A Premiership To Remember: Box Hill Hawks Triumph

Box Hill secured its fourth VFL premiership with a 23-point upset win over Geelong in the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Grand Final at IKON Park on Sunday.

In a gritty contest, the Hawks hit the lead with two goals late in the first term and never relinquished their advantage thereafter in the 8.14 (62) to 5.9 (39).

With heavy winds sweeping through IKON Park, the Hawks put on a defensive masterclass to restrict the high-scoring Cats to just three goals to the midway point of the second quarter.

Young midfielder Oliver Greeves was a standout in the middle of the ground, with the 19-year-old claiming the Norm Goss Medal for best afield in a performance that yielded 28 disposals and a match-high nine clearances.

He and Henry Hustwaite (26 disposals, nine tackles and six clearances) were the beneficiaries of Ned Reeves’ dominance in the ruck, with the Hawks big man controlling the air with 43 hitouts, while also picking up 12 disposals and kicking a goal.

Noah Mraz and Jack Scrimshaw were both exceptional in defence, combining for 18 marks and 42 disposals.

At the other end, Calsher Dear was the Hawks’ only multiple goal-kicker with two majors, but could have finished with several more but for wayward kicking.

The Hawks’ midfield worked tirelessly throughout the contest, with Greeves and Hustwaite leading the way through the middle and Reeves providing a strong presence in the ruck.

Box Hill’s defensive pressure proved crucial, with the backline standing tall in difficult conditions to help the Hawks maintain control of the game.

Unfortunately for the Cats, they were unable to find a match-winner inside forward 50, losing by 23 points despite having 10 more inside 50m entries across the day.

In a sign of what was to come, the next major took 12 minutes to arrive, with Will McCabe sneaking out the back to get Box Hill on the board.

The Hawks’ opposition briefly regained the lead through a goal from a stoppage, but late goals from long range by Cameron Nairn and Aidan Schubert gave Box Hill a seven-point buffer at the first change.

The Hawks’ control continued over the next two quarters and, while they added five majors across that period, their defensive efforts ensured they maintained a comfortable advantage.

Box Hill had multiple chances to put the result beyond doubt early in the last, but missed several gettable shots, leaving the door open for a late challenge.