A last minute goal by forward Jayden Hoegel sent the Box Hill Hawks into the third week of the VFL finals after toppling Port Melbourne 14.11.(95) to 12.17.(89).
With scores level at TEAC Oval, Hoegel goaled in the middle of a congested forward fifty with only 23 seconds remaining to seal the deal and deliver an epic six-point victory for the Hawks, in a classic VFL match for the ages.
The match was not only controversial for Port Melbourne but was one to remember as the recent rivalry between both teams again hit its peak and didn’t disappoint.
The win was payback for the Hawks' loss last year in the same match when Port Melbourne progressed through to the Preliminary Finals with a slender come-from-behind win.
The Hawks' never-say-die attitude was illustrated in its full capacity, and Box Hill captain Steve Kenna was thrilled with the win.
“We’ve built up a great rivalry with Port and this time last year they were able to knock us off and to get one back has been great,” Kenna told the ABC.
Having won the past two matches by only a combined margin of seven-points, Port Melbourne were always going to be a force, even more so with former AFL great Gary Ayres at the helm.
TEAC Oval proved a difficult surface with the chopped up ground making for tough in-and-under football.
Box Hill opened up an early 12-point lead, leaving Port Melbourne lamenting their shortfall in missing multiple opportunities in front of goal.
At the 29th minute, the Borough broke the drought thanks to Ryan McMahon but the Hawks responded with one of their own through Matt Suckling to take a handy 10-point lead at quarter time.
In controversial circumstances Port playmaker Toby Pinwill was sent off for the match, restricting the Borough’s bench to three after being reported for the second time, only after playing just over a quarter.
Initially reported for head high contact to Garry Moss in the opening minute of the first-quarter, Pinwill was a multiple offender after elbowing Liam Shiels in the face in an off-the-ball incident in the opening stages of the second to be given his marching orders.
Port Melbourne were a man down and worked hard to get back from Pinwill’s loss, finding some extra energy to peg back a few goals and take the lead from the Hawks.
Flashing forward, the Hawks kicked three goals in as many minutes with two goals from the same pocket in a row to Jarrod Kayler-Thomson and then again Matt Suckling at the 26th minute of the second to bridge a 16-point advantage.
Fundamental errors were costing Port Melbourne their extended pathway into the finals as four goals in eight minutes kept the Hawks in the box seat at half-time.
Jayden Hoegel and Luke Breust lifted the breakaway to 29-points into the third, and with the difficult playing surface the margin seemed all too much to climb back for Port Melbourne.
A tiring Box Hill enabled Port Melbourne to work their way back even further into the contest, reducing the margin to a five-point lead for the Hawks going into the final change.
End-to-end football in the final term ensured a memorable finish with a six-point margin holding out, until Port Melbourne’s Myles Pitt evened up the contest at 88-points a piece at the 24th minute.
It was a scene of agony and ecstasy after the final siren, as young Hawk Jayden Hoegel kicked the winning goal in the dying seconds to send Box Hill into their first Preliminary Final since the 2004 VFL season.
Port Melbourne fought hard in the third term to get back into the match and coach Brendon Bolton knew they were always going to be a tough team to handle.
“There were a couple of times in the second and third where I thought we could really open it up and we scored heavily,” Bolton said.
“But to Port’s credit they bounced back and they got themselves back into the game."
While Port managed to wrangle their way back into the match, injuries marred their usual style.
On the sidelines Nathan Batsanis, Stephen Brewer, Adam Bentick, Shane Valenti, ruckman Dylan McLaren and power forward Dean Galea sat injured and endured the afternoon watching their teams season fade.
TEAC Oval’s conditions made it tougher for the Hawks and Bolton thought the team were lucky to run away from a fast-finishing Port side.
“We’re as fit as we were last year and we did a lot of work over the break,” Bolton said.
”But it’s a really heavy slog of a ground, so I think it took its toll on both teams and we were lucky to pinch in the end.”
Working in the Hawks' favour, the team were able to get past the might of Port Melbourne but only by six-points, showing the great long list of quality talent in the injury ravaged Port Melbourne side.
For the Hawks, Matt Sucking racked up 17 disposals and was the Hawks' best with an irresistible match up-forward kicking four goals.
Providing a brick wall, Cameron Pedersen killed off some important balls with some heavy spoiling and deep defensive marking in a strong finals performance to collect 20 disposals.
Jarrod Kayler-Thomson (17) again was in the thick of it and damaging with two consecutive goals in the second term vital to the Hawks win.
Garry Moss (20) and Captain Steve Kenna (17) both worked very hard and were handy contributors, along with Liam Shiels and match winner Jayden Hoegel who snared 20 disposals and three goals.
Box Hill’s true grit and determination in the final term was a scene to watch, the win knocking Port Melbourne out of the VFL finals series in straight sets after finishing in the top four after the normal home and away season.
Box Hill remains with Williamstown, North Ballarat and Northern Bullants as one of four teams still in the hunt for the 2010 VFL flag.
The Hawks will gain a lot of satisfaction from the win but it is back to business when they face North Ballarat in the Second Preliminary Final this Sunday 12 September.
Again the match will be shown live on ABC 1 in Victoria.
Port Melbourne: 1.5 / 5.8 / 9.14 / 12.17.89
Box Hill Hawks: 3.3 / 8.6 /11.7 / 14.11.95
Goals: M. Suckling 4, J. Hoegel 3, J. Kayler-Thomson 2, L. Breust, R. Milne, S. Savage, G. Moss, B. Neil
Best: M. Suckling, J. Lisle, C. Pedersen, J. Hoegel, L. Shiels, J. Kayler-Thomson
