We missed it at AFL level, but footy’s greatest modern-day rivals will still face off in a Grand Final for the fifth time, with the Box Hill Hawks to battle Geelong for the VFL premiership.

Both sides saw off surprising challenges from sides who finished outside the top four, with Box Hill beating Essendon by seven points in Saturday’s preliminary final, before Geelong smashed Port Melbourne by 47 points on Sunday.

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With the Cats’ AFL season ending they’ll be at full strength for the VFL decider, to be played on Sunday September 20 at Ikon Park as part of a double-header with the VFLW Grand Final.

Their preliminary final side featured the likes of Jack Bowes, George Stevens, Rhys Stanley, Mitch Knevitt, Jhye Clark and Jed Bews.

Meanwhile the Hawks’ VFL players will be hoping to earn selection for Saturday’s AFL preliminary final against Brisbane.

Notables from the win over the Bombers included Calsher Dear, Jack Scrimshaw, Finn Maginness, Aidan Schubert, Noah Mraz, Matt Hill and Sam Butler.

The Hawks and Cats will face off in the 2026 VFL Grand Final.Source: FOX SPORTS

The Cats finished on top of the reserves ladder with a dominant 16-2 record and percentage of 167.8%. They lost only to Footscray in Round 4 and to Collingwood in Round 19 – both of whom missed the top-10 finals altogether.

The Hawks finished third, upsetting Werribee in the qualifying final and then making amends after losing prelims in 2023 and 2025.

It’s the Hawks’ first Grand Final appearance in eight years, when they beat Casey for their third VFL flag.

Meanwhile it’s Cats’ first appearance in the decider since 2013, when they lost to the Hawks, a year after they beat Port Melbourne for the flag.

The Cats have only beaten the Hawks in one Grand Final, in 1963, with the Hawks winning the next three meetings (1989 and 2008 in the seniors, 2013 in the reserves).

Hawks vs Cats VFL/AFL Grand Finals

2013 (reserves): Box Hill 99 def Geelong 78

2008 (seniors): Hawthorn 115 def Geelong 89

1989 (seniors): Hawthorn 144 def Geelong 138

1963 (seniors): Geelong 109 def Hawthorn 60