Werribee suffered its sixth loss of the year in Round 17 going down at Box Hill by seven points in the annual contest for the Beyond Blue Cup.

Despite the loss Werribee remains inside the top eight with the team to have its final bye this week before the last four home and away games of the season. 

FINAL SCORE
Werribee: 3.4 4.5 9.9 11.14 (80)
Box Hill: 2.1 4.10 6.11 12.15 (87)

GOALS
Werribee: O. Hanrahan 4, N. Hayes 2, D. Brew, D. Cassar, S. Mannagh, J. Porter, M. Sodomaco.
Box Hill: F. Greene 6, L. Shiels 2, B. Cavarra, J. Parsons, J. Serong, J. Thorpe.

BEST
Werribee: O. Hanrahan, K. Declase, L. Pinnuck, N Coughlan, L. Rocci, T. McCaffrey
Box Hill:

HOW IT HAPPENED
Michael Sodomaco was a late change for Bior Malul and it was the game day inclusion that would kick Werribee’s first goal of the game, doing so from inside the centre square with the former captain’s long range effort bouncing through after just two minutes of play. Werribee added a second courtesy of strong mark and 50 metre penalty to Nick Hayes before Shaun Mannagh pushed Werribee’s advantage to 14 points, 20 minutes in after winning a free kick in the pocket and goaling with a classy snap. Noah Gribble had a busy first term with nine disposals, while a team high 21 intercept possessions and seven spoils saw the Big W end the quarter with a nine-point lead.

With the breeze favouring the pavilion end of the ground the Hawks took control of the contest in the second term. After an early goal to the hosts, Werribee was able to limit the damage for the next 10 minutes, but after 12 minutes a second Box Hill major completed the first lead change of the day. Josh Porter reduced the margin to two points at the 21-minute mark, kicking truly following a spearing pass from Tom McCaffrey, who impressed on the wing in his fourth game of the season. Fellow wingman Kye Declase also found plenty of ball in the term, while down back Lucas Rocci limited the impact of the dangerous Ben Cavarra. Werribee trailed by five points at the main break after Box Hill added three late behinds.

The home team were again first on the board when the second half got underway, but the Big W’s response came swift thanks to former Hawk Ollie Hanrahan who booted back-to-back goals to give Werribee back the lead after seven minutes. Hanrahan first pounced on a loose ball at top of the 50 and nailed the goal across his body before getting on the end of Matt Hanson’s next centre clearance and converting from outside 50. Midway through the term Hayes and Darcy Cassar helped stretch Werribee’s lead further, with Cassar’s first VFL goal giving the Big W a 16-point buffer at the 20-minute mark. The margin would remain 16 points at the end of the third as a late Dom Brew goal cancelled out Box Hill’s second major of the quarter.

Werribee failed to extend its advantage early in the final quarter but after three straight misses, two of those by Hanrahan, the number two made no mistake with his next attempt goaling from 45 metres to have the Big W out by 25 points eight minutes into the term. Box Hill hit back with two goals and when Hanrahan bagged his fourth of the afternoon with a kick out of mid-air Werribee’s lead was 20 points with just 13 minutes to play. However, the Hawks would have the final seven scoring shots of the day as Werribee struggled to get its hands on the ball in the later stages of the game. The hosts went ahead at the 29-minute mark and then a minute later Werribee needed two goals to achieve victory which ultimately proved too much to overcome in the final three minutes.