Finals football returns to Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval for the third time in four seasons, with Werribee set to face the Box Hill Hawks in the second qualifying final this Saturday.

The clash will get underway at 2:05pm, with a spot in a home preliminary final on the line.

Werribee enters the finals after finishing second on the Smithy’s VFL ladder, completing an impressive bounce back in Daniel Lowther’s first season as senior coach after the club finished 16th in 2025.

The home side secured second spot with a 20-point Round 19 victory over Footscray, its ninth consecutive win. The result moved Werribee two games clear in second with two rounds remaining, locking in a top-two finish before the club split its final two games of the home-and-away season.

Werribee closed out the regular season with a commanding 59-point win over Sandringham at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval. Anthony Depasquale headlined the victory with a career-high seven goals, taking his tally to 20 majors from eight games since returning to the side in Round 12 after close to a year away from VFL football.

Jack Riding was also at his brilliant best, finishing with 27 disposals and a career-high five goals. The performance capped off a strong finish to the season for Riding and helped earn him the Corked Werribee Player of the Month award for the final four games of the home-and-away season.

Box Hill finished third on the ladder with a 12-6 record in 2026. A 57-point victory over the Casey Demons on the final day of the home-and-away season lifted the Hawks into third spot and set up Saturday’s qualifying final against Werribee.

It will be the second time in four seasons the two sides have met in a qualifying final at Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval. Werribee won the previous meeting by 20 points in 2023 to secure a home preliminary final, where the club would go on to book its first VFL Grand Final appearance in almost two decades.

A win on Saturday will see Werribee advance directly to a home preliminary final in a fortnight’s time. A loss will see the side return to Melbourne Avalon Airport Oval next weekend for a semi final against either Port Melbourne or Sydney, who meet at ETU Stadium on Saturday at 12:35pm.

Admission prices for the 2026 Smithy’s VFL Finals Series are as follows:

For matches played in Victoria from the wildcard finals through to the preliminary finals, admission is $15 for adults, $10 for concession and pension card holders, while children under 15 are free.

Tickets will be available to purchase from midday Tuesday at www.intix.com.au/org/vfl.