Box Hill Hawks will be looking to right their wrongs this weekend when they take on the Coburg Tigers in the ABC TV Match of the Round.
Rewind to Round 6 and you will see these two sides go head to head with Coburg in sixth place and Box Hill in seventh. An even contest all day resulted in the Tigers running away with a 13 point victory. Coburg beat the Hawks at their own game, being effective with their clearances and winning hit-outs 46 to 26.
Round 19 presents two very different looking teams with Box Hill placed sixth and Coburg dropping down to tenth. However, the game will still be won or lost in the same region, through the centre.
Coburg coach Adam Potter believes that his side has room to improve in this area.
“We were very competitive in and around the contest and were able to win the contested ball and clearance count. This has been an area we have dropped off in and it will be a focus this week with a few new faces coming into the team after a very disappointing fortnight.”
Despite the Tigers recent poor form losing four on the trot, Angus Graham has been outstanding in the ruck. Last weekend saw Graham tally 48 hit-outs making him second highest overall in the season totals.
“Angus has had a good year in the VFL. He has been in our best players at least half a dozen occasions. We need him to have more input around the ground at the moment, and he is fully aware of this. We definitely haven't made the most of first opportunities he gives us off a contest in recent weeks,” Potter said.
The ruck combination of Graham and Browne was influential in their Round 6 victory and will provide them with the same opportunity this weekend if teammates can make the best use of this advantage.
The Hawks enter the match without one key player taking to the field, Luke Lowden. This will leave Pattison and McCauley to battle the Tigers big men. Box Hill coach Damian Carroll believes it will need to be a collective team effort to overcome Coburg’s strengths.
“Angus has been in good form and we certainly need to be aware that he will get a lot of hit-outs on the day. We need to be able to win the battle at ground level.”
The Hawks will have plenty of assistance across the field with the likes of Chance Bateman, Shane Savage and Luke Andrews lining up again for the side.
However, they will need to improve upon their inaccuracy that was displayed last weekend. Box Hill kicked 5 goals 16 to lose to the Werribee Tigers by 18 points.
“We did miss some opportunities last weekend. The match was very even in all of the major statistical areas but if you don't take your chances and the opposition do then it's going to be tough to win,” Carroll said.
A win this weekend could push the Box Hill Hawks up one place on the ladder to fifth position due to Williamstown having a rostered bye and the Hawks possessing a healthy percentage compared to the teams below them.
The Coburg Tigers currently sit in no man’s land; four wins away from a top eight spot making finals contention impossible and one win above struggling Clubs such as the Northern Blues and Collingwood.
This game provides the Tigers with the opportunity to distinguish themselves from teams sitting towards the bottom of the ladder whilst also having the foresight to develop their entire list for the future.
“We are playing a fair few first year players on both lists. We will keep mixing it up over the last few rounds to give our players opportunities at senior level. Richard Bamblett will debut this week and this is exciting for us as he has had a solid year at development level,” Potter said.
Box Hill Hawks vs Coburg Tigers
Saturday 4th August – 1pm
Box Hill City Oval
Live broadcast from 1pm on ABC TV
Also on 3WBC 94.1fm or www.3wbc.org.au
Last Modified on 03/08/2012 14:24