The Box Hill Hawks’ season of heartbreak continued on Saturday in Round 17 of the Peter Jackson VFL, losing their seventh straight match by five points against Footscray.
The Bulldogs’ comeback from 31 points down at three-quarter time followed Box Hill’s previous losses to Richmond by 16 points and Essendon by three, clashes in which the Hawks also gave up final-term leads. The loss keeps them two games and percentage behind eighth-placed Essendon.
In the day’s other matches, Collingwood outplayed top-eight rival Geelong to the tune of 50 points, Richmond came from 19 points down at the last change to defeat Frankston by 31 points, the Casey Scorpions recorded a percentage-boosting 78-point win against Coburg and Port Melbourne held on in the wind to beat North Ballarat by 13 points.
RICHMOND 11.15 (81) d FRANKSTON 7.8 (50)
Form: Richmond – L L L W W / Frankston – L L L L L
Telling facts: A week after booting eight goals to two in the final quarter to defeat the Box Hill Hawks by 16 points, Richmond pulled off another late comeback to break Frankston hearts at Punt Road Oval. The Tigers trailed by 19 points at the last change and had booted just four goals to that point, but piled on seven unanswered majors to run away with victory and avenge their shock loss to the Dolphins in Round 3.
Leading goalkickers: Aarts 3, Elton 2 (Richmond) / Wood 2, Mullane 2 (Frankston)
COLLINGWOOD 13.14 (92) d GEELONG 5.12 (42)
Form: Collingwood – W W W W W / Geelong – W W W W L
Telling facts: One team’s winning streak was going to end in this top-eight clash at Victoria Park, and the Magpies made it clear early on that it wouldn’t be theirs. Collingwood booted five unanswered goals in the first term to lead by 34 points at quarter time and never gave the Cats a sniff from then on. The home team’s ninth straight victory snapped Geelong’s five-game winning run.
Leading goalkickers: Matheson 2, Indovino 2, Cox 2, Gray 2 (Collingwood) / all singles (Geelong)
FOOTSCRAY 10.13 (73) d BOX HILL HAWKS 10.8 (68)
Form: Footscray – L W W L W / Box Hill Hawks – L L L L L
Telling facts: The Hawks were pipped in the final quarter for the third straight week when the Bulldogs mustered a furious late comeback to prevail at VU Whitten Oval. They dramatically did the same two rounds ago against the Casey Scorpions, and this time it was Footscray captain Jordan Russell’s goal with just minutes to spare that broke Box Hill’s heart after the Dogs had trailed by 31 points at the last change.
Leading goalkickers: Hrovat 2 (Footscray) / Fitzpatrick 2, Lock 2, Switkowski 2 (Box Hill Hawks)
CASEY SCORPIONS 16.20 (116) d COBURG 6.2 (38)
Form: Casey Scorpions – W W L W W / Coburg – W W L L L
Telling facts: Coburg just didn’t get a look-in against Casey at Piranha Park. The Scorpions were inaccurate early (2.9 in the first quarter) but their dominance was eventually rewarded on the scoreboard, an eight-goal-to-one third term sealing a percentage-boosting 11th win for the top-two team.
Leading goalkickers: Weideman 3, Terlich 3, Michie 2, Neal-Bullen 2 (Casey Scorpions) / Saad 3 (Coburg)
* A replay of Casey Scorpions vs Coburg is available HERE.
PORT MELBOURNE 12.20 (92) d NORTH BALLARAT 13.1 (79)
Form: Port Melbourne – W W W L W / North Ballarat – L L L L L
Telling facts: Port Melbourne had to weather a brave North Ballarat outfit kicking with the wind in the final quarter and its own inaccuracy to prevail at Frankston Oval. The Borough established a potentially shaky 28-point lead at the last change after only managing 3.9 with the breeze in the third term, and while the Roosters never went away, they ultimately couldn’t reel in the deficit.
Leading goalkickers: Scipione 3, Hobbs 2, Lisle 2 (Port Melbourne) / Cassidy 3, S.Hooper 3, Stephenson 2, Marshall 2 (North Ballarat)
CLICK HERE for the full results, best players and goalkickers
CLICK HERE for the updated ladder
Sunday games:
Werribee vs Northern Blues (Channel 7)
Sandringham vs Williamstown (Casey Radio)
* Photo: Arj Giese
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Last Modified on 30/07/2016 21:52
