WINS and losses, goals and points, kicks and handballs, and guernsey numbers made famous by the feats of footballers wearing them in September.
There’s no denying football is a numbers game.
Hawthorn has had plenty of players deliver in big finals over the years, and the current crop of Hawks will be striving to bring more success and silverware to the club in 2015.
hawthornfc.com.au caught up with a number of former Hawks greats, who talk about finals football and the player currently wearing the guernsey number they enjoyed success in.
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“When you first play footy you’re really excited and really nervous. Then you become an established player and you become more clinical about the game and it’s only in finals again that you get that real excitement and nervousness, it gives you that sharpness and it gives you a great smile on your face.”
Andy Collins knows exactly what finals football is all about.
A triple-premiership player with the Hawks, in 1988, 1989 and 1991, Collins played 212 games across 10 seasons, featuring in finals action in his first eight years.
After playing his first two seasons in guernsey number 40, which included the 1988 premiership, Collins spent four seasons in number four and the following four seasons in number five.
The 1990 Club Champion became the first Hawk to wear the number five since the late Peter Crimmins, when he donned the guernsey for the first time in 1993.
“A lot of people don’t realise I was born and bred a Hawthorn supporter,” Collins told hawthornfc.com.au.
“I was the biggest fan of Peter Crimmins… he was my favourite player growing up, so it was a great honour.
“From a personal honour perspective, (the highlight) was to wear Peter Crimmins’ jumper, and from a team perspective it was obviously to play in premierships.”
“1989 was the most significant one.
“Winning 1988, we won it by a really big margin against Melbourne and it was really nice to be a premiership player, but to be the first Hawthorn team to go back-to-back, and the way that we won it… that was a really special grand final.”
Collins can see the two players wearing the guernseys he spent the most time in – Matt Suckling (four) and Sam Mitchell (five) having a big role to play for the Hawks this finals series.
Suckling played his 100th game in the Hawks’ semi final win, and while he and Collins couldn’t be more different – “he’s a booming left foot and I was a short kicking right foot, he’s more outside and I was really physical” - it’s his kicking game Collins believes can have a big impact.
“I really think he’s an integral part of the Hawthorn footy team in regards to his kicking game – definitely in regards to when he’s at his best I feel he runs and spreads away from the ball really well,” Collins said.
Mitchell is a family favourite in the Collins household – and will vie for All Australian selectionon Tuesday night after an outstanding season.
“Sammy was really good at a very young age when my son met him and so he’s always been the favourite of the Collins household. We really admire the way he plays his footy and what he’s been able to achieve at the Hawthorn footy club.”
Collins, who will coach Williamstown against Box Hill Hawks in Sunday’s VFL grand final, believes the Hawks’ best “still supersedes most opponents”.
When he played, the group was “a really committed and driven playing group that was just so hungry for success,” and he believes the current group is similar.
“I think that if you talk to Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell (and those types of guys) they really play for finals,” he said.
“And I’m sure they crave that premiership success. Those boys are three time premiership players already, and I’m sure that they crave for a lot more.”
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