Hawthorn is celebrating its newest batch of Hall of Fame inductees, with a quartet of Hawks greats in Rodney Eade, Darrin Pritchard, Terry Wallace and Andy Collins set to join the club’s most coveted list.
The four former Hawks who combine for a cumulative 14 premiership medals in the brown and gold will be officially inducted to the club’s Hall of Fame on July 22 at the Plaza Ballroom, along with former President William ‘Bill’ Hulse.
The club will also unveil its latest Legend elevation at the event, with two-time premiership captain Don Scott becoming the ninth Hawk to gain that illustrious status.
Hailing from Tasmania, Rodney Eade came across the Bass Strait as a 17-year-old and made his debut for the brown and gold in Round 17 1976. Just nine games later, he became a Hawthorn premiership player.
The speedy wingman soon earned his famous nickname ‘Rocket’ and would go on to win another three flags across his first decade as a Hawk.
Eade totalled 229 games in the brown and gold across 12 seasons before finishing his career at the Brisbane Bears.
Darrin Pritchard also called Tasmania home before joining the Hawks through the inaugural national draft in 1986, selected with Pick 26.
Pritchard didn’t take long to push into the powerful senior side of the late 1980s as a talented and pacey wingman, before his first flag in 1988.
By 1989, Pritchard was among the league’s elite running machines, so much so, he earned recognition in the VFL Team of the Year, along with back-to-back grand final wins.
Pritchard was among the Hawks who again reached the top of the mountain in 1991, as the club toasted its third premiership in four seasons.
Terry Wallace also enjoyed a decorated career at Hawthorn, playing in three premierships over nine seasons.
Wallace joined the Hawks as a 19-year-old from VFA side Camberwell and went on to play every game in his debut season of 1978, including Hawthorn’s Grand Final win.
Playing predominantly in the centre, Wallace earned the nicknamed ‘Plough’, which mirrored his tough and in-and-under way of playing.
Wallace took out his first Peter Crimmins Perpetual Memorial Trophy in 1981, but his best was yet to come. Averaging more than 30 disposals across 25 games, Wallace collected his second Peter Crimmins Medal in 1983, a year that culminated in his second premiership, as the Hawks thumped the Bombers by 83 points.
Wallace played his final season for the brown and gold in 1986, finishing with 174 games and 96 goals to his name.
Andy Collins was renowned as a feisty back pocket during Hawthorn’s celebrated era of the 1980s.
The ever-reliable defender chalked up 212 games for the Hawks, including a club-record 189 consecutive appearances.
Following back-to-back premierships in ‘88 & ’89, ‘Collo’ enjoyed a career season in 1990 where he finished equal fifth in the Brownlow Medal along with being awarded the Peter Crimmins Perpetual Memorial Trophy.
The triumphs kept coming for Collins, as he enjoyed his third flag the very next year in Hawthorn’s 53-point victory over West Coast in the Waverley Park Grand Final of 1991.
Don Scott was recognised as one of the most fearless ruckmen of his era, playing with enormous courage and toughness.
Scott played 302 games in the brown and gold over a 15-year career that spanned between 1967 and 1981, winning three premierships with the club as well as the 1973 best and fairest award.
The club's captain from 1976 to 1980, Scott was the ultimate competitor - doing what was necessary to win with a remorseless mode of attrition.
Scott displayed an additional dimension to his service to the club when he helped rally the faithful in 1996 to prevent the merger proposal with the Melbourne Demons.
Widely regarded as one of the club's greatest players, he became a Hawthorn Life Member in 1974 and was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Hawks Hall of Fame in 2003.
William ‘Bill’ Hulse was a former Hawthorn president who took the helm from 1916, laying the foundations for the club’s transition from the VFA to the VFL in 1925. His 38 years as Hawthorn’s Number 1 ticket holder remains a record to this day.
Bill’s deep love for the club saw him run countless drives to raise funds for his beloved club, which included Carnival and Family days at Glenferrie Oval.