The Box Hill Hawks improved to seven-and-one on the season with a come-from-behind victory over Brisbane on Saturday, securing the points to move half-a-game clear on top of the VFL ladder.

The fourth-placed Lions started the day a game behind the second-placed Hawks, but with a game in hand on their hosts. This transformed an already exciting mid-season match-up into an out-and-out eight point game.

Under clear blue skies and with a stiff breeze blowing to the Whitehorse Road end of City Oval, it was the visitors started the better.

Goals to Bruce Reville and Ty Gallop were just reward for the Lions’ positive start and proof positive the wind would play it’s part throughout; it would be a matter of how each team used it.

Jake Arundell kicked his first of three goals for the day in an attempt to ignite the Hawks mid-way through the term, but as the quarter ticked on it was Brisbane who responded to the set-back.

Gallop booted a second, before Jack Manly and Fergus McFadyen each got in on the act with singles to open up a 28-point lead in the shadows of quarter time. 

Simply, the Lions had been the stronger of the two sides and deservedly lead at the first change.

But, for as impressive as Brisbane had been to forge ahead and establish an advantage, it was Box Hill’s turn to kick with the wind and attempt to make inroads.

Within eight minutes the Hawks had kicked three goals to eat away at the bulk of the Lions’ lead. Cody Anderson got things started, Max Ramsden joined him and but the time Arundell had added a second the gap was inside two goals.

What came next was somewhat of an arm wrestle as Brisbane sought to equalise the contest and nullify the Hawks’ momentum, but when opportunity next knocked it was the team in brown and gold who answered the call.

Calsher Dear snapped a sensational checkside from deep in the forward pocket, before Jye Peacock split the middle to give the Hawks their first lead of the day. Further chances to consolidate that lead drifted agonisingly wide, before the Lions kicked a pair of goals somewhat against the run of play to go to the long break seven-points to the good.

Conditions remained unchanged as the second half got back underway, meaning the Lions would need to make best use of the breeze to establish a lead they could defend in the last.

An early Kye Declase goal was sandwiched by a pair of Fergus McFadyen minor scores as Box Hill inched to within three-points of the lead.

Calsher Dear’s second handed his side the initiative, before Sam Durdin marked strongly and kicked truly to give the Hawks a nine-point lead – incidentally, their biggest lead of the day.

All that had happened with 15 minutes of the third term starting, and what followed was a desperate and organised period of defence.

With the ball locked inside the Lions’ attacking 50, Box Hill defended raid after raid on their goal to keep the visitors to just three points – two of them rushed – through nearly 10 minutes of all-shoulders-to-the-wheel footy.

Conor McKenna jagged one late on to tie the scores and set up a winner-take-all final term, but given the breeze was still worth three goals at a minimum, you couldn’t help but feel Box Hill were in the box seat.

Because the Lions remain a dangerous and quality outfit, the key to victory for the Hawks would be to end the game as early as possible.

Arundell’s third was the perfect way to start the quarter, Lane Ward’s first VFL goal precisely what was needed thereafter and when best afield Sam Butler joined the party it was just about game over; by the time Jasper Scaife and Seamus Mitchell added their names to the list of goal kickers it definitely was.

Brisbane’s Ty Gallop kicked goals three and four on the day to cap a fine individual performance, but it wasn’t enough. The Hawks had kicked away when it mattered most and won the points.

All told Box Hill finished +107 in total disposals, -19 in inside 50s, +19 in clearance and +13 in marks – illustrating an ability to be more clinical in the contest and better exploit the length of the field to maximise efficiency in the front half.

Sam Butler was comfortably the best man on the ground, winning a career and game-high 42 touches and booting a vital last quarter goal. His 10 marks, five tackles and eight clearances further illustrate the breadth of his impact, while his five inside 50s were a team-high. 

Seamus Mitchell was similarly impactful across half back and in spurts through the midfield, winning 36 touches, taking eight marks, laying four tackles, winning two clearances and recording a game-high eight rebounds 50s. Oh, and he booted a nice goal, too. 

Another midfielder to positively influence proceedings was Henry Hustwaite. One of the standout on-ballers at the VFL level in 2025 was at his ball-winning best to finish with 35 disposals – 18 of which were contested – a game-high 11 clearances, four inside 50s and five tackles.

Not to be left out, Trent Bianco produced one of his best performances since joining the Hawks in the off-season, covering the ground brilliantly and selflessly in a hybrid role across half back and wing. Bianco’s 29 touches were largely between the arcs, but afforded his side a measure of calm and control.

Like Bianco, Jake Arundell produced possibly his best individual display of 2025 against the Lions, bobbing up to kick three vital goals from 16 touches. Having performed so well a week ago on the Gold Coast, ‘Snake’ added five tackles, four marks and three clearances to another excellent game.

Lastly among the Hawks’ best was the experienced Sam Frost, who stood up to guide Box Hill’s young rearguard through some tricky and testing moments. ‘Frosty’ ended the day with 15 touches, seven rebounds 50s and seven marks in an assured contribution.

Another to play his role was Jai Serong, who tallied 26 disposals and a game-high 12 marks in his new role as a hybrid half-back and wingman; while Bailey Macdonald was excellent as well, finishing the contest with 24 touches and eight marks. 

Box Hill return to action next Saturday, hosting the fifth-placed Collingwood at Box Hill City Oval from 2:05pm.

Best: Butler, Mitchell, Hustwaite, Bianco, Arundell, Frost

Goals: Arundell 3, Dear 2, Ward, Scaife, Ramsden, Peacock, Mitchell, Durdin, Declase, Butler, Anderson

Disposals: Butler 42, Mitchell, 36, Hustwaite 35, Bianco 29, Serong 26, Maconald 24