The 2024 Hawks have joined some illustrious predecessors in making a clean sweep of all their games Docklands in a season.

Hawthorn has recorded 2024 Marvel Stadium wins against North Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and Brisbane Lions and, with no more of the club’s games scheduled there this season, the perfect record will remain intact.

Other seasons when the Hawks won every game at Docklands were 2002, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2020.

The Hawks will be hoping that the Docklands’ success transfers to the MCG where currently the club is on a six-game losing streak, not having won there since beating Collingwood in Round 21 last season. This is Hawthorn’s longest losing streak at the MCG for 20 years when the Hawks lost nine consecutive games during the 2004 season.

Luke Breust being the substitute for the past three matches brings back memories of the start of his AFL career when he was the sub in his first five games. In a sign of his potential, he kicked seven goals in his opening five games, despite being in the sub role.

With the sub system in operation from 2011 to 2015, and again from 2021 onwards, there have been six instances of the same Hawk being the sub in three or more consecutive games with Breust and Shane Savage both doing so twice, and Bradley Hill and Henry Hustwaite doing so once each.

This Saturday, Jack Gunston will become the eighth player to reach the 250 VFL-AFL games milestone while playing for Hawthorn, but without reaching 250 Hawthorn games at the same time. 

The seven previous recruits from other clubs, to achieve this feat were Russell Greene, Paul Salmon, Peter Everitt, Brent Guerra, Shaun Burgoyne, Brian Lake and Ben McEvoy. Hawthorn has won four of these previous milestones, with the most memorable being Finals wins for Greene in the 1985 Qualifying Final and for Lake in the 2015 Preliminary Final.

Last Sunday, Hawthorn kicked a score of exactly 100 for the 23^rd time in the club’s VFL-AFL history. Before last week’s game, the most recent Hawthorn score of 100 had been recorded against Fremantle in 2017. The Hawthorn 100s have been scored in three ways - 15.10.100 on 14 occasions, 14.16.100 seven times and 13.22.100 just twice, most famously in the 1976 Grand Final.

Will Day’s goal on Sunday took his career goals tally to 12, equaling that of his grandfather Robert Day who kicked his 12 career goals in 38 games in 1971-72.

Hawthorn has won 12 of its last 16 games against Adelaide, including several thrillers. There was victory by five points in the 2012 Preliminary Final, plus three-point wins in both 2016 and 2021. 

When the Hawks and Crows most recently met at the MCG in 2018, Hawthorn had a comprehensive 56-point win – 12.16.88 to 4.8.32, with James Sicily getting 24 disposals, three goals, and three Brownlow votes. In total, the Hawks and Crows have played 47 times, with Hawthorn holding a 25-22 advantage.

Hawthorn’s record in Round 12 games is 41 wins and 55 losses from 96 games. The club has not had a Round 12 victory since thrashing Essendon by 108 points in 2016, but the last seven seasons have included three Round 12 byes.

10 years ago, in Round 12 2014, Jarryd Roughead kicked an equal career-high eight goals as Hawthorn defeated West Coast in Launceston by 44 points – 19.9.123 to 12.7.79. Debutant Luke Lowden kicked three goals and, as this remained his only game, he took over the mantle of most goals in a one-game Hawthorn career from Dan Minogue’s two in 1926. Another quirk of this game is that Matthew Spangher received the only Brownlow vote of his career.

30 years ago, in Round 12 1994, Hawthorn thrashed Sydney by 58 points at the SCG – 21.15.141 to 13.5.83. Jason Dunstall kicked 11 goals, while Darren Jarman (28 disposals and three goals) was also outstanding. An interesting feature of the game was that Dermott Brereton played against Hawthorn for the first time, kicking three goals.

40 years ago, in Round 12 1984, the clash of League heavyweights at Princes Park failed to live up to expectations as Hawthorn comfortably defeated Essendon by 47 points – 12.21.93 to 6.10.46. Hawthorn’s best included Gary Ayres, Chris Mew and Michael Tuck, while veteran full-back Kelvin Moore, playing just his fifth game for the season, restricted the Bombers’ boom full-forward Paul Salmon to two goals.

50 years ago, in Round 12 1974, Hawthorn defeated reigning Premiers Richmond for the second time in the season, securing a 23-point victory at Princes Park - 19.17.131 to 15.18.108. Leigh Matthews kicked five goals, Michael Moncrieff four and John Hendrie three. Matthews and Hendrie headed the list of best players followed by Kelvin Matthews, Leon Rice, Des Meagher, Geoff Ablett and Peter Crimmins.

60 years ago, in Round 12 1964, the Hawks recorded a 52-point win against South Melbourne at Glenferrie – 15.13.103 to 6.15.51. John Peck kicked five goals and Rod Olsson four, but Phil Hay’s continuing outstanding form saw him again rated best-on-ground.

Jason Dunstall holds the Hawthorn individual goal-kicking record against Adelaide, kicking nine goals on three separate occasions – in 1993 and 1994 (both at Football Park) and in 1996 (at Waverley).

Dunstall also holds the individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn in Round 12 – with 11 against the Brisbane Bears at Carrara in 1987, which he later equalled against Sydney at the SCG in 1994.