With a full team of VFL-listed Tigers, Richmond put up a brave performance before falling heartbreakingly short of victory on Saturday afternoon.

After a hot start to the contest, it was Box Hill Hawks youngster Jack Dalton who drew first blood in the game, kicking a set shot goal from 45.

The Tigers peppered away after that and were eventually rewarded for repeat inside-50s, as Joel Garner kicked Richmond’s first after getting a free kick for a trip.

Box Hill kicked a goal towards the end of the quarter but the Tigers responded, with Ry Cantwell kicking his first after the siren, giving Richmond a big boost and cutting the quarter-time margin to just one point. 

It wasn’t the ideal start to the second term for the Tigers, as Cody Anderson steamed through and goaled in the opening 30 seconds. But Tom McKenzie answered back with a brilliant running goal from 50, before first-gamer Kai Stewart kicked a classy dribbler, giving the Tigers a one-goal lead.

Zaydyn Lockwood also popped up inside-50 and kicked his first career VFL goal, giving Richmond an 11-point advantage at half-time. To that point, it was a very spirited performance from an undermanned Tigers outfit.

Anderson inched Box Hill closer out of half-time, running into an open goal after a bad Tiger turnover, before Brodie McLaughlin got his first, finishing off an end-to-end play and soon they had the lead through Flynn Perez.

Mohammed Yassine stopped the rot for the Tigers, giving them back the lead and kicking another major with a big run off a turnover. Stewart showcased his class minutes later in his debut, roving one off the pack and snapping a great goal, but Griff Julian answered back with an absurd finish from the boundary, giving Box Hill a one-point lead with a quarter to play.

The Tigers soon had the lead back as Sam Toner kicked his first of the afternoon, and that goal sparked him into action, kicking another moments later.

Richmond had several chances to put the game to bed, but the goals alluded them at crucial times before Garner put the Tigers in the box seat and pushed the lead out to 18 points, with a composed set shot goal.

In an unpredictable contest, Dalton kept Box Hill alive with yet another forward-50 stoppage goal and just when it looked like the Tigers had it, the same man launched one from 50 and it sailed through just seconds before the final siren, breaking the Tigers' hearts and giving Box Hill a remarkable last-gasp win. 

The Tigers would be proud of their efforts, but the result continues a string of close losses, where they have been right in the game deep within the last quarter. Richmond will look to bounce back and get back on the winners list next Saturday morning against Essendon at Windy Hill.

Box Hill   2.2   3.5   8.8   12.11 (83)

Richmond   2.1   5.4   8.7   12.10 (82)

Goalkickers: Yassine 2, Toner 2, Stewart 2, Garner 2, Cantwell 2, McKenzie and Lockwood.