BOX HILL
Affiliated: Eastern Suburban League 1936-50; VFA 1951-95; VFL 1996-present
Club Address: P.O. Box 143, Box Hill 3128, Victoria
Home Ground: Corner Middleborough Road and Whitehorse Road, Box Hill
Formed: 1936
Colours: Brown and gold
Emblem: Hawks (formerly Mustangs)
Premierships: VFL - 2001 (1 total); VFA 2nd Division - 1984, 1986 (2 total)
J.J. Liston Trophy Winners: D.Brown 1960; D.Beasy 1961 (2 total)
J.Field Trophy Winners: G.Bryant 1973 & 1975; P.Nicholson 1984 (2 winners/3 wins)
All Australians: Nil
Box Hill's Official 'Greatest Ever Team 1951 to 2000': Click here
Highest Score (against current VFL clubs only): 29.24 (198) vs. Werribee on 21 May 1972
Most Games: 180 by Jack Wright from 1951 to 1961
Record Home Attendance: 6,200 on 14 August 1983: Oakleigh 26.14 (170); Box Hill 20.12 (132)
Record Finals Attendance: 13,000 for 1994 grand final: Sandringham 11.12 (78); Box Hill 10.9 (69)
| MINI-BIOGRAPHIES: | Colin Austen Doug Beasy Alex Gardiner Arthur Gooch 'Tassie' Johnson Barry Mitchell Bill Morris John Murphy Bob Sellers |
Action from Box Hill versus Brighton in 1954, with a Mustangs player (white shorts) in the 'box seat'.
Box Hill Football Club was formed in 1936 and played in the Eastern Suburban League prior to its admission to the VFA, along with Moorabbin, in 1951. The side was quick to come to terms with the higher standard of competition, and contested the finals as early as 1956, finishing 3rd. Two years later came another finals appearance for 4th place. This early promise was not built upon, however, and when the VFA introduced a 2nd division in 1961 it was there that the Mustangs found themselves, and indeed would remain for more than two decades.
Prior to gaining promotion in 1984 Box Hill played in just one division two grand final, that of 1970, losing by 30 points to Coburg at Toorak Park in front of a crowd of 6,000. Between 1977 and 1981, however, the Mustangs were consistently the worst side in the VFA, managing an overall success rate for the period of just 8.2%.
By 1984, however, the side had turned the corner. The grand final of that year pitted Box Hill against Oakleigh and resulted in a resounding (and indeed record) 135 point win for the Mustangs, 32.23 (215) to 11.14 (80). Centreman Craig O'Shea, ruck rover Peter Nicholson, 10 goal full forward Dale Carroll, and rover Tony Brown (son of the club's first Liston Trophy winner, Don Brown) were best for the victors.
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Bob Green, a prominent player with Box Hill during the club's early years in the VFA. |
The discrepancy in standard between 1st and 2nd divisions was clearly evidenced the following year, however, as the Mustangs were immediately relegated. In 1986 the side again reached the division two grand final, this time against Sunshine, whose full forward Hugh Litchfield posed a major threat having already kicked well over 100 goals for the year (he finished with 134). However, with full back and skipper Richard Murrie playing a tight, disciplined game the Mustangs managed to keep their noses in front for most of the day en route to a 3 goal win. Final scores were Box Hill 14.14 (98) to Sunshine 11.14 (80), with rovers Peter Nicholson and Doug Gleeson and back pocket Barry Dwyer especially prominent. This time the Mustangs had genuinely arrived as a force and over the ensuing decade they were regular finals participants without quite managing to take the final step to premiership glory. The nearest miss came in 1994 when they lost a hard fought grand final to Sandringham by just 9 points. |
In 2000 Box Hill forged an alliance with AFL club Hawthorn as the VFL competition underwent a radical overhaul. The affiliation quickly reaped dividends as the newly-christened Box Hill Hawks defeated minor premiers Werribee by 37 points in the 2001 grand final.
The side again qualified for the grand final two years later, but lost on this occasion to a highly motivated Williamstown side.
Recent performances have been less noteworthy, however, with 12th place out of 13 in 2007 the nadir.
Where now?
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