Friday night’s clash with Collingwood marks the 500th game of the Box Hill Hawks era since the alignment with Hawthorn began in 2000.
Ahead of the significant milestone, Box Hill Historian, Life Member, and current Director, John Ure, penned his top ten most exciting games of the 499 games to date.
Ure was Box Hill Hawks Treasurer when the deal was made with then Hawthorn President, Ian Dicker, back in 1999.
The Box Hill Hawks 500th game will take place at the Kennedy Community Centre this Friday night, May 1, from 7.05pm.
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Take a read below of Ure’s ten most exciting games since 2000.
#10 –
Round 13, 2015 - Box Hill Hawks 12.11 (83) def North Ballarat 11.12 (78) at Box Hill City Oval.
For much of the game it seemed the Roosters would upset the top of the ladder Hawks on their home ground. Deep into time on Box Hill trailed by two points. A flying long-range shot missed narrowly. North Ballarat kicked in long and the ball was marked by Jon Ceglar about 60 metres out who immediately swung onto his right foot. His kick was marked in the goal square by Sam Grimley who slotted the winning goal as the final siren sounded.
#9 –
Semi-Final, 2010 - Box Hill Hawks 14.11 (95) def Port Melbourne 12.17 (89) at Port Melbourne.
Played on a badly churned up ground after weeks of rain; Box Hill controlled the first half and extended the lead early in the third quarter to nearly five goals before a typical Borough fightback in front of their boisterous home crowd. The Hawks clung to a five-point lead at three-quarter time and the last quarter was goal-for-goal. With scores level and less than a minute left on the clock; Jayden Hoegel snapped truly from about 25 metres out at the Williamstown Road end goals to deliver a six-point victory to the Hawks. It was Box Hill’s first ever finals victory over Port Melbourne.
#8 –
Round 5, 2005 - Box Hill Hawks 13.11 (89) def Northern Bullants 13.6 (84) at Box Hill City Oval.
After a tight first half, the Bullants edged ahead in the third quarter and turned for home 13 points in front. Twenty minutes into the last quarter, the Visitors had kicked the only two goals of the term to move four goals clear. Box Hill then sprung to life, kicking five unanswered goals in time on; four of them to Captain Clint Alleway who marked everything that came his way. The final goal – Alleway’s sixth for the match in a clearly best on ground performance – coming at the 32-minute mark to snatch an unlikely victory for the Hawks.
#7 –
Round 16, 2009 - Box Hill Hawks 14.16 (100) def Coburg Tigers 14.11 (95) at Coburg City Oval.
A tight contest all day saw the Hawks trailing at three quarter time by four points. The final term was goal-for-goal but as the time clock moved past the thirty-minute mark, Box Hill trailed by one point with the ball locked in the Tigers’ forward line. With eight seconds left, Robert Campbell marked at half-back and played on immediately, passing to an unmarked Adem Yze on the wing. He handballed to Sam Iles running past who launched at goal from the 50-metre arc as the siren sounded. The ball just carried the pack on the goal line. The field and goal umpires conferred for what seemed like an eternity (probably really 15 seconds or so) before the all clear was given, handing the Hawks a five-point victory.
#6 –
Round 7, 2017 - Box Hill Hawks 16.12 (108) drew with Port Melbourne 15.18 (108) at Port Melbourne.
Another epic encounter between the Hawks and the Borough, this one played to a live television audience. After scores were level at half time, Box Hill moved to a 16-point lead at three-quarter time inspired by three third-quarter goals by Sam Switkowski. But it's rarely easy at Port Melbourne; the home side opened the final term with two goals in two minutes to all but eradicate Box Hill’s lead. From then it was goal-for-goal but by the 30-minute mark the Borough was 7 points to the good and Box Hill’s cause looked hopeless. The Hawks swept forward and Nelson Lane goaled on the run to reduce the margin to one point. Box Hill cleared from the resulting centre bounce and a flying shot from 40 metres out registered a behind to tie the scores at the 33-minute mark. Port Melbourne kicked in after the behind as the final siren sounded; signalling the first ever drawn game between the two old rivals. By the narrowest of margins Box Hill’s undefeated start to the 2017 season was intact. Sam Switkowski – now a 100 game plus player with Fremantle – captured the attention of AFL talent scouts with five goals, including two brilliant solo efforts, in a best-on-ground performance.
#5 –
Preliminary Final, 2018 - Box Hill Hawks 13.13 (91) def Williamstown 13.12 (90) at Port Melbourne.
