The curtain came to a close on Box Hill’s VFL season after North Ballarat sailed to a convincing 61-point victory at Box Hill City Oval yesterday.
A class above, North Ballarat kicked 13 goals to four after quarter time and proved why they are labelled the best VFL team of the last three years, powering to a 16.18.(114) to 6.17.(53) preliminary final win against the Hawks.
Everything looked rosy for Box Hill after the first 15 minutes of the match, until the experience and skill of the Roosters took control and claimed their third preliminary victory in a row and spot in the grand final.
Having won nine out of the last 10 matches and a memorable victory the week before against Port Melbourne, the Box Hill team were in a great frame of mind mentally knowing they could take it up to their more fancied opponent.
With a team of stars, North Ballarat had an endless supply of talent ready to fire and looked a genuine threat having four representatives in the VFL Team of Year.
Box Hill had a perfect start, attacking early. A goal from Jordan Lisle in the fourth minute set up a passage of play where the Hawks took control of the match up until the halfway point of the opening term.
North Ballarat slow to find their feet drew back the Hawks 10-point lead to take a two point lead at quarter time.
Although Box Hill completely outplayed their opponent in the first quarter, inaccurate kicking in front of goal with 2.8 kept North Ballarat in the contest.
Goals to David Hale and Nicholas Peters extended North Ballarat’s lead to 15-points in the early stages of the second. A ray of light still visible to the Hawks soon faded as the Roosters took control of the match and ended Box Hill’s season.
It was a slow death to the Hawks' season and a difficult one.
Throughout the match, Box Hill struggled to get the ball inside fifty with any real structure. Captain Steve Kenna ended the drought of goals midway through the final term to put to bed what seemed an eternity, with the team’s last major before their effort coming at the 14 minute mark of the opening quarter.
An impassioned plea from Brendon Bolton at the three-quarter time break urged the Hawks to win the last term and play like the Box Hill side supporters are used to knowing. But the Hawks could not fully respond, although coming close with their best quarter for the game with three goals.
Even at half-time with 14 shots to North Ballarat’s 16, the team could have been closer than 27-points behind at half-time, if not in front.
Missed opportunities came back to haunt them, and the whole match unable to exert any scoreboard pressure, the Hawks could only blame themselves.
They were strangled in their attempt to get the ball out of half-back and at stages had to resort to the option of handballing which was chewed up by North Ballarat’s midfielders.
Left without a moment to spare, the Hawks were pressured in every possibly way and lost the run they had known so well, having to play a game in part which retreat was the only option, as the ball was passed back into their defensive 50 when attack was the key to winning the game.
North Ballarat’s solid bodies were difficult to contend with, as North Melbourne big-man David Hale claimed four goals with relative ease.
Riley Milne performed the best on the big stage collecting 28 disposals for the Hawks, while Beau Muston (18) was also one of Box Hill’s better players on a rough day.
Jordan Lisle (15), Liam Shiels (29), Matt Sucking and Jarrod Kayler-Thomson who chalked up 33 disposals also played their part.
In 2010, Box Hill made their first preliminary final since the 2004 VFL season and went one better on their 2009 efforts when their season ended at the Semi-Final stage.
The Hawks also uncovered some great Hawthorn future prospects in Luke Breust, Jordan Lisle and ruckman in Luke Lowden, who each showed their potential on more than a few occasions during the season.
After injuries claimed a number of the players early on, Box Hill stepped up and gave supporters a season to remember, even though it wasn’t a fairytale ending, bumped out a week before the grand final.
Box Hill will be hoping to go one step better in 2011 and as a side should hold their heads up high on a magnificent season.
North Ballarat: 3.4 / 8.8 / 12.15 / 16.18.114
Box Hill Hawks: 2.8 / 3.11 / 3.15 / 6.17.53
Goals: L. Lowden, S. Savage, J. Lisle, J. Hoegel, C. Pedersen, S. Kenna
Best: R. Milne, B. Muston, J. Lisle, R. Schoenmakers, L. Shiels, M. Suckling
