HAWTHORN takes a mixed record in Grand Final re-matches into this week’s clash with last season’s Grand Final opponent, West Coast.
The Hawks have played in 18 previous re-matches, winning eight and losing 10, doing slightly better when runner-up the previous season (3-3), than as reigning premier (5-7). The five wins as reigning premier were over North Melbourne (1979), Essendon (1984), Carlton (1987), Geelong (1990) and Fremantle (2014). Last season, Hawthorn lost its Grand Final rematch to Sydney by four points in Round 8.
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This round marks the 30th anniversary of Hawthorn’s first ever night game at the MCG.
Lights had been installed at the ground before the 1985 season, but Hawthorn did not play its first night game until Round 2 1986.
The Hawks marked the occasion with a win, keeping their composure to record a hard-fought three point victory against North Melbourne, after the Kangaroos led at every change. Michael Byrne kicked the winning goal, while Russell Greene was best-on-ground as the Hawks prevailed, 17.9 (111) to 16.12 (108), in front of 26,456 fans.
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The late change which saw Marc Pittonet replace Jonathan Ceglar in the selected team against Geelong meant that 2016 did not become the first season since 1990 without a Hawthorn club debutant in Round 1.
In the 12 seasons in which Alastair Clarkson has been in charge, there has been one new player in Round 1 on four occasions – Xavier Ellis (2007), Jed Anderson (2013), James Frawley (2015) and now Pittonet. At the other extreme, the most new players in Round 1 in recent years was four in 2010 – Josh Gibson, Rhan Hooper, Jarrod Kayler-Thomson and Carl Peterson.
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Pittonet has become the first player to wear number 43 in a Senior game for Hawthorn since Ben McGlynn in 2006 (McGlynn then moved to 22 in 2007 and 21 in 2008-09). Others to begin their careers in 43 include Peter Schwab and Anthony Condon, both of whom went onto play in Premiership teams after graduating to other numbers. The number 43 has been part of two Premierships with Peter Murnane wearing it in both the 1976 and 1978 Flag winning teams. After 49 games in number 43, Murnane moved to number 22 in 1980.
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This round marks the 60th anniversary of what still remains the largest three quarter time deficit Hawthorn has overturned in its history. In Round 2 1956, the Hawks came from 25 points down at the final change to beat Richmond at Punt Road.
The Tigers led 12.12 to 9.5 at three quarter time, but whatever Hawks’ coach Jack Hale said to his troops at the final interval certainly had the desired effect. They unleashed a 7.5 to 0.1 quarter which the following Monday’s Sun described as “the best burst of all-field play the Hawks have produced for many years”. The Hawks won the game by 21 points and Coleraine recruit Les Kaine had a memorable second game, kicking three final quarter goals.
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Hawthorn supporters should not despair after the Round 1 loss as five of the Hawks 13 Premierships have come after opening the campaign with a loss. In 1961, Hawthorn lost to South Melbourne by 25 points; in 1988 to Carlton by 15; in 1989 to Collingwood by 10; in 1991 to Adelaide by 86; and in 2013 to Geelong by 7. Interestingly, none of these five Round 1 victors ended up making the Grand Final and two of them (South in 1961 and Adelaide in 1991) failed to even make the Finals.
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While Michael Tuck occupied the number 17 by himself for 20 seasons, Angus Litherland has now become the seventh player to wear the number in the 25 post-Tuck seasons. The others have been Paul Hudson, Daniel Chick, Luke Brennan, Beau Muston, Cameron Bruce and Brian Lake.
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Hawthorn has played West Coast on 46 occasions, with the Hawks winning 21 and losing 25. The Hawks and Eagles have only met there five times at the MCG, with the Hawks winning four of the games. The victories in home games in 2001, 2008, 2012 plus last season’s Grand Final, while the solitary loss was by just 10 points in West Coast’s 2006 Premiership-winning campaign.
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Overall, Round 2 is one of the Hawthorn’s poorest with 37 wins, one draw and 53 losses.
There has been some improvement in recent seasons, with five wins out of the last nine, including 2013’s 50 point triumph over West Coast in Perth and 2014’s four point win against Essendon at Docklands, but then last year things went sour again with Luke Breust being denied by the siren from recording what would have been the winning goal against Essendon.
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Forty years ago, in Round 2 1976, the Hawks gained a modicum of revenge for defeat in the previous season’s Grand Final beating North Melbourne by 22 points at Princes Park. Michael Moncrieff kicked 7 goals and Leigh Matthews 5 as the Hawks won 20.11.131 to 16.13.109, the win set up by an 8 goal second quarter.
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Jason Dunstall holds the club’s Round 2 individual goal-kicking record, kicking nine twice – in 1988 versus Richmond and in 1991 against Sydney. Jarryd Roughead’s eight goals at Aurora Stadium in 2014 was a new Hawthorn record against West Coast, surpassing Dunstall’s 7 in both 1988 and 1989.
