Hall of Fame

Many champion players have graced the playing field of Box Hill City Oval and many administrators and volunteers have worked tirelessly behind the scenes for the betterment of the Box Hill Hawks Football Club. In 2022 the Board of Directors of the Box Hill Hawks Football Club established a Hall of Fame so that those who have contributed outstandingly to the Club could be honoured in a fitting and permanent manner. 
It was resolved that: 
– The minimum qualification to be admitted to the Hall of Fame will be a life member of the Club OR a 75 game player/coach. 
– While not strictly applied, the aim would be to have an equal representation of players and committee members/administrators. 
– The first 21 inductees would be announced in 2022, with nine further inductees in 2023 to bring the total to 30. Thereafter the ongoing conduct and aims o the Hall of Fam would be reviewed. 

2023 Inductees

David Banfield

Years Played: 1988 to 1997
Senior Games: 137
Senior Goals: 5
Club Champion: 1993
Club Captain: 1994 to 1996
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1996) , Team of the Century (2000).

Early in his career, an assistant coach told David Banfield that he wore number 39 because he was 39th best player on Box Hill’s list. Through fierce determination and willpower, he became a Box Hill champion; a miserly full back who fought many memorable duels with the VFA’s goal kicking stars in a high scoring era. He captained the Club for three years; including the 1994 Grand Final. Post his playing days, he has maintained his involvement over two decades as an assistant coach and Head of Academy.

Fred Bayes 

Years Played: 1961 to 1965
Senior Games: 37
Senior Goals: 29
Other Honours: Member of the “Galahs (1968) , Life Member of BHFC (1969) , Triple Doug Disher Medallist (1966, 1967, 1971).

Diminutive Fred Bayes played Senior football in the early 1960s but is best remembered as Captain-Coach of the Reserves team for seven years from 1965 to 1971 during which he established a unique record of winning the competition’s Best and Fairest Medal on three occasions. An Australian Football pioneer, he played Gaelic Football in Ireland, England and Europe in 1968 alongside the likes of Ron Barassi, John Nicholls, Alex Jesaluenko and Peter Hudson as a member of Harry Beitzel’s “Galahs”.

Paul Bolton

Years Played: 1983 to 1990
Senior Games: 99
Senior Goals: 340
Leading Goalkicker: 1983 (49), 1986 (55), 1987 (65), 1988 (32), 1989 (77).
Premiership Player: 1984
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1991) , Team of the Century (2000).

Spectacular yet injury-prone (he missed over two full seasons due to injury, including a career ending injury in his 99th game); full-forward Paul Bolton is the Club’s all-time leading goal scorer. He was five times leading goal kicker, including three seasons where he topped fifty goals. He is the only Box Hill player to score ten goals in a game on more than one occasion; a feat he achieved four times including twice kicking 12 goals, the Club record he holds alone, He represented the VFL on two occasions, in 1983 and 1988.

Don Brown

Years Played: 1955 to 1960
Senior Games: 113
Senior Goals: 182
Leading Goalkicker: 1955 (50), 1956 (51), 1958 (37).
Club Champion: 1960
Other Honours: J.J Listen Trophy (1960) , Team of the Century (2000).

Recruited from Collingwood Reserves as a full-forward; Don Brown topped the Club’s goalkicking three times including consecutive half-centuries of goals in 1955 and 1956 and was an integral part of Box Hill’s first two VFA Finals campaigns, In 1960 Captain-Coach Doug Beasy moved him into the centre; an inspired move that saw him not only win the Club Champion Trophy but being immortalised as Box Hill’s first winner of the J.J Liston Trophy for his “dashing and manly play”. Years later her was Chairman of Selectors when Box Hill won its first VFL Premiership in 1984. Don Brown and his son Tony are the only father-son combination to both play 100 games for the Club.

Colin Love

Years Played: 1952 to 1958
Senior Games: 124
Senior Goals: 26
Club Champion: 1956
Club Captain: 1955; 1957 to 1958
Senior Coach: 1955
Other Honours: Team of the Century (2000).

The Prince of Box Hill Fullbacks; Colin Love joined the Club from Melbourne and became an immediate star. He captained the Club for three seasons, including 1955 when he was Captain-Coach and formed part of the champion defensive unit including fellow Team of the Century players Bruce Craig, Ron Irvine and Jack Wright that was an integral part of the Club’s first two VFL Finals campaigns. He was renown for his drop kicks when kicking in after an opposition behind which would hit the centre circle. he represented the VFA on seven occasions in 1957 and 1958, the most by a Box Hill player.

