The 14-point margin against St Kilda at three quarter-time last Saturday was the largest deficit at the last change from which Hawthorn has come back and won for seven years.
In Round 3 2016, also at Docklands, the Hawks came from 19 points behind at three quarter-time to defeat the Western Bulldogs by three points.
In both games, James Sicily was a star, in the 2016 game kicking three last quarter goals, including the match-winner at the 33-minute mark.
James Sicily has become just the ninth Hawthorn player to have 43 or more disposals in a game.
Tom Mitchell did it multiple times, while Sicily joins Terry Wallace, John Platten, Anthony Condon, Jordan Lewis, Luke Hodge, Josh Gibson and Sam Mitchell as individuals who have done it once.
Luke Breust’s sealing goal against St Kilda means he now has 499 career goals.
When he reaches 500 goals, he will give Hawthorn back the outright lead as the club with most players to have 500 career goals.
He will be the seventh Hawk to reach the milestone putting the club ahead of Richmond (6), Collingwood (5) and St Kilda (5).
Last Saturday, Hawthorn had an unchanged team for the first time since 2017.
In Rounds 18 and 19 2017, Hawthorn had the same team in an away win against Fremantle and a home victory over Sydney.
Only three members of that unchanged team in 2017, Luke Breust, Blake Hardwick and James Sicily also appeared in last week’s unchanged team, although there are eight other members of that 2017 team still on rival clubs’ AFL lists in 2023.
This was the sixth occasion when Hawthorn has kept an unchanged team after a win by 100 points or more (of the 28 possible times) and Saturday’s win made it five wins from six when an unchanged team has been selected after a 100-point win.
James Sicily’s suspension will end a sequence of 33 consecutive games he has played since returning from missing the entire 2021.
Other current players with significant consecutive games sequences are Blake Hardwick with 38, Jai Newcombe with 35 and Dylan Moore with 33. If one includes his last 73 games at Port Adelaide, Karl Amon has an AFL consecutive games sequence of 84.
Hawthorn has defeated Port Adelaide twice at the Adelaide Oval, in 2016 and in Round 2 last season, compared to four defeats, in 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2020.
Overall, at Adelaide Oval, Hawthorn has an even 7-7 split from 14 matches.
At all venues, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide have played 38 times, with the Hawks winning 17 and losing 21.
Hawthorn’s record in Round 12 games is 41 wins and 54 losses from 95 games.
The club has had the bye in Round 12 in three recent seasons (2018, 2019 and 2021).
Last season in Round 12, Hawthorn suffered a narrow defeat against Collingwood.
10 years ago, in Round 12 2013, Hawthorn made it ten wins in a row, defeating Carlton by 15 points – 15.12.102 to 13.9.87.
A Friday night Docklands crowd of 45,670 saw Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead both kick four for the Hawks.
Josh Gibson was the Hawk with the most Coaches votes, but Luke Hodge received the three Brownlow votes.
20 years ago, in Round 12 2003, Hawthorn beat eventual Grand Finalist Collingwood by 33 points – 12.12.84 to 6.15.51.
The Hawks got on top with a 4.3 to 1.2 second quarter.
The Brownlow votes went to Nick Holland, Chance Bateman and Richie Vandenberg.
30 years ago, in Round 12 1993, Hawthorn thrashed St Kilda by 78 points at Waverley – 23.14.152 to 11.8.74.
In a stunningly good performance, Paul Hudson had 30 disposals and kicked seven goals.
40 years ago, in Round 12 1983, fourth-placed Hawthorn (6-5) upset ladder leader Fitzroy (9-2) by 33 points in a high-scoring game at Princes Park – 25.17.167 to 21.8.134.
The Age reported that Hawthorn’s ‘senior citizens were great form’ as ‘Leigh Matthews was indestructible, Peter Knights irrepressible and Michael Tuck indefatigable’.
And Terry Wallace was even better, having 32 disposals and kicking three goals.
50 years ago, in Round 12 1973, eighth-placed Hawthorn defeated fifth-place North Melbourne by 15 points in wet and muddy conditions at Glenferrie Oval – 12.13.85 to 10.10.70.
The Hawks’ Alan Martello was clear best-on-ground, with others in the best including Leigh Matthews and Michael Moncrieff.
Lance Franklin’s eight goals at the MCG in 2011 is the highest tally by a Hawthorn player against Port Adelaide.
Jason Dunstall holds the individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn in Round 12 – with 11 against Brisbane bears at Carrara in 1987, which he later equaled against Sydney at the SCG in 1994.
