Coburg suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Box Hill Hawks on Sunday at Mantello Holden Oval. In a game that was always going to be decided by who could use the wind more productively, Box Hill got the jump on Coburg early and gradually pushed out the lead to go on and win by 86 points (20.14 (134) to 5.18 (48)
It was a frustrating loss for Coburg coaching staff, as they saw the side collect more disposals than their opponents, and even 3 more inside 50’s, but ultimately could not do enough with the ball, turning it over too often and at times showing ill discipline – both being huge factors in the loss.
All morning there had been a breeze blowing directly towards one end of
Mantello Holden Oval, which was thought to hold a 4-5 goal advantage for the team kicking to that end. Box Hill won the toss and elected to have first use of this breeze, and they capitalized on it well. They kicked 7 goals to Coburg’s 2 for the quarter, while Coburg found it difficult to get any distance on their kicks which made it a real struggle to hit targets. The 2 goals Coburg did manage were scored on the break, with Venditti and Maric being the beneficiaries.
The second term was one full of frustration for Coburg. They won a lot of the ball, and were continually pushing forward, but by the end of the quarter they only had 1.7 to show for their efforts. Box Hill on the other hand, making a point of their superior efficiency, kicked 4 goals straight in to the wind and stretched their lead out to 47 points at half time.
The wind was still a factor in the third quarter, but it seemed to be swirling in different areas around the ground than in the first half. This saw the third quarter turn in to quite a stalemate, with both sides getting chances in their forward half but failing to make the most of their opportunities. Box Hill kicked 2.6 for the quarter while Coburg could only manage 5 behinds. The margin going in to the final change was 60 points, and to make matters worse, key forward Liam McBean (1.4) was seen limping off the ground with trainers at the end of the term, with what is believed to be a broken ankle. McBean has been in stellar form this season and it will be awful news for Coburg and Richmond alike if it proves to be serious.
Ben Griffiths was moved deep in to the forward line in the absence of McBean for the final quarter, and he did his best for Coburg to keep the margin down below 100 points, kicking 2 strong goals. Box Hill got on a roll and kicked 7 for the term, in a performance which epitomized the story of the day – It doesn’t matter how much ball you win, it matters what you do with it. The final margin was 86 points, with Box Hill ready to storm in to the finals, and Coburg hoping to perform much better in their final match of the year next week vs Port Melbourne.
Robin Nahas (31 touches) and Nathan Thomas (28 touches) were the few shining lights for Coburg, trying hard out of the middle all day, while Matt Dea (26 touches) did his best to stop the rampant Box Hill forwards, taking 10 marks and showing some good defensive rebound throughout the day.
Coburg 5.18. 48
Box Hill 20.14. 134
Goals: Griffiths 2, Mcbean 1, Maric 1, Venditti 1.
Best: Thomas, Nahas, Dea, Edwards, Darrou, Uysal.
Final match of the season is this Sunday at Mantello Holden Oval, 2pm start. Be sure to come along to show your support for the club in their final match with the Richmond affiliation. There will be a BBQ with lots of Coburg Past Players sure to be coming along, so it should be a good time!
Last Modified on 19/08/2013 11:25