The third act of the wild ride that was the Box Hill Hawks 2018 Finals campaign was played out against old foes Williamstown with a berth in the Grand Final at stake. The Seagulls held sway for most of the first half but the Hawks surged late and a long floating kick from Will Hams deep into the second quarter levelled the scores at the main break. Williamstown opened the third quarter with three quick goals to open up a game high 17-point lead but Box Hill was not to be denied. Five of the next six goals were scored by the Hawks, including a brilliant left foot snap by Anthony Brolic from the boundary line, to see Box Hill turn for home with a slender five-point lead. When Dylan Moore marked and goaled early in the last quarter, it seemed the Hawks were slowly gaining control. But Williamstown was not done with yet, scoring two of the next three goals to narrow the margin to 3 points. Frustratingly Box Hill controlled the play for the next ten minutes but could only add five consecutive behinds, stretching the Hawks lead to 8 points. As often happens under these circumstances, the Seagulls swept forwards once to goal at the 26-minute mark and narrow the margin to 2 points. There followed some desperate defensive acts by Box Hill but Williamstown managed to beat the zone defence one last time and their forward Thorpe marked 30 metres out in the right forward pocket. His set shot was narrow and missed by a whisker. As Conor Glass took the kick in for Box Hill the siren sounded, handing the Hawks a memorable one-point victory and a place in its fourth Grand Final in six years.
#4 –
Semi Final, 2009 - Box Hill Hawks 19.10 (124) lost to Port Melbourne 19.14 (128) at Port Melbourne.
Dubbed the VFL’s “game of the decade”: a pulsating, seesawing, high-octane, nineteen-goals-all shootout ended with the Borough ending the Hawks’ season by four points in a thrilling finish. Port lead by 13 points at quarter time – the biggest lead of the match – before the Hawks hit back to narrow the margin to four points at the main break. The second half was blow-for-blow before a packed semi-final crowd on a glorious early Spring day. Twelve third quarter goals (6 to each team) was followed by another ten goals in the final term (5 goals each) as the lead changed numerous times and never stretched into double figures for either side. The Hawks had the chance to pinch the game at the death; boom recruit Aem Yze marked deep in the forward pocket under the scoreboard but his set shot from 45 metres out drifted across for a behind. Play continued for another two minutes or so as the Borough controlled the ball and wound the clock down. It was a very rare occasion in which the AFL was upstaged by its little brother the VFL; all the chatter amongst Football fans on the Monday was “did you see the fantastic game between Port Melbourne and Box Hill on television?” For the Box Hill Hawks under first year coach Brendon Bolton, it was the end of the season but the start of a golden run. Having missed the Finals in 2006, 2007 and 2008; Box Hill has only failed to qualify for the VFL finals once in the seventeen years since (2016).
#3 –
Semi Final, 2003 - Box Hill Hawks 12.12 (84) def Werribee 12.11 (83) at Port Melbourne.
On the back of a Club record 13 game winning streak, the Box Hill Hawks had headed the ladder for much of the 2003 season. But the Hawks faltered in the run home; losing the final two home-and-away games to relinquish top spot. After going down to Williamstown in the qualifying final (Box Hill’s 1000th VFA/VFL game), Box Hill found itself in a do-or-die semi-final against Werribee. Under a leaden sky at Port Melbourne, Box Hill started poorly and trailed by 39 points at half time. When the margin stretched to 50 points mid-way through the third quarter – Box Hill 4.8(32) to Werribee 12.10(82) – it seemed certain that a fourth straight loss and an ignominious exit from the Premiership race for the Hawks was less than an hour away. Then started a rally; Box Hill scored the final four goals of the third quarter to narrow the margin to 24 points at the final change. But a come-from-behind victory still looked a tall order. Kicking to the Williamstown Road goals, Box Hill scored 3 goals in the opening ten minutes of the final term (one a brilliant long snap by Steve Kenna) to narrow the margin to just 5 points. Then followed a desperate 15 minutes with the ball rarely venturing into either team’s 50 metres arc as players from both sides defended with all they had; each team added just one behind during this period. But with just three goals scored, it was going to be a short quarter and time was ebbing away. At the 27-minute mark the Hawks thrust forward one last time. Anthony Marguccio lifted the ball high to the goal square where 6’7” David Loats stood tall to mark over Tigers defender Shaun Smith. He calmly goaled to put the Hawks in front as word came out from the coaches’ box that there as just 10 seconds left to play. From the ensuing centre bounce, Box Hill scrambled the ball to the grandstand wing as the siren sounded. Amazingly from the middle of the third quarter the Hawks had scored 8.4(52) to Werribee 0.1(1) to turn a 50 point deficit into victory by the narrowest of margins. It was Box Hill’s biggest finals comeback and second biggest comeback ever. The following week the Hawks comfortably accounted for Sandringham to qualify for a second grand final in three years.
#2 –
Semi Final, 2025 - Box Hill Hawks 18.7 (115) def Brisbane 16.16 (112) at Box Hill City Oval.
