SFL: Hallam Hawks learn to soar

High shot: Hallam's Stephen Chin faces up to a high arm from Mount Waverley's Patrick Moore on Saturday. Picture: Lucy Di Paolo

By Roy Ward

FIRST-year club Hallam Hawks are quickly getting up to speed in the Southern Football League division 3 and aim to take more wins from their final games of the season.

On Saturday the Hawks faded out to a 69-point loss in the second half of their clash with finals-bound Mount Waverley but coach Hayden Fredericks praised the efforts of his young side.

He said the club was getting better with each week.

“We have wanted a game where everyone gives full effort over a game and I think we got that today,” he said.

“When you play a class outfit like Mount Waverley they will get you at some point, but there was a lot of promising signs.”

Towering Mountain Lions forward James Gough was the major stumbling block for the Hawks defence, kicking eight goals.

Fredericks praised the poise and skills of teenage midfielder Jonathan Daly, who was named best player.

“This is a 16-year-old kid who is one of our best. It’s players like him who make you want to keep on coaching each week.

“When we see players like him out there you can see how far he could go with his football.”

Chris Molnar, Bryce Neve and Rohan Suttie joined Daly in the best.

“Despite the scoreboard I was proud of our efforts today,” Fredericks said. “We just have to keep improving with each week and raising our performance in every way we can.”

Fredericks said he was yet to sit down with the club and talk about whether he would coach again in 2013.

He said the Hawks wanted to focus on finishing the season with as many wins as they can, starting with Lyndale this Saturday.

“It’s too early to know. We want to take each game as it comes and then talk about it at the end of the season. I have to weigh up my work time and all those things as well.”

In division 2, Southern Dragons look to have secured their place in the division for next season with a one-point win over South Yarra on Saturday. The win was the Dragons’ third of the season and leaves them three games clear of bottom place.

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