A quarter of a century ago this week, Dermott Brereton kicked a career-high 11 goals. 

He achieved the feat in Round 16 1990, as Hawthorn crushed Richmond at the MCG by 91 points – 25.9.159 to 10.8.68.

It was a much needed win for the Hawks after the previous week’s defeat had put them out of the five with an 8-7 record, quite a decline for the reigning back-to-back premiers.

Reflecting the gravity of the situation, the Hawks had made eight changes, the most in living memory, highlighted by the return of Chris Mew from his half-season retirement. 

Another player coming in was Glenn Nugent, who made his debut wearing number 55, the second highest number worn in Hawthorn history.

Nugent had an excellent first game accumulating 21 disposals kicking two goals, and getting two Brownlow votes.

Also among the goals was Gary Ayres, who kicked five, equaling his career-high, which he had previously kicked way back in the 1979 season.

However, the star was Brereton whose 11 goals bettered his previous high of eight in the 1985 Grand Final.

What made his effort more meritorious was that he had broken ribs that required him to wear a vest to protect them.

As he told the Herald Sun last month, in an article about playing when injured, “the first contest (that day) was the hardest... Once I got hit, it went through me like a knife.”

The crowd of 25,532 also had to get used to watching in a very different MCG.

Half of the roof of the old Southern Stand had been removed in preparation for its post-season demolition prior to the building of the new Great Southern Stand.

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Hawthorn has played the Swans 159 times, recording 88 wins, 69 defeats and two draws.

This Saturday night, the two teams will clash at ANZ Stadium for the fourth time.

The Hawks lost there in 2009 and 2014, but won in 2013.

In Round 23 2013 Hawthorn trailed by 18, nine and 10 at the breaks, but stormed home to win 17.10.112 to 16.4.100.

Jarryd Roughead kicked four goals, while Shaun Burgoyne and Brad Sewell both had 27 disposals.
 

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Luke Hodge has become the sixth individual to captain Hawthorn in 100 games.

His century was made up of 88 games since he was appointed captain at the start of the 2011 season, and 12 as acting captain prior to then.

Like four of his five predecessors to reach 100, Don Scott, Leigh Matthews, Michael Tuck and Shane Crawford, Hodge celebrated the occasion with a win.

The only exception was the first captain to get to 100 games, Graham Arthur, who reached the milestone in Hawthorn’s difficult 1965 season.

Arthur however still has two significant captaincy records. First, he has captained the club in what remains a record 153 games and second, he has a record which will never be broken as the captain of the club’s first ever Premiership team in 1961.  
 

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Last week's Flashbacks featured the fact that Paul Puopolo was to become the first Hawk to play 100 games wearing the number 28 jumper.

This week Isaac Smith joins the centurions club, but in his case joins four previous players who have worn number 16 in 100 games – Leo Murphy, Lance Wilkinson, Norm Bussell and Terry Wallace.

Since Wallace left Hawthorn at the end of 1986, there have been a couple of other number 16s who have gone close to three figures, with Andrew Gowers getting to 89 and Nick Ries to 81.

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Traditionally, Round 16 has been a good round for Hawthorn, recording 47 wins and 43 losses.

The Hawks lost five consecutive Round 16 games from 2004 to 2008, before getting back on track with victories in the five seasons from 2009 to 2013.

However, last season Hawthorn lost a Friday night Docklands encounter against North Melbourne.

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Five years ago, in Round 16 2010, Hawthorn defeated Brisbane Lions at Aurora Stadium, 17.16.118 to 7.1.43, a score very similar to last Sunday.

Shaun Burgoyne played his best game for the Hawks since his Round 8 debut gathering 30 disposals and the three Brownlow votes.

Jordan Lewis was also outstanding with 26 disposals and four goals.

*Fifteen years ago, in Round 16 2000, Hawthorn gained revenge for its Round 1 defeat, thrashing Collingwood at Docklands by 57 points – 19.11.125 to 10.8.68. Ben Dixon kicked six goals, John Barker four and Nick Holland three.

*Forty years ago, in Round 16 1975, the Hawks completed 10 consecutive wins for just the third time in club history.

However, the game was closer than many anticipated with Hawthorn getting home against lowly Melbourne by just 12 points – 17.17.119 to 15.17.107.

A crowd of 18,829 at the MCG saw the roving combination of Leigh Matthews and Barry Rowlings both amass 24 disposals, and boot four and three goals respectively.

*Seventy years ago, in Round 16 1945, Hawthorn stunned previous season’s grand finalist Richmond at Punt Road.

The Hawks were 10^th with just three wins, while Richmond were 5th with 10 wins and outside the four only on percentage.

Hawthorn won 19.7.121 to 15.15.105, with Jim Bohan kicking six goals and Alec Albiston and ‘Butch’ Prior four apiece.
 

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Peter Hudson holds the individual goals record for Hawthorn against the Swans, twice kicking 13, 1969 and 1970.

Hudson shares the Round 16 Hawthorn record with Jason Dunstall and Dermott Brereton.

Hudson kicked 11 in 1970, which was equaled by Dunstall in 1989 and Brereton in 1990 (see above) respectively.