A game of wild fluctuations which had echoes of the memorable 2003 final vs Werribee that was recalled yesterday. The Box Hill Hawks had topped the ladder for most of 2025; dropped the final two home and away games to lose top spot and was defeated in the qualifying final against Southport. So Box Hill faced Brisbane at City Oval in the second semi-final in an attempt to end a three-game losing streak and keep its season alive. Early on the game was played on the Hawks terms and by mid-way through the second quarter it had opened up a 15 point lead. The Lions then responded with 4 goals in seven minutes to grab the lead. Even though the Hawks answered with late goals by Kye Declase and Jake Arundell, Brisbane held sway by two points at the main break. The third quarter was all Brisbane: in perfect conditions Box Hill was held scoreless while the Lions piled on 4 goals 7 behinds to extend its advantage to 33 points at the final change. In reality Brisbane could have been further in front and put the result beyond Box Hill’s reach but for inaccuracy. Stung by such a poor quarter the Hawks started the final term with a goal to Ethan Stanley within the first 30 seconds and, by the nine-minute mark, three more goals saw Brisbane’s lead trimmed to seven points. At the 26-minute mark Ned Reeves grabbed a shallow ball in to snap truly and put Box Hill in front with its seventh goal for the quarter. When Reeves marked and goaled again at the 29-minute mark to put the Hawks nine points clear, the Box Hill supporters on the packed terraces celebrated vigorously in the belief that the game was now safe. Unbelievably and totally against the run of play, the Lions then quickly goaled twice to wrest back the lead at the 32-minute mark. As the timeclock moved past 34 minutes, the Hawks attacked one last time and Bodie Ryan marked strongly 30 metres out dead in front. His kick to the Whitehorse Road goals was true, the final siren sounding as the ball was in transit. Box Hill had scored 9.2(56) to Brisbane 3.2(20) in the final term to snatch a dramatic and memorable win and progress to the second last game of the season. In fact, the Hawks had kicked a big finals score of 18.7(115) despite not scoring in one quarter! And just to prove that football’s highs and lows can occur quickly, two members of Brisbane’s defeated VFL semi-final team – Bruce Reville and Oscar McInerney – played in an AFL Premiership three weeks later.
#1 –
Elimination Final, 2018 - Box Hill Hawks 13.18 (96) defeated Port Melbourne 13.7(85) at Port Melbourne after extra time.
Scores were tied at full time Box Hill Hawks 11.17 (83) v Port Melbourne 13.5 (83) and two five-minute periods of extra time were played. After the first period of extra time the score was Box Hill Hawks 13.17 (95) v Port Melbourne 13.7 (85). For sheer drama and an illustration of how just one second can make all the difference to sporting outcomes, it would be hard to top another Hawks vs Borough epic in what would become the First Act of Box Hill’s greatest ever finals campaign. That being said, the game didn’t start as a classic. The Hawks controlled the first half to set up a deserved five goal lead at the long break. But you don’t play Port Melbourne on their turf without the home team surging at some point. The Borough dominated the third term, scoring five goals to the Hawks one to edge within a kick at three-quarter time. Hawks coach Chris Newman shuffled the magnets which produced the desired result as once again Box Hill got on top at the clearances. But the Hawks were dreadfully wasteful, adding one goal eight behinds to stretch their advantage to 18 points at the 21-minute mark. However, with Box Hill leading 10.17(77) to Port Melbourne 9.5(59), it seemed the game was just about in the Hawks keeping. Then, as only the Borough on its home ground can do, Port scored four goals in five minutes (two of them to future Box Hill captain Damian Mascitti) from the 22-minute mark to the 27-minute mark to draw level and then take the lead by six points. With 30 seconds to go, the ball was locked on Port Melbourne’s half forward flank with all 36 players within forty metres or so of the ball. Box Hill was 120 metres from goal; it may as well have been 120 kilometres. Or so it seemed. The ball spat to Brendan Whitecross who handballed to Dallas Willsmore who kicked long to half forward. Brayden Kilpatrick led the advancing pack of players and toe-poked the ball to the edge of Box Hill’s goal square. Oliver Hanrahan ran onto the ball and dribbled through a goal from 10 metres out, the siren sounding as the ball crossed the line. The game was a draw, and two five-minute periods were played. By this stage the Hawks had regained their composure. The only two goals of the first extra time were scored by Box Hill, the first by James Cousins and the second by Chris Jones; a beautiful set shot from 45 metres out as the siren sounded. With players of both sides exhausted and out-on-their-feet, the Hawks were able to control the ball and run down the clock during the second period of extra time to claim the victory. Both teams had scored 13 goals, but Box Hill’s eleven more behinds were the difference. In a classic sliding doors moment; had the final siren sounded one second earlier, Box Hill would have been eliminated in the first week of the finals and finished seventh. Instead, 22 days later captain Andrew Moore and coach Chris Newman hoisted the Premiership Cup at Docklands Stadium. The 2018 Box Hill Hawks remain the only team to claim a VFL Premiership from the bottom half of the eight.
