The Box Hill Hawks have returned to the VFL’s top four, holding off a fast-finishing GWS on Sunday afternoon to record a nail-biting one-point victory. 

The win came at the end of a pulsating final term at the Blacktown International Sports Park in which the Hawks, down three players on the bench, found the resolve and grit to withstand wave after wave of attack to see out the clock and capture a vital four points.

Zane Littlejohn’s side lost the services of Tyler Brown and Cooper Stephens just before halftime, with Brown succumbing to a lower leg injury and Stephens the unfortunate victim of a nasty head knock, while the returning Chad Wingard watched the last quarter from the bench having hit his managed minutes threshold come three-quarter-time. 

Beyond valuable rotations, the trio had meaningfully contributed during their time on the ground, with both Brown and Stephens strong in the contest and working hard across the ground, while Wingard was a creative, lively conduit in transition.

But, with the game on the line, Box Hill would have to make do without them.

While it was the resolute defence that ultimately won the day, the slack the Hawks relied upon to hold on was created by a strong start.

Spurred on by the excellent ruck work of Max Ramsden and the expert clearance play of Cam Mackenzie, Finn Maginness and Henry Hustwaite, the boys in brown and gold controlled the majority of the first quarter to kickstart their day's work, booting three goals inside the first five minutes. 

Maginness kicked the first of two goals for the term to get things going, before tall targets Clay Tucker and Jasper Scaife both marked well and converted their chances to extend the Hawks’ advantage. 

The Giants enjoyed a better spell once the early fizz came out of the game, but it was Maginness and Ben Cavarra who found the next two majors of the match-up to give their side a 28-point advantage as the first term ticked into time on.

Having been deployed forward, Hawks skipper Cal Porter provided the perfect start to the second quarter by marking strongly and kicking beautifully, but subsequent opportunities to put the match beyond GWS’s reach floated narrowly wide.

Box Hill’s lead had edged out to 37 points prior to the hosts’ first goal of the day at the 13-minute mark of the second term, but two further unanswered goals inched the Giants to within 15 points at the long break.

The Hawks would’ve been keen to get those goals back as quickly as possible once play resumed, knowing full well they’d lost two prime movers and would be without another by the time the next break came around.

Scaife and Jack O’Sullivan duly obliged, bobbing up to kick back-to-back majors within a minute of each other, before GWS responded with back-to-back goals of their own via the boot of Nathan Wardius.

Scaife produced an inspired spell of lead, mark and goal footy a few short minutes later, kicking his third and fourth goals of the day to give his side back a measure of control and the margin to match as the game neared three-quarter-time. 

Twnety-eight points in front, but three men down with one quarter to play, the Hawks knew they’d need to bunker down and dig in to secure the all-important four points in the chase for a top-four finish or, at worst, a top-six berth.

Finn Maginness brilliantly and unselfishly teed up Jake Arundell to kick a vital goal early in the last, but between the seven and 13-minute marks of the final term, the hosts made their move.

Goals to Hilton, Derksen (2) and Keeffe trimmed the deficit to just three points with plenty of time on the clock… but they’d be the last goals kicked for the day. For 20 agonising minutes, the sides would trade minor scores as they played out a game of ‘next goal wins.’

Ryan Hebron brought the Giants to within two points before Cavarra and Seamus Mitchell saw shots that would’ve bought the Hawks some insurance or margin for error sail just wide. 

Box Hill were then able to rush a pair of behinds on either side of Jaylon Thorpe’s flying effort drifting the wrong side of the post before Derksen’s snap sailed skinny and one final rushed behind concluded the scoring.

In amongst the frenzied string of minor scores the Hawks’ defence was nothing short of heroic, led by the sure hands of Ethan Phillips, who twice marked well on the last line to deny the Giants what would’ve been the match-winning goal. 

Otherwise, Box Hill was able to control possession to slow the game and drain the clock to win the day, displaying great maturity and poise in trying circumstances.

Zane Littlejohn’s men never trailed and finished the day +18 for total disposals, -15 for inside 50s, all square for clearances and +33 for marks, led by the superb displays of Cam Mackenzie and Finn Maginness in the midfield, Ethan Phillips and Jai Serong on the last line of defence and Jasper Scaife’s four goals in attack.

Cal Porter was another to win commendation from his coaches. Having started the game forward he was thrust into the midfield group following the injuries to Brown and Stephens and finished the day with 19 touches, six clearances, five tackles and a goal. 

The Box Hill Hawks will enjoy a bye next weekend, before returning to action against Werribee in the final home and away match of 2024 on Sunday the 18th of August at Box Hill City Oval. 

Best: Mackenzie, Maginness, Phillips, Serong, Scaife, Porter

Goals: Scaife 4, Maginness 2, Tucker, Porter, O’Sullivan, Cavarra, Arundell

Disposals: Mackenzie 32, Maginness 32, Hustwaite 28, Mitchell 23, Macdonald 21, Serong 20