The Hawks looked in great form from the first bounce, kicking four goals to one in the opening term, but Richmond VFL turned it around and only went down by 12 points. 

Box Hill began the game perfectly, kicking two goals in the opening six minutes through Matt Hill and Thomas Swainston. The Tigers had a few good looks but couldn’t lock the ball inside-50, as the Hawks made them pay and kicked the first four goals of the game.

Samson Ryan gave Richmond a vital goal just seconds before the quarter-time break, bringing the margin back to 20 points after the first term. The Tigers managed to start the second term well, with Liam Fawcett kicking his first goal of the day and capping off a nice team play.

Zane Peucker slotted a ripper from the boundary line and moments later had another, as he single handedly got Richmond right back in the contest. But Swainston’s second of the day gave Box Hill back the lead approaching time on in the second term, with no further goals kicked -  the Tigers cutting the half-time margin to eight points. 

Peucker then kicked his third to get the Tigers within two points, before Jasper Alger gave Richmond the lead.

Liam George extended the Tigers' lead but Aidan Schubert responded for Box Hill, cutting the lead back to three points as the armwrestle continued. 

Cameron Nairn gave Hawks the lead, but a few late points by the Tigers left scores level at three-quarter time and it was any teams game to win.

But Box Hill came out much stronger in the last term and had repeated inside-50s to begin the last term, eventually getting rewarded with a goal to Calsher Dear.

Plenty of time went by before Schubert made it a two-goal game, but Sam Toner's first major with about five minutes remaining kept Richmond alive. While they were back in the game momentarily, Sam Butler kicked the sealer moments later and stretched the Hawks' lead back out to two goals.

Despite Richmond’s best efforts, they came up short at Box Hill City Oval, but it was an extremely spirited effort from the Tigers who were three men down, with Kaleb Smith, Alger and Leo Connolly all suffering injuries throughout the game.

Richmond will look to close out the game better in its Round 18 clash against the Footscray Bulldogs next Saturday.    

Richmond   1.1   4.4   7.8   8.9 (57)  

Box Hill   4.3   5.6   7.8   10.9 (69)

Goalkickers: Peucker 3, Ryan, Fawcett, Alger, George, Toner