Werribee has fallen at the penultimate hurdle for the third consecutive year, bowing out of the Victorian Football League finals in a 14.8 (92) to 22.12 (144) loss to Box Hill on Sunday.
The Tigers – who came within a kick of last year’s grand final and
lost by 83 points to Williamstown in 2011 – could not sustain their
winning form against the Hawks.
PICTURE GALLERY: Werribee v Box Hill preliminary final
This Sunday’s grand final will be contested by Geelong and Box
Hill, Hawthorn’s VFL affiliate.
The VFL strength of Geelong and the Hawks has been evident all year, with the two losing only seven games between
them and finishing first and second respectively.
It was an impressive effort by Werribee to reach the last four in
the finals, but early on a decisive thumping was on the cards against
the Hawks.
Box Hill got the first five goals of the game and left the Tigers and led by 29 points halfway through the quarter.
But as has happened so many times this year, Werribee fought back
to level the contest with five of the next six goals. Jye Bolton,
playing only his fourth senior game for the season, booted two.
It was goal-for-goal early in the second term, with Bolton bobbing
up for another. Ben Speight levelled the scores direct from a centre
clearance, but the Hawks jumped back out to a 25-point lead before
Bolton nailed his fourth to cut the margin back to 19 points.
The third quarter was another arm wrestle, with Ben Brown working
his way into the game with a couple of majors as Werribee and Box Hill
traded goals.
Brown’s second goal put the Tigers within 13 points, but again the
Hawks – this time through Bryce Retzlaff and Shane Savage – blew the
margin back out to 27 points at the final change.
There would be no from-the-canvas comeback for Werribee, as Box
Hill put the Tigers to the sword with six last-quarter majors to two.
Bolton got his fifth goal but so did Savage, and the Hawk had plenty of willing mates.
For Werribee, Jarred Moore had another prolific afternoon with 32
touches, Ayden Kennedy capped off an impressive year, Luke McDonald
featured again as he prepared for the big league and regular
contributors Dan Currie and Scott Clouston were pivotal in the ruck and
down back.
Coach Scott West said has side had been tested to its limits.
“We probably knew we were never going to outrun them, just because of their full-time environment,” he said.
“The Werribee Football Club likes to have success … we finished
outside the top four but we managed to win two finals and get to prelim
week.
“It’s great to be here, absolutely – you never shy away from that. But the frustration comes from not winning them.
