NOT for the first time this season, joint coach Travis Matheson has praised Eaglehawk’s ability to dig deep following a resilient win over Strathfieldsaye last Saturday.<\/p>\n
A tough slog at Canterbury Park could have gone either way when the Hawks led by 17 points at three-quarter-time.<\/p>\n
But a six-goal-to-three burst as the game opened up in the final term was just what the doctor ordered for the Hawks, who ran out 12.13 (85) to 6.13 (49) winners.<\/p>\n
A well-earned win both propelled Eaglehawk into second spot on the ladder ahead of another tough challenge against Castlemaine and confined an injury-hit Storm to a 1-4 start.<\/p>\n
Matheson was pleased to see his players work their way through a bit of a stalemate.<\/p>\n
“In terms of a spectacle, it was probably an average game of football to watch \u2013 really contested \u2013 and for the first three quarters, scrappy and full of stoppages,” he said.<\/p>\n
“It was only a little 15-minute period in the last quarter that the game opened up and we were able to open up a bit of a margin.<\/p>\n
“It was a really hard-fought contest.<\/p>\n
“We might have been a couple of goals up at three-quarter-time, but it didn’t feel that way.”<\/p>\n
Matheson drew comparisons to the Hawks’ round four clash against Gisborne, when the game was again in the balance at three-quarter-time. Alas for Eaglehawk, it was the Bulldogs who seized the momentum.<\/p>\n
An absolute key to the win was the performance of ruckman Brayden Frost, who continued his stellar start to the season with another impressive effort.<\/p>\n
Co-coach Clayton Holmes (four goals) and Jack O’Shannessy (three) kept the scoreboard ticking over, while Billy Evans and Ben Thompson were their usual busy selves around the contest.<\/p>\n
Matheson singled out Ethan Hanley for praise for his lockdown role on Cooper Jones.<\/p>\n
Riley Wilson, Jake Moorehead and Sam Heavyside led the charge for the Storm.<\/p>\n
Matheson said the Hawks could take plenty of encouragement out of their 4-1 start, but cautioned there were still plenty of big tests to come.<\/p>\n
“With only eight teams in the comp, we are getting close to hitting the end of the first round already, which does feel a bit strange,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Castlemaine this week lines up as a pretty big game for both clubs and then Sandhurst after that gives us a wrap on the first round.<\/p>\n
“I’ve had a few looks at Castlemaine \u2013 they have some real high-end talent.<\/p>\n
“They beat us down there last year, so it’s going to take a big performance to saddle up again and get a win.”<\/p>\n
Matheson pinpointed greater efficiency by foot and hand as a priority against the Magpies.<\/p>\n
“There was a couple of bad turnovers again, like the previous week, so we will look to sharpen that up,” he said.<\/p>\n
At Dower Park, Golden Square broke through for its first win of the season, defeating Kangaroo Flat by 57 points.<\/p>\n
Carson James and Xavier Carter, who booted three goals, led the charge for the Bulldogs, who will be hoping to carry the momentum into this Saturday’s clash against South Bendigo.<\/p>\n
Round six will be headlined by the rematch of last year’s grand finalists Sandhurst and Gisborne at the QEO.<\/p>\n