We kick off the 2011 Grand Finals with the reserves Grand Final match between Box Hill Hawks and Coburg Tigers. Box Hill is attempting to complete a threepeat of premiership victories, as well as winning their fourth reserves premiership in six years.
One of the pleasing aspects of the reserves competition, is that it provides another level of development for future senior footballers. A number of players for both sides competing in Saturday’s Grand Final match started their season in the reserves, but were given an opportunity due to consistent form of either a spot as the 23rd player during the year, or simply gained a call up to the senior team.
One thing that has become obvious for aligned teams in the competition is that they need to have a strong base of club listed players. At any stage their AFL aligned club can be depleted by injuries or suspensions, which has a flow on effect for the VFL side.
As happened this season to Box Hill, Hawthorn suffered injuries early which called on senior players from the VFL. What also hampered the VFL Hawks was long term injuries to their own senior players early in the year, to such players as Shaun Pollard and Beau Muston – the later never completing a senior game in his first season as a Box Hill listed player.
These injuries in turn gave a number of reserves players a fast track to the Box Hill Hawks senior line up, which a number of players – such as David Mirra – grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
For Coburg, no other team better utilised the 23rd player rule in season 2011 as the Tigers start to build a solid base of senior players. The likes of Willie Wheeler, Glenn Grgic and Dylan Murphy all earned their spots in the senior line up this season, as coach Adam Potter showed early that he was going to be willing to give younger players a go in the seniors.
This weekend younger, developing players will take to the field on both Saturday and Sunday, in the reserves Grand Final on Saturday, and in the Young Guns Game on Sunday. Make make sure you arrive early this weekend to enjoy watching a number of players that might be the senior players of the future, in not only the Peter Jackson VFL, but maybe the AFL as well.
Click HERE to view this weekend's teams.
2011 meetings
Rd 4 Box Hill Hawks 16.14.110 def. Coburg Tigers 15.07.97
Rd 19 Coburg Tigers 9.10.64 def. by Box Hill Hawks 11.10.76
End of Season
Box Hill Hawks: 1st 16-2
Coburg Tigers: 6th 7-11
Path to the Grand Final
Box Hill Hawks
Prelim: Box Hill Hawks 10.14.69 d Port Melbourne 10.9.69
Coburg Tigers
Prelim: Coburg Tigers 16.11.107 d Williamstown 7.16.58
Semi: Coburg Tigers 12.8.80 d Casey Scorpions 11.13.79
Last Modified on 16/09/2011 15:08