HITTING the scoreboard week-in, week-out has become a habit for Sam Grimley.
The 24-year-old, who won the VFL’s Frosty Miller Medal as the league’s leading goalkicker last year, has again had a consistent season for Box Hill Hawks.
In terms of goals, Grimley is on track to match - if not better - his output from last season.
He heads the VFL goalkicking tally with 39 goals from 16 games this year – a six-goal haul against Geelong taking him three goals clear of Port Melbourne’s Jordan Lisle – following on from his 45 goals in 18 games last year.
The tall forward – just one of three players to have played in all 16 games for Box Hill in 2015 - believes he has had a more consistent season in 2015.
“I’m a bit similar to where I was last year, but I think probably they’re different types of goals this year,” Grimley said.
“Last year I had a few more out the back goals – it was funny on the weekend (against Geelong), I got a few of those.
“This year I’m playing up the ground a bit more and leaving guys like Shem (Tatupu), Timmy O’Brien and the resting ruckman deep.
“I’ve been getting a bit more involved up the ground, and I’m definitely a lot happier with this year than last year, especially from a goals point of view.”
With two games to play before finals, the Hawks are a game clear on top of the ladder.
Grimley believes the team at Box Hill is performing well – especially after strong wins against Casey Scorpions and Geelong – and says competition for senior spots is a driving force.
He is working hard to try to add to his three matches at AFL level.
“The Hawthorn-listed boys at Box Hill, we want to be trying to push the guys ahead of us in the AFL side,” he said.
“We want to have that competitiveness for spots at Hawthorn.”
Grimley, who has kicked multiple goals in 11 of his 16 matches this season, believes the group at Box Hill is well placed to challenge come finals time.
The side has won its past three matches – the past two by a combined total of 124 points – and Grimley believes the side is peaking at the right time of the year.
“We’ve strung a few good games together since the loss to Werribee about a month ago, and we think as a group we’ve got a firm grasp on what we did wrong that day,” Grimley said.
“You don’t want to be smashing teams all the time – you obviously want to be challenged, and we’ve definitely been challenged.
“There are definitely some other sides playing really well – Essendon, Werribee, Sandringham and these sort of sides. We’re going to be challenged the next few weeks and we’re looking forward to that.”
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