Paul Wheelton AM

Director: 2012 to 2017
Other Honours: Life Member of BHHFC (2014).

Local businessman Paul Wheelton first sponsored the Box Hill Football Club in 1987 when, through his business the local franchise of Budget Ren-a-Car, he provided free-of-charge a minibus for the Club’s Under 19s team to travel to away games. Three-and-a-half decades later his business still sponsors the Club and for over two decades of that time it has been a Major Sponsor. The commercial partnership with Budget is the longest in the Club’s history. Always generous with his time as well as financial support, Paul Wheelton was also a Director of the Box Hill Hawks for six years.

Darron Wilkinson

Years Played: 1993 to 1999
Senior Games: 101
Senior Goals: 287
Club Captain: 1998 to 1999
Leading Goalkicker: 1994 (75), 1995 (37), 1996 (37), 1997 (30), 1998 (42), 1999 (38).
Other Honours: Team of the Century (2000).

On his day mercurial, high leaping spearhead Darron Wilkinson was an unstoppable force. Four times he kicked eight or more goals in a game; including a memorable day against Port Melbourne in 1994 when he booted 10 goals, 77 behinds and two out-of-bounds. His career tally of goals is the second highest by a Box Hill player and he topped Box Hill’s goalkicking for six consecutive seasons – a Club record. Club Captain in 1998 and 1999; he was the final Captain of the Mustangs era. He represented the VFA in 1995.

Lindsay Wilson

General Committee: 1975 to 2006
Director: 1992 to 1997
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1989) , BHHFC Directors’ Award for Outstanding Service (2009) , A.G. Gillon Award for Outstanding Service to Victorian Football (2017).

A nephew of Ron and Barbara Gibbs, Lindsay Wilson was born with brown and gold blood in his veins. As a boy he sold Football Records on home match days and in 1967 played for Box Hill Thirds. This commenced half a century of active involvement with the Club which included a stint on the Board, working in the canteen, being a volunteer at the Club’s Bingo sessions and his most well-known role as the attendant at the Davey Street entrance on home match days for over four decades.

Geoff Withers 

Years Played: 1978 to 1986 
Senior Games: 130
Senior Goals: 205
Leading Goalkicker: 1980 (40), 1981 (27)
Premiership Player: 1984, 1986
Club Captain: 1983 to 1985
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1987). 

“Wally” Withers endured Box Hill’s years of struggle in the late 1970s and early 1980s but received the ultimate vindication, captaining the Club to its first VFA Premiership in 1984. Playing mainly as a strong marking forward or ruck-rover; he was dangerous enough around goal to three times kick eight goals in a game and is one of only five Box Hill players with a career tally of over 200 goals. He kicked the final goal in each of the 1984 and 1986 Grand Finals; in 1984 it was more icing on the record-breaking cake while two years later the final kick of his career sealed the Premiership for the Mustangs. 

 

2022 Inductees

John Baker

Years Played: 1966 to 1976
Senior Games: 155
Senior Goals: 87
Club Champion: 1970
Other Honours: Life Member BHFC (1974) , Team of the Century (2000). 

In the pantheon of Box Hill ruckmen, John “ox” Baker is the only one to player over 100 Senior games for the Club and he tirelessly carried the CLub’s ruck for over a decade. Standing 6’4″ tall, he was noted for his skilful palming of the ball and his ability to take a timely defensive mark but was also able to hit the scoreboard when up forward. He was Club Champion in the year that the Club made its first VFL Grand Final appearance.

Cr. W.L “Lang” Bassett J.P

Club President: 1947 to 1952
Management Committee: 1945 to 1953
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1953).

The six years of Lang Bassett’s Presidency spanned the period immediately before and after Box Hill admission to the Victorian Football Association in 1951. He is regarded as the father of and driving force behind Box Hill’s successful quest to join the VFA. Mayor of the City of Box Hill in 1946-477; he worked closely with Council to gain support for the works necessary to raise Box Hill City Oval to the standard required by the VFA.

Ian Bates

Years Played: 1959 to 1969
Senior Games: 165
Senior Goals: 153
Club Champion: 1966
Club Captain: 1968
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1968) , Team of the Century (2000).

As a young hopeful, Ian Bates trained at Richmond and was told by the legendary Jack Dyer to “go back to Box Hill and stand in the mud until you grow a bit”. Despite being light frame and standing just 6’0″ tall’ Bates starred as a key forward for over a decade, marking strongly and breaking the heart of many an opposition defender with his deadly left foot that rarely missed when within range of goal. He sits in third place in the Club’s games career games total.

