This round marks the 30^th anniversary of Jason Dunstall becoming just the third player in VFL-AFL history to reach 1,000 career goals.

In Round 23 1994, Dunstall joined Gordon Coventry and Doug Wade in the exclusive 1,000 goals club, and he has subsequently been followed by Tony Lockett, Gary Ablett Snr. and Lance Franklin. 

Given his Queensland origins, it was perhaps appropriate that Dunstall reached the milestone playing against Brisbane at the Gabba, kicking the 1,000^th goal early, with the first of his six goals for the match.

This week also sees Dunstall turning 60, followed just five days later by fellow Hawthorn forward great, Dermott Brereton. Dunstall turns 60 this Wednesday, 14 August and on Monday, 19 August Brereton does the same.

The two greats played together in four premiership teams (Brereton had already played in the 1983 Flag before Dunstall arrived at the club), a remarkable strike rate given the two champion forwards only played together on 126 occasions.

Last Sunday, the Hawks restricted Carlton to the third-lowest score it has ever recorded against Hawthorn. The two lower Carlton scores against the Hawks than last Sunday’s 5.8.38 were 4.12.36 (1971) and 4.11.35 (2015). So only Hawthorn teams that went on to win the flag have kept the Blues to lower scores.

Last Sunday’s attendance of 84,773 was the fifth-highest ever to watch a Hawthorn home and away game. It was easily the biggest against Carlton, smashing the previous record of 69,814 set in 2009.

Hawthorn has now had eight home and away crowds above 80,000 and 2024 becomes the first season to have produced two such crowds, following the 92,311 against Richmond in Round 14. The previous six 80,000-plus crowds prior to 2024 had included three against Collingwood and three versus Geelong. 

It also means Hawthorn has recorded four crowds above 70,000 this season, with 2024 joining 2013 and 2014 in this category, and it also takes the club to five 60,000-plus attendances this season, equalling the record of five times, which previously occurred in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015.

Having already beaten Richmond in Round 14 this season, this Sunday provides Hawthorn with the opportunity to win consecutive games against Richmond for the first time since 2016. 

In the seven seasons from 2017 to 2023, the two clubs played 10 times, with the Hawks managing just a solitary victory (2020) and a draw (2021), both of those matches being played without crowds in the Covid-era.

Hawthorn has had some long winning sequences against Richmond, including 16 (1985-94) and 10 (1959-64), but overall, the Hawks trail the Tigers 72 to 93, with one draw. The deficit of 21 is the result of Hawthorn losing its first 21 matches versus Richmond.

After a stellar 99^th game against Carlton, Harry Morrison is on track to play 100 games and in the process become the sixth-lowest pick by Hawthorn in the National Draft to reach 100 games at the club. 

Morrison was taken with pick 74 in the 2016 National Draft. The five lower picks to reach 100 games (not counting rookie elevations) were Jade Rawlings (pick 94), Kris Barlow (pick 86), Nathan Thompson (pick 82), Richie Vandenberg (pick 78) and Ben Dixon (pick 77).

This Sunday, Hawthorn will be hoping to extend its winning run in home games to seven. Since the last defeat in a home game to Sydney in Round 7, Hawthorn has won six consecutive home games – three at University of Tasmania Stadium, two at the MCG and one at Docklands. The current Hawks still have a way to go to equal the club record of 21 set from 1987 to 1989 – 15 at Princes Park and six at Waverley. 

Hawthorn has played 14 games in Round 23, for 11 wins (1991, 1994 and 2011-19), one draw (2021) and two losses (2022 and 2023). The Hawks had a bye in Round 23 1992 and there was no Round 23 in 2020. This is the sixth AFL season when Round 23 has been the penultimate round (1991-94, 2023-24). In all other cases, it was the final round.

10 years ago, in Round 23 2014, on a Friday night at the MCG, Hawthorn thrashed Collingwood by 65 points – 18.13.121 to 8.8.56. Jack Gunston kicked five goals and Jarryd Roughead four, with Jordan Lewis and Josh Gibson both playing outstanding games. The win saw the Hawks finish the home and away season in second position, level on points with Geelong, but with a comfortable percentage gap.

30 years ago, in Round 23 1994, in the game where Jason Dunstall kicked his 1,000^th goal (see above), the Hawks prevailed in a tight encounter against the Bears. Needing a win to sneak back into the Eight, Hawthorn dashed away to a 31-point quarter-time lead, but Brisbane fought back before the Hawks steadied to win 15.12.102 to 13.13.91. The best players list was headed by Mark Graham, Andy Collins and Scott Maginness.

Jason Dunstall had an amazing season against Richmond in 1992, booting a club record 17 goals in Round 7, and following it up with a further bag of 12 in Round 22.  In his whole career, Dunstall kicked 111 goals against Richmond, behind only his 116 against the Bulldogs. 

Dunstall also holds the Round 23 record with a tally of six, which included his 1000^th career goal, against Brisbane at the Gabba in 1994 (see above).