VFL Round 7
Box Hill Hawks v Frankston
Saturday 23 May
Box Hill City Oval

Box Hill notched up their 4th win of the season thrashing Frankston by 100 points at Box Hill City Oval.

Stuart Dew (4 goals) and work by Xavier Ellis (34 possessions) and Josh Kennedy (29 possessions) in the midfield handed Box Hill a victory to remember.

Frankston unable to field any AFL listed players due to their non-alignment with any AFL Club proved the difference as the Hawks had 17 potential starters for the clash.

Dominating from the opening bounce, Box Hill’s ability to gain clearances, cleaner work in defence and up forward proved the difference.

The EastLink Cup got underway in the opening term with a goal to Stuart Dew in the 9th minute. Kennedy busy early bustling through packs and setting up options was lively as both sides tackled heavily seeing the term plagued with stoppages.

Playing on at every opportunity, Box Hill’s running game worked leading by 21 points at the break.

Putting on the accelerator the Hawks 21 to 8 shots at the half pointed to the widening gap between the sides. Liam Shiels continued to get a lot of the ball and the Dolphins struggled to score a major in the 2nd.

Scrappy defensive play and inability to hit targets created Frankston’s downfall.

As the match wore on, goals by Jordan Lisle and then Yze setting up Pedersen in an open fifty put through Box Hill’s tenth consecutive goal. The Dolphin’s broke their goalless drought in the 13th minute of the third as Box Hill well and truly had the game in their hands.

Lisle again picked up his 2nd for the term as Smithwick again belted through another. Kris Nye instrumental in the middle set-up forward play as the Hawks had an unstoppable 72 point lead at the final change.

Running out the final term Box Hill annihilated the Dolphins kicking 7.4 to 3 straight.

Four goals in the 1st six minutes from Renouf, Breust, Pedersen and Bello destroyed the Dolphins chances of a respectable final term. Stuart Dew with a contested mark in the 24th minute goaled, again minutes later in the 27th putting the icing on the cake for the Hawks.

Strength up forward was too much for the Dolphins as Box Hill’s 44 scoring shots to Frankston’s 14 showed the power of the Hawks. Box Hill’s control of play typifies in the margin, however it could have been easily ten goals more if kicking straight.

Cam Pedersen brought back his vintage form from Round 2 kicking four goals. Brent Renouf played extremely well in his duel against taller opponent Peder Whelan in the ruck while Steve Kenna and Adem Yze once again were in the best players for the Hawks.

Memorable “Mark of the Day” through Lukas Markovic came with a high-flying mark in the third.

Statistically Box Hill were all over Frankston with 72 more kicks (227-155), 112 more handballs (209-97), 15 more centre breaks (22-7) and 31 greater inside fifty’s (66-35) which was the difference.

The EastLink Cup played to a vibrant supporter base rapturous with voice at the end of the game as the Hawks won by a century of points.

Box Hill remains unbeaten at home continuing to show to opposition they have grown in all areas in the reigns of Brendan Bolton.

Trouncing the Dolphins, Box Hill set their sights on Port Melbourne in Round 8 at TEAC Oval next Saturday 30th May at 1:10pm.

Box Hill Hawks: 6.3 / 11.10 / 16.17 / 23.21.159   
Frankston: 3.0 / 3.5 / 6.5 / 9.5.59    

Goals: S. Dew 4, C. Pedersen 4, B. Smithwick 3, A. Yze 3, L. Breust 2, M. Bello 2, J. Lisle 2, S. Gibson, B. Renouf, B. Neil 

Best: X. Ellis, J. Kennedy, S. Kenna, S. Dew, B. Renouf, C. Pedersen