2022 is the sixth time in eleven seasons when Hawthorn has played Melbourne in Round 7. The previous five encounters produced Hawthorn wins in 2012, 2015 and 2017, but defeats in 2019 and 2020.

The victories in 2012 and 2015 were by margins of 66 and 105, but the win in 2017 was by a very tight margin.

In Round 7 2017, the 17^th-placed Hawks upset Melbourne which, at that time, was eighth on the ladder. Hawthorn built a handy lead early but when Melbourne drew level early in the last quarter things looked ominous. However, Hawthorn held on tenaciously and secured a three-point win – 14.10.94 to 14.7.91. Jarryd Roughead kicked four goals for the Hawks, and Tom Mitchell had 31 disposals.

By securing a draw against the Demons in Round 18 last season, the Hawks prevented the first sequence of five consecutive Melbourne wins against Hawthorn for over 60 years.

The draw also now means that Hawthorn is the second most recent team to prevent Melbourne winning (Melbourne lost to the Western Bulldogs the following week). The Hawks are also one of only two AFL clubs which currently have not lost their most recent games against Melbourne, the other being Collingwood which defeated the Demons in Round 13 last season.

Hawthorn has had several significant winning sequences against Melbourne, highlighted by 23 consecutive wins from 1973 to 1984 and 13 from 2007 to 2016. Overall, the two clubs have played 167 times, with Hawthorn winning 87, Melbourne 79 and one draw.

James Sicily this week is scheduled to become the 144^th player to reach the 100-game milestone at Hawthorn. He made his debut in a shock loss to Essendon in Round 2 2015, and then had to wait until Rounds 22 and 23 of the 2015 season before making further appearances in big wins against Brisbane Lions (72 points) and Carlton (57 points).

Sicily became a regular in 2016, playing 22 of 24 games and remained a regular until a serious knee injury in Round 12 2020 saw him miss the remainder of that season and all of 2021.

This round marks the 30^th anniversary of Jason Dunstall kicking 17 goals in a game.

Dunstall’s 17 goals against Richmond at Waverley Park in Round 7 1992, beat the previous Hawthorn record of 16 goals booted by Peter Hudson in 1969 and went within one goal of equaling Fred Fanning’s long-standing record of 18 goals in a VFL-AFL game.

A crowd of 26,789 saw Dunstall kick six goals in the first quarter, five in the second, two in the third and four in the last. By the end of the game, his 17 goals 5 behinds were part of a team score of 25.22.172, which easily accounted for Richmond’s 14.9.93. 

There were occasions late in the game when Richmond had three players on Dunstall and, in one instance Dean Anderson looking to pass to Dunstall to give him an opportunity to kick an 18^th, instead had to shoot himself. When the teams met again in Round 22, Dunstall booted a further 12 goals, making a total of 29 versus the Tigers in 1992.

Hawks’ fans will be hoping that history repeats after Monday’s loss to Sydney. The only other time when Hawthorn played Sydney in Launceston was in Round 5 2012. In a similar game, Hawthorn on that occasion led by 20 points at half-time but lost by 37 points. However, after that defeat, the Hawks proceeded to win their next 19 games at the venue, so let’s hope the future at University of Tasmania Stadium matches the past.

Hawthorn won eight consecutive Round 7 games from 2011 to 2018, but has lost its past three, to Melbourne in 2019 and 2020, and to St Kilda last season.

Overall, in Round 7, Hawthorn has played 97 games for 47 wins, 49 defeats and one draw (which was against Geelong in 1963).

20 years ago, in Round 7 2002, Hawthorn scored a comprehensive 52-point win against Geelong at the MCG, setting up the win with a 6.3 to 1.2 opening quarter. Both teams went in with 3-3 records, but due to a much superior percentage Geelong was seventh and Hawthorn twelfth. The star of Hawthorn’s 20.10.130 to 11.12.78 win was Shane Crawford, who was in scintillating form racking up 30 disposals and kicking four goals.

50 years ago, in Round 7 1972, Hawthorn recorded a comfortable win against South Melbourne, despite kicking only 2.7 in the second half. In front of 13,727 at Glenferrie Hawthorn led 11.7 to 3.9 at half-time but fell away in the second half to win by 18 points – 13.14.92 to 9.20.74. Peter Knights continued his good form as replacement forward in the absence of Peter Hudson, kicking five goals, bringing his tally to 17 in four weeks.

With St Kilda losing to Essendon, the Hawks were now alone at the top of the ladder with a 6-1 win-loss record; half a game ahead of Carlton, with a further three teams a game behind with 5-2 records.

Peter Hudson holds the record for most goals by a Hawthorn player against Melbourne, kicking 16 in Round 5 1969, while the Round 7 Hawthorn record is held by Jason Dunstall (see above).