This round marks the 100^th anniversary of Hawthorn’s first win in the VFL/ AFL in Round 5, 1925.

The victory came against fellow new entrant Footscray, a team Hawthorn had failed to defeat in the two clubs' time together in the VFA. Of course, given the different season timing (the 1925 season beginning on 2 May), this game was not played until 30 May.

A crowd of 10,000 at Glenferrie saw an even first half with the visitors ahead by two points at the long interval, but then a 3.3-0.3 third quarter set up victory for the brown and gold. The final score was Hawthorn 10.14.74 to Footscray 8.10.58.

Les Woodford kicked three goals to take his season tally to 14, an incredible start to a league career for the 28-year-old who had previously played in suburban football. Clem Splatt was rated best-on-ground, with a feature being his defensive marking in the final quarter which repelled several Footscray attacks.

The only thing which soured the victory was a report of Wal Williams for disputing an umpire’s decision for which he received a 12-game suspension, which remains the longest any Hawthorn player has received in 100 years in the VFL-AFL.

There is also an interesting 50^th anniversary this round as Round 5 1975 was the first instance of Hawthorn having as many as 12 individual goalkickers in a game.

The Hawks made it five wins in a row at the start of the season, with a comprehensive 55-point victory over Melbourne at Princes Park – 19.22.136 to 11.15.81. Michael Tuck was adjudged best-on-ground, although he was a little inaccurate with his goalkicking, contributing 2.5, while Leigh Matthews was the leading goalkicker with four.

The 12 individual goalkickers broke the previous club record of 11 set in 1971. Having never had 12 individual goalkickers in the club’s first half-century in the VFL-AFL, there were 37 instances in the second half-century, reflecting both changes in scoring patterns and Hawthorn’s greater success.

These were highlighted by having an equal VFL-AFL record 16 goalkickers against St Kilda in 2000. The most recent instance of 12 individual goalkickers was against North Melbourne in Round 24 last season.

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Finn Maginness is scheduled to play his 50^th game this week, which gives the Maginness family the incredible record of having three generations reach the 50-game mark at Hawthorn.

Finn’s grandfather Norm played 64 games (1953-58) and his father Scott played 131 games (1988-96). Norm played in Hawthorn’s first VFL Final in 1957 and Scott played in the 1988 and 1989 Premiership teams. Between Norm and Scott, both of whom were defenders, are only credited with eight goals, so Finn has them covered with his 12.

The Maginness family is one of only two generations of Hawthorn families who have each played 50 or more league games, with the other family being the Kennedy family. 

However, the Maginness family is the first family to have three generations who have played each of their 50 or more games solely for Hawthorn, in what is a remarkable piece of history. 

This season is the ninth time Hawthorn has begun a year with four consecutive victories and five of the previous ones ended up becoming premiership seasons – 1971, 1976, 1986, 2008 and 2014.

In six of the eight previous 4-0 starts, Hawthorn also won in Round 5, although it should also be noted that the two defeats, in 1986 and 2014, hardly proved disastrous, as both seasons ended with Grand Final victories.

2025 is the eighth season in which Hawthorn has been on top of the VFL-AFL ladder after Round 4, the previous occasions being 1957, 1975, 1984, 1989, 2001, 2008 and 2014. These seasons produced three premierships, and nothing lower than a fourth-placed finish.

Hawthorn’s comeback from 35 points down at quarter-time against GWS was the fourth biggest from that interval in club history.

The only bigger quarter-time deficits which the Hawks have overcome were 51 points (St Kilda 1999), 38 (Geelong 1946) and 37 (North Melbourne 1987). Perhaps surprisingly, all three of those games had bigger winning margins than the 12 points against the Giants being 13, 31 and 22 respectively.

It was the largest quarter-time deficit which Hawthorn had already erased by half-time, with the previous largest being when trailing 32 points at quarter-time against St Kilda in 2011.

Hawthorn has defeated Port Adelaide just twice at the Adelaide Oval, in 2016 and 2022, compared to seven defeats. Overall, at Adelaide Oval, Hawthorn has an 8-11 split from 19 matches, with the most recent victory at the ground being a 66-point thrashing of Adelaide in Round 20 last season. At all venues, Hawthorn and Port Adelaide have played 41 times, with the Hawks winning 17 and the Power 24.

Hawthorn has played 99 games in Round 5 for 42 wins and 57 losses (having a bye in 1993). The Hawks have only won once in Round 5 in the past seven seasons, but it was a memorable victory, against Geelong on Easter Monday 2022.

10 years ago, in Round 5 2015, Hawthorn extended its lead at every break to defeat North Melbourne by 60 points – 19.16.130 to 10.10.70. Luke Breust and Jack Gunston both kicked four goals, while Sam Mitchell got three Brownlow votes for his 33 disposals and a goal.

30 years ago, in Round 5 1995, scores were level at 3.7-apeice at half-time on a wet Sunday afternoon at Waverley, but the Peter Knights-coached Hawks then powered away to defeat Collingwood by 59 points – 14.12.96 to 4.13.37. Jason Dunstall kicked six goals and Paul Hudson three, as John Platten starred, earning the three Brownlow votes for his 34 disposals and two goals.

40 years ago, in Round 5 1985, Hawthorn recorded its highest losing score, kicking 21.23.149, but still losing by 39 points, as Richmond kicked 29.14.188. The aggregate of 337 points between the two teams is also a record for a game involving Hawthorn.

Round 5 produced what was then the highest, and remains the second highest, individual goal tally in Hawthorn history, when Peter Hudson kicked 16 against Melbourne at Glenferrie in 1969.

Lance Franklin holds the record for the highest tally by a Hawthorn player against Port Adelaide with eight at the MCG in 2011.