefully ahead of him at our footy club. Just really pleasing to see him put in a really strong performance like that.”

Bodie Ryan (16 disposals, five intercept possessions)

“The most consistent game we’ve seen from Bodie, in regards to where he didn’t seem to have moments where he was out of the game. He defended really well, took some really strong marks 1v1 in contest. But really importantly he was really tough, we challenged him to be really tough in the contest, he played a bit on the wing so he really needed to do that. After quarter time he was a real highlight player for me, I thought it was a great return for him back into playing a bit higher up the ground so a really tough game and really good in the contest.”

Ned Reeves (50 hitouts, eight score involvements, one goal)

“He’s had 50 hitouts, was easily the most dominant big man on the ground, gave our midfielders great use. But I think what Hawthorn and Box Hill fans would be really excited about is him taking marks around the ground and hitting the scoreboard. When you’ve got your big guys doing that, it makes you pretty damaging and he was able to do that again this week for us. He’s been able to string a few good games together now where he’s been consistent and playing above the level which is what we want to see from our big man. He’s in some good form, it’s now about being really consistent so when his opportunity comes at AFL level he’s ready to step straight in.”

Sam Butler (Four goals, 14 disposals, five marks)

“A great return from Sammy Butler, we all saw the goals he kicked but it’s the work rate of Butsy, like his ability to get up the ground and back and up and back, and chase and pressure is what we love about him. He gets rewarded with four goals but he’s just a great teammate and a great human and we love what he brings to our program and the Hawthorn Football Club, so just rapt for him to have a really solid return and to hit the scoreboard is just a bonus for us. Just to see him smiling and back out there after the journey he’s been on is absolutely amazing.”

Jai Serong (14 disposals, two intercept possessions)

“We call him the rock, just ever reliable behind the footy, contest was strong. Not a huge game possession-wise, but ever-reliable, some really good defending when he came forward at the contest, really committed himself and had some big 1v1 wins and one percenters with big spoils, so a really strong performance from Jai and almost what we expect from him now at this level, he continues to play at the level and above which is great.”

Cody Anderson (Two goals, 10 disposals, six contested possessions)

“Good return from Cody, able to hit the scoreboard. Again, just educating him on playing forward consistently now and his work rate and putting himself in positions to pressure the game, he’s a great tackler and we saw some of them on the weekend, he tackled really strongly. He was disappointed at half time, he made a few little errors but the thing we love about Cody and I said to him at half time, “Mate as long as you’re doing it with great intent and effort, we’ll wear those errors” and his second half was really strong, hit the scoreboard and continued to provide great run and speed and power, which is great. On a nice trajectory Cody, he’s learning really well and we’ll be really patient with Cody in his development.

Matt Hill (Two goals, seven disposals, six contested possessions)

“Played forward this week Hilly, looked really strong, looked like an AFL footballer, hit the scoreboard, used his speed, was really tough in the contest and great pressure. We love what he brings, we love his energy around our group, so if he can continue to provide that he’s on a great trajectory of development as well which is really exciting.”

Will McCabe (Seven disposals, four score involvements)

“People will look at Will’s possessions, only having had the seven but his work rate and his effort, putting himself in positions to compete, was the highlight for me. Not a lot of the footy but again, if there’s effort and our players are giving effort like Will was on the weekend, you walk away really proud of them and he had a role to play and he did his role which is all we can ask as a coach which is really pleasing.”

Max Ramsden (Three goals, seven disposals, four contested possessions)

“Rama started the game like a house on fire, kicked three first-half goals and was really strong. And again, like Will, not a lot of the footy but had a role he needed to execute and I thought he executed his role, he gave contest in front of the footy which allowed the Ginnivan’s and the Butlers, the Hill’s, the Anderson’s to come in at ground level, when your bigs are doing that it obviously helps big time. Although as I mentioned, Will and Rama didn’t’ have a lot of the footy but they performed their role really strongly and that’s all we can ask of them which is great.”

James Blanck (Six disposals, two intercept possessions)

“Ever-reliable Blancky down there. Again, a lot like Butsy just a great return, really happy to see him back our there smiling. As he mentioned, it was just nice to hit other jumpers rather than his teammates jumpers so the bash and crash and spoil. He had some great defensive moments where he was able to take the game on and be really attacking with his decision making was really pleasing. And he’ll be better for the run and performed his role really strongly. When you’ve got a guy playing key post in defence, his role is around defending, he did that really well but the pleasing thing was he was able to get involved a bit on the offensive side. A great return from Blancky.”

… A few VFL player shout outs

Lane Ward (21 disposals, six intercept possessions, three tackles)

“Lane finished with 21 (disposals), probably the best PB game we’ve seen him play at VFL level. He’s been our 23^rd player for the first three games and just performed really strongly, been really tough, worked really hard and his decision-making execution has just gotten better each game and he’s looking more comfortable at the really pleasing . He’s developing really nicely as a Box Hil player and one of our development coaches in Jacob Townsend has done an amazing job with making sure our younger guys are ready to perform at the level, they’re doing a great job there and that’s just reward for him.”

Ethan Stanley (One goal, 17 disposals, six score involvements)

“So he had a quiet first half to the point where we thought about if we needed to move him to get him involved in the game but late in the second he did some things like driving his legs and tough in the contest, so we left him around the ball for a bit longer. The second half he just blew the game open with his running power, his ability to get contest to contest, hit the scoreboard and then we pushed him forward late in the game and he was damaging there as well so a really nice return. One goal one, seventeen touches, but he only had four at half time so finished with 13 in the second half which was great. He’s learning and growing in his role around the midfield really well and being the Milk that we know, his running power and ball use, especially front of centre has been a highlight.”

VFLW Round 1 Results

Box Hill               3.1          6.3          10.4       14.4 (88)
Geelong             0.3          2.4          4.6          4.6 (30)

Goals: Matin 3, Zielinksi 2, Stilve 2, Stevenson 2, Fogarty 2

Disposals: Baldwin 17, Stevenson 16, Collingwood 14, Cattle 14, Torpey 13, Exon 13