Geoff Bryant

Years Played: 1964 to 1968; 1972 to 1976
Senior Games: 147
Senior Goals: 194
Club Champion: 1968, 1973, 1975
Leading Goalkicker: 1966 (43), 1968 (23)
Club Captain: 1974 to 1976
Senior Coach: 1975
Other Honours: F. Gomez Medalist (1964) , Member of the “Galahs” (1968) , Dual J. Field Medallist (19773, 1975) , Life Member of BHFC (1974) , Team of the Century (2000).

Geoff “Joffa” Bryant graduated through Box Hill’s junior ranks to become by almost unanimous acclaim, the Club’s finest player. In 1964 he won the medal as best player in the VFA Thirds; the same year he made his Senior debut. In 1968 he won his first Club Champion Trophy and at the end of the year he played Gaelic Football in Ireland, England and Europe as a member of Harry Beitzel’s “Galahs” and was recruited by North Melbourne where he played for three seasons.
Returning to Box Hill in 1972; his next five seasons playing in the centre stamped him as a true champion due to his stamina, ball winning ability and brilliant foot skills on both sides. In both 1973 and 1975 he was Club Champion and won the competition’s Best and Fairest Medal; his 1973 Medal won playing in a team that failed to win a game for the season. He represented the VFA on two occasions.

Brian Coghlan 

Years Played: 1951 to 1957
Senior Games: 42
Senior Goals: 45
Leading Goalkicker: 1952 (27)
Senior Coach: 1968
Club President: 1972 to 1974
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1960).

Brian Coghlan claims a unique Box Hill trifecta – the only person to have been President, Senior Coach and played Senior football. Roving to Brownlow Medallist Bill Morris; he topped the Club goalkicking in 1952. He was playing coach of the Reserves for six years from 1958 to 1963. In 1968 while Senior Coach he inspired the Club’s famous nickname by urging his players to “play like wild horses – like fiery mustangs”. His tireless commitment during his Presidency ensured the club survived near total collapse in 1973.

Bruce Craig

Years Played: 1956 to 1963
Senior Games: 146 
Senior Goals: 31 
Club Champion: 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963
Other Honours: Team of the Century (2000). 

The “Buzzard” – brilliant Bruce Craig – played eight seasons for Box Hill; winning the Club Champion Trophy a record five times, a simple statistic that alone places him in the best handful of players to pull on the Box Hill guernsey. Standing 6’2″, his strong marking and long clearing kicks made him a dominant force at centre half-back and he was also used to great effect as a relief ruckman. He was a key player in the Club’s first two VFA Finals appearances in 1956 and 1958. He represented the VFA at the 1960 ANFC Carnival, playing in all four matches. 

Stewart Fraser

Club Secretary: 1948 to 1962
Assistant Secretary: 1947; 1963 to 1965
Social Committee: 1958 to 1967
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1951).

The doyen of Box Hill administrators; Stewart Fraser’s active involvement with the Club spanned the four decades from the 1940s to 1970s including a record fifteen years as Secretary. Renowned for his efficiency and shrewdness when it came to recruiting players; he was a key figure in the Club’s rise to VFA ranks. His final official involvement with the Club was as Team Manager of the Thirds in 1971. His wife Martha and son Malcolm are also Life Members of the Club.

Martha Fraser

President Ladies Committee: 1949 to 1950
Secretary Social Committee: 1951 to 1963
Social Committee: 1964 to 1966
President Social Committee: 1967 to 1968
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1952). 

Martha Fraser founded the Ladies Committee in 1949 which was the forerunner of the Social Committee established two years later; committees she served for two decades including two terms as President and 13 years as Secretary. During the 1950s the activities of the Social Committee – predominantly the successful Saturday night dance the Club hosted at the Box Hill Town Hall – were the Club’s major income source; in 1955 it raised £4,500 and in 1956 it raised £4,300; over half of the Club’s total income. A tireless worker behind the scenes, in 1952 Martha Fraser became the first woman to receive life membership of the Club. 

J.R “Ron” Gibbs and Barbara Gibbs

Ron and Barbara’s combined service to the Box Hill Football Club was 122 years. In 1993 the Club bestowed “Lifetime Committee Privileges” on them for achieving the milestone of 100 years of combined service. In 2007 the new admission gates at the Whitehorse Road end of Box Hill City Oval were named the “Ron and Barbara Gibbs Entrance”.

