BOX Hill Hawks are chasing a considerable chunk of history when they play Coburg Tigers in the AFL Victoria Development League Grand Final this weekend at Port Melbourne.
Victory will give Box Hill Hawks a fourth consecutive premiership in the Development League, a feat only achieved twice in the past 85 years.
If Box Hill Hawks can replicate its win over Coburg Tigers in last year’s Grand Final it will match the performance, ironically, of Coburg in the late 1920s and late 1930.
Coburg won four successive Development League or ‘reserves’ flags as they were then known from 1927-30 inclusive and again from 1937-40 inclusive.
Already, Box Hill Hawks has equalled the accomplishment of Preston which won three ‘reserves’ premierships in 1983-95, Port Melbourne in 1972-74 and Brunswick in 1931-33.
Such has been the depth and strength at Box Hill that the club has won four of the past six Development League premierships.
Last year Box Hill Hawks won the flag by 65-points, not surprising really when it’s considered its team included Jordan Lisle, who played with Brisbane Lions this season in the AFL, Leigh Kitchin, Jackson Sketcher and Dylan Van Unen, who all played the majority of this season in Frankston’s seniors.
But Box Hill Hawks will welcome back Tim Northe, Guy Phelps, Corey Cassidy, Ben Monkhorst, Josh Ralph, Sam Cust and Liam Tobin who played in last year’s flag.
And, Box Hill Hawks may be able to draw upon Beau Muston, Patrick Lawlor, Michael Thompson, Marc Lock and Will Johnson who played in the club’s losing senior Semi Final team.
Leading up to their fourth consecutive Grand Final appearance coach Marco Bello believes it is a combination of players and coaching staff working well together that has led to recent success.
“Players and coaches have come to expect the best from each other. The club has developed a winning culture, we know what it takes to be successful and this drives the group to continue to maintain those high standards. The group has changed over the years but the culture of winning has remained,” Bello said.
When asked was there any fear of complacency, Bello said there have been enough changes across the group to keep the enthusiasm and hunger for premiership success at a high.
“Personnel changes over the years so with it comes a renewed enthusiasm and hunger to the existing group. The more success they have the more they want so it is pretty easy to get them motivated.”
Coburg Tigers has plenty of players – six, in fact – returning from last year’s Grand Final team – James Saville, David Fahey, Luke Cartelli, Jayke Barracj, Andrew Duhau and Rowan Hore.
Certainly, Coburg Tigers will enter the match on a high are inflicting the first defeat this season on Williamstown. They emerged victorious by four-points in a thriller.
Also, in Coburg Tigers favour is that they have 10 players – Hore, Fahey, Duhau, Cartelli, Rhett Jordan, Mitch Tanner, Nick Maric, Tom Groves, Jordan Iudica and Ozgur Uysal - who played seniors this season.
Whilst coach Mario Lirosi was pleased with last weekend’s victory, he knows his opposition were undermanned, and the Hawks will prove a challenge.
“We were under no illusion that Willy were undermanned on the weekend. They have been great all year, being undefeated for the year is a great achievement and they should be congratulated,” LIrosi said.
“Last weekend’s game was a great win for our club. Our ability to run with them and winning contested ball was a big focus pre-game and we felt we match them in this area. We were really impressed with our first year players in particular with their composure and pressure skills late in the game to hang on.
“Box Hill are going for their 4th straight flag, it’s a great achievement by the club and its players. This year with experienced players like M.Lock, B. Muston, W. Johnson, L. Tobin and many more playing in the development Grand Final is a massive challenge for our players.
Coburg Tigers would love nothing more than extract its revenge for last year’s Grand Final loss and keep one of the oldest records in the competition history in its keeping for the foreseeable future.
“For us our motivation is understanding the process and having the understanding that ‘You don't get what you wish for - You get what you work hard For’.”
WHEN: Saturday September 15
TIME: 10:45am
WHERE: North Port Oval, Port Melbourne
Last Modified on 14/09/2012 21:32