AFL VICTORIA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
BOX HILL HAWKS vs CASEY SCORPIONS
Sunday September 18, 11.30am, North Port Oval
The Box Hill Hawks Development League team gets another chance for redemption on Sunday.
The Hawks have been on the wrong end of the last four Development League Grand Final results, falling to Coburg in 2012 and then losing three straight deciders to Williamstown from 2013-15 – including two decided by golden points.
Indeed, Box Hill has a rich recent history at the pointy end of Development League seasons – it took home the 2009, 2010 and 2011 flags, and also lost another Grand Final in 2008.
The Casey Scorpions, meanwhile, haven’t tasted Development League success since 1995 when the club was called Springvale. There’s no question their 2016 VFL list boasts remarkable depth thanks to the rapid progression of Melbourne’s AFL-listed youngsters as well as smart recruiting of VFL-listed talent. But whether they have the experience to overcome the Development League’s hardened perennial contenders is another question altogether.
The last time these teams met in the Semi Final two weeks ago, the Hawks demonstrated why they finished three games clear on top of the ladder by defeating the second-placed Scorpions to the tune of 92 points.
Current Development League leading goalkicker Jake Summers booted five goals that day, while Box Hill senior team regulars Nick Evans and Sam Switkowski as well as first-year talent Anthony Brolic were particularly influential. James Freeman kicked three of Casey’s seven majors and Yarran Jaffer-Williams continued his exciting run of form towards the end of the season, but few others could help stem the tide.
In last week’s Preliminary Final, Bayley Fritsch’s four goals along with strong performances from first-year Scorpion Aloysio Ferreira and big man Jordan Moncrieff helped Casey climb over Williamstown by six points, denying the Seagulls a chance at four consecutive Development League premierships. That win is sure to give the Scorpions added confidence this week, as will their competitive losses to the Hawks by 12 points in Round 7 and by 20 points in Round 21.
It’s difficult to ignore the magnitude of Box Hill’s Semi Final triumph though – just as it’s tough to forget how successful the club has been in this competition for a long time now.
The game will be broadcast live on VFL Live radio
VFL Live: Box Hill Hawks v Casey Scorpions from 11.30am
Listen live online HERE
* Photo: Jenny Owens
Last Modified on 16/09/2016 09:47