Ron –

General Committee: 1936 to 2002
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1954) , Life Member of VFA Thirds , Life Member of VFA (1991)

Ron Gibbs joined the first Box Hill Football Club committee in 1936 and from then until he passed away 66 years later, the Club never formed a committee that he wasn’t part of. His many and varied roles included serving as Vice-President, Ground Manager, Membership Secretary, Timekeeper and as a member of the Social, Bingo and General Committees. 

Barbara –

General Committee: 1951 to 2006
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1964) , Life Member of VFA Thirds , Life Member of VFA (1991).  

Bob Green

Fred Linden

Years Played: 1936 to 1940; 1945 to 1946 (ESFL)
Senior Games: 115 (Approximately ESFL )
Club Champion: 1938 (ESFL)
Premiership Player: 1939, 1945, 1946 (All ESFL)
Other Honours:  Life Member of BHFC (1946). 

Fred Linden was one of the very best played of Box HIll’s pre-VFA era and was the first player to reach 100 games for the Club. Club Champion in 1938; it is likely that he won the award on more occasions but the records of this era are incomplete. Generally playing on the ball but also dangerous in attack, he was good enough in front of goal to register 60 majors in the 1937 season. He was the only player to play in all three of Box Hill’s ESFL Premierships. In 1946 he became the first person to receive Life Membership of the Club. 

David Mirra

Years Played: 2010 to 2019
Senior Games: 155
Senior Goals: 17
Club Champion: 2016, 2019
Club Captain: 2014 to 2017
Premiership Player: 2013, 2018
Other Honours: Life Member of BHHFC (2016) , Norm Goss Medal (Best afield in Grand Final) (2018) , Box Hill Hawks “All Stars” Captain (2019).

Box Hill’s Champion player of the Hawks era; “Miz” generally played in key defensive roles where his strong marking, accurate kicking and uncanny ability to anticipate play made him one of the stars of the VFL. Two Club Champion trophies and two VFL Premierships – including best on ground in the 2018 Grand Final – were the high points of a decorated career. In his final season he became the first Box Hill player in 35 years to reach the milestone of 150 Senior games. His years of outstanding form were rewarded at the end of 2017 when he was drafted by Hawthorn and in 2018 and 2019, as well as representing Box Hill, he played 11 games at AFL level. David Mirra has captained Box Hill in more games than anyone else and in 2019 was named Captain of the Club’s “All Stars” team, announced to celebrate 20 years of the Box Hill Hawks. He represented the VFL on three occasions.

Peter Nicholson

Years Played: 1983 to 1990
Senior Games: 142
Senior Goals: 279
Club Champion: 1983, 1984, 1987
Leading Goalkicker: 1985 (33)
Premiership Player: 1984, 1986
Other Honours: J. Field Medallist (1984) , Mitsubishi Award (Best afield in a Grand Final) (1984) , Life Member of BHFC (1991) , Team of the Century (2000).

Peter Nicholson’s tireless running game and appetite for goals exemplified the brilliant spectacle that was 16-a-side VFL Football in the 1980s. A dual Premiership player and triple Club Champion; his brashness and confidence personified a new era of on-field success for Box Hill as it emerged from years in the doldrums. Playing mostly as ruck-rover; his 1984 season in which he won the Competition’s Best and Fairest Medal, was Club Champion, was best-on-ground in the Grand Final and scored 78 goals; lays claim to being the most outstanding year produced by a Box Hill player. He holds the record of 95 consecutive games for Box Hill; he missed the first three games of the 1985 season playing with St Kilda Reserves and, setting these aside, his run of consecutive games stretches to 129.

Tony Pinwill

Club President: 2000 to 2002; 2011 to 2018
Other Honours: Life Member of BHHFC (2013) , Life Member of VFL (2018).

Box Hill’s “Premiership President” – three VFL and two Reserve Grade flags were won under his leadership – Tony Pinwill led the Club for two terms and is one of only two Presidents of the Club to serve for over a decade in the role. The first President of the Box Hill Hawks; he played a key role in establishing the alignment between Box Hill and Hawthorn that endures as the most successful and longest standing of its type between an AFL club and a State League club and is much admired for his success in bringing the two sides of the partnership together. He received Life Membership of the VFL in 2018, fitting recognition of a lifetime of service to Football as a player and administrator.

Reg Shineberg

President: 1963 to 1969
General Committee: 1951 to 1952
Management Committee: 1953 to 1969
Match Committee: 1952 to 1961
VFA Delegate: 1956 to 1969
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1958) , Life Member of VFA (1965).

