Hawthorn will be meeting Sydney at University of Tasmania Stadium for just the second time this coming Monday.

The one previous clash between the teams in Launceston was in Round 5 2012 when the Hawks had a 20-point half-time lead but stumbled in the second half to lose by 37 points – 10.9.69 to 16.10.106.

In total, Hawthorn has played South Melbourne / Sydney 169 times, recording 94 wins, 73 defeats and two draws. Hawthorn beat the Swans 13 consecutive times from 1971 to 1977, and 11 times in a row from 1981 to 1986.

Jai Newcombe’s nomination for the AFL Rising Star consolidates Hawthorn in fourth place on the list of clubs with the most nominations. Newcombe is the 42nd Hawk to be nominated since the award was introduced in 2019, which puts the club behind only Brisbane (47), Melbourne (46) and Essendon (44).

Newcombe’s nomination means that Hawthorn has had at least one nominee in 26 of the 30 seasons in which the award has existed. The only years when there were no young Hawks nominated were 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2014. Hawthorn’s one nominee last season was Jacob Koschitzke in Round 6.

Jack Gunston’s 200^th Hawthorn game in the victory over Geelong on Monday completed a trio of impressive 200-game milestones for three current Hawks. Luke Breust played his 200^th game in a come-from-behind win against Collingwood in Round 16 2019 and Liam Shiels was best-on-ground in an upset victory against Geelong in his 200^th two rounds later.

Hawks’ fans will have to wait a while to see another 200^th Hawthorn game with only Ben McEvoy (154 games) and Blake Hardwick (106) currently between 100 and 200 games in the brown and gold.

Hawthorn has played a total of 14 games on Anzac Day (for eight wins and six defeats), most recently last season when Hawthorn defeated Adelaide by three points – 15.12.102 to 16.3.99. Jacob Koschitzke starred with five goals, with Jaeger O’Meara also outstanding.

This will be the first time Hawthorn has played on a Monday Anzac Day, with eight of the previous appearances being on Saturdays, two on Sundays, and one on each of the other four days of the week.

Hawthorn’s first Anzac Day game was in 1963 against Melbourne and was notable for providing the first attendance above 50,000 at a Hawthorn home and away game. A crowd of 55,293 at the MCG, saw Hawthorn come from 26 points down at the final change to lose by just four points.

In this Anzac Day round, we should remember the ten Hawthorn League players who lost their lives in the Second World War, or who died as a result of war wounds, or war-related illness – Jack Drake, Alf Giblett, Bruce Hone, Alex Nash, Richard Pirrie, Jack Price, Len Thomas, Max Wheeler, Leo ‘Gus’ Young and Harold Zucker.

There were also several players who represented the club in its days in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association and VFA who lost their lives on active duty in the First World War. Their names include Hugh Callan, John Collins, Don McConville, Joe Slater and Joseph Sorby.

Playing outside Victoria in Round 6 has certainly been common for Hawthorn in recent seasons, with 2022 becoming the eighth consecutive season when this has happened. There were games at University of Tasmania Stadium in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, and at Giants Stadium in 2015, 2016 and 2020.

Hawthorn’s most recent Round 6 game in Victoria in 2014 saw a comprehensive 66-point win against Richmond at the MCG – 18.10.118 to 7.10.52. The game was highlighted by a brilliant four-goal third quarter from Cyril Rioli, while Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell both played outstanding games. Hawthorn’s overall Round 6 record is 41 wins and 52 defeats (with byes in 1942, 1943, 1994 and 2011).

Hawthorn has an outstanding record in recent decades in Round 6 games in years ending in 2, having won the last five such games.

10 years ago, in Round 6 2012, Hawthorn defeated St Kilda by 35 points at the MCG, a game which in an unusual piece of fixturing was a St Kilda home game at the MCG. Cyril Rioli kicked six goals and Lance Franklin five, with Liam Shiels also excellent with 26 disposals and seven tackles.

20 years ago, in Round 6 2002, Hawthorn thrashed the Kangaroos by 68 points at the MCG.  The Hawks had 13 individual goal-kickers in a score of 24.11.155 with no player booting more than three goals. Angelo Lekkas got the three Brownlow votes for an outstanding 35 disposal game, with Shane Crawford getting two votes and third-gamer Nick Ries securing the one vote.

30 years ago, in Round 6 1992, Hawthorn beat Collingwood by 24 points, in front of a massive Waverley crowd of 72,765. Jason Dunstall kicked nine goals, while John Platten and Darren Jarman each booted three. Ben Allan had 33 disposals.

40 years ago, in Round 6 1982, a brilliant 7.3 to 0.3 third quarter enabled Hawthorn to beat North Melbourne 19.21.135 to 15.11.101 at Waverley, to make it five wins from six matches.  Michael Moncrieff kicked four goals, while the list of best players was headed by David Polkinghorne and Terry Wallace. The Age match report said of the pair that ‘no players are more representative of the Hawthorn spirit than these two’.

50 years ago, in Round 6 1972, Hawthorn continued to make light of the absence of Peter Hudson, with a thrilling five-point win over Collingwood, in front of a crowd of 29,885 at Victoria Park. Peter Knights kicked four goals for the Hawks and Peter Crimmins contributed three.

Peter Hudson holds the individual goals record for Hawthorn against the Swans, twice kicking 13, in both 1969 and 1970.

Jason Dunstall and Lance Franklin share the Hawthorn individual goals record for Round 6. Dunstall kicked nine goals in both 1992 and 1993, versus Collingwood and Adelaide respectively, a tally equaled by Franklin against Essendon in 2007.