Reg Shineberg is remembered affectionately as a passionate and outspoken President of the Club, a position he held with distinction for seven years. His active involvement, however, spanned two decades and commenced when he joined the committee in the same year that Box Hill joined the VFA. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Club’s on-field endeavours, as Chairman of the Match Committee and selector for a decade, positions her held when Box Hill made its initial VFA Finals appearances in 1956 and 1958. He was Team manager of both the Reserves and Thirds in the early 1970s. He received Life Membership of the VFA for his contribution to the Association both as a Delegate and Club President.

Keith Ralph

Years Played: 1966 to 1975; 1977 to 1980
Senior Games: 149
Senior Goals: 81
Club Champion: 1972
Leading Goalkicker: 1978 (34)
Club Captain: 1973; 1978 to 1979
General Manager: 1981 to 1985
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1972).

Lion hearted Kieth Ralph graduated through Box Hill’s juniors and played Senior Football for the Club across fourteen seasons – a Club record. In his early career he played mainly off a defensive flank where his strong marking and booming right foot kick were the highlights of his game. In later years and despite standing just 5’11” tall he played strongly in key attack positions. During an era of on-field struggle, his determination defined the Mustang spirit.
Upon retirement he became the Club’s first ever full time General Manager. He introduced Bingo sessions which were hugely successful and stabilised the Club’s finances and masterminded the Club’s on-field revival which culminated in its first VFL Premiership won in overwhelming fashion in 1984. His parents, Keith Snr and Grace, and brother Jim are also life members of the Club.

John Ure

Club President: 2003 to 2010
Treasurer: 1989 to 1994; 1996 to 2002
Director: 1989 to 2011; 2018 onwards
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1994) , A.G Gillon Award for Outstanding Service to Victorian Football (2000) , Life Member of VFL (2009) , Life Member of Hawthorn FC (2009).

John Ure saw his first Box Hill game in 1976 as an 11-year-old and his years of service as a Box Hill Football Club administrator cover the five decades from the 1980s onwards; including eight years as President and twelve years as the Club’s longest serving Treasurer. He was a foundation Director of the Box Hill Hawks and had a key role in negotiating the alignment agreement between the Box Hill and Hawthorn Football Clubs which has endured for over two decades. As Club Historian, he has published several works on the history of the Box Hill Football Club.

Keith White

Years Played: 1956 to 1967
Senior Games: 171
Senior Goals: 114
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1965) , Team of the Century (2000).

Recruited from Hawthorn; Keith White was an immediate star on the wing. playing finals football in 1956 and 1958 and finishing runner-up in the J.J Liston Trophy in 1957. When the VFA moved to 16-a-side format in 1959 his pace and clean ball use made him just as effective as a rover and half-forward. Over 100 goals across his career are testament to the danger he posed top opposition teams when within scoring range. He retired at the end of 1967 just one season short of eclipsing Box Hill’s games record and still sits in second place in the Club’s games career games total. He represented the VFA at the 1958 ANFC Centenary Carnival, playing in all four matches.

Jack Wright

Years Played: 1951 to 1960
Senior Games: 180
Senior Goals: 33
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1960) , Team of the Century (2000).

Crossing from Richmond second; Jack Wright made his Box Hill debut in Round 9, 1951 and then proceeded to play in 180 of the Club’s next 191 games, establishing the record number of VFA/VFL games played for Box Hill that still stands over six decades later. Initially playing as a rover, he quickly made the back-pocket his own and was an integral part of the start defensive unit that included fellow Team of the Century players Bruce Craig, Ron Irvine and Colin Love which were the engine rom behind the Club’s first two VFL Finals campaigns in 1956 and 1958.

John Zigouras

President: 1975 to 1979; 1981 to 1985; 1988 to 1994
Other Honours: Life Member of BHFC (1981) , Life Member of VFA (1985).

John Zigouras served three terms as President for a total of 17 years, a Club record. A beacon of hope and a tireless advocate for the Club during years of struggle, he commenced the second term os his Presidency under extraordinary circumstances in November 1980 at a General Meeting where a vote to disband the Club had been put to members. He immediately implemented several administrative reforms and forged the plan that saw the Club claim its first ever VFA Premiership in 1984 with a record score and by a record margin. In 1975 his committee acknowledged the International Women’s Year by awarding life membership to five long serving women of the Club. He received Life Membership of the VFL in 1985 upon completing a decade as Club President.