Hawthorn takes a mixed record in Grand Final rematches into this week’s clash with last season’s Grand Final opponent Sydney.
The Hawks have played in 17 previous rematches, winning 8 and losing 9, doing slightly better when runner-up the previous season (3-3), than as reigning Premier (5-6). The five wins as reigning Premier were over North Melbourne (1979), Essendon (1984), Carlton (1987), Geelong (1990) and Fremantle (2014).
***********
Last Saturday’s 105 point win against Melbourne was the 25th time Hawthorn has won a game by 100 points or more, compared to 19 losses by over 100. It is striking that in Hawthorn’s first 45 seasons in the League the club did not win a single game by over 100 points and lost 13 matches by that margin. In the last 45 years, Hawthorn has won 25 and lost just 6. It is now almost a decade since the Hawks last lost by more than 100 points (versus Port Adelaide in Round 13 2005), with 8 victories by 100 points or more coming since then.
***********
Billy Hartung selection as the Rising Star nominee for Round 7 was the first time a Hawthorn player had been chosen since Bradley Hill in Round 6 2013. Overall, Hartung is Hawthorn’s 33rd weekly nominee since the award was instituted in 1993, a tally which places the club fourth behind Brisbane (38), Essendon (35) and West Coast (34).
The club’s first nominee was Shane Crawford in the second week of the award, Round 2 1993. He kicked 5 goals and had 23 disposals in just his second AFL game. Oddly, the nominees from other clubs for both Round 1 and 3 (Peter Everitt and Nathan Chapman) of that first season of the award later played for Hawthorn.
Hartung’s nomination means that there are 11 current Hawks who have been nominees, with Luke Hodge the earliest way back in Round 15 2002. Sam Mitchell was nominated in Round 1 2003 and at the end of that season became the club’s second winner of the award following Nick Holland in 1995.
***********
Overall in Round 8, Hawthorn has won 45 and lost 44 (and had a bye 1992). The round was the equal best (along with Rounds 3 and 21) in the past decade, with 8 wins recorded. The only blemishes came against Melbourne in 2006 and to Sydney at Stadium Australia last season.
However, some of the recent Round 8 wins have not come without a struggle. Twice the Hawks have been 32 points behind at quarter time but recovered, beating Port Adelaide by 15 points in 2008 and St Kilda by 30 points in 2011.
Then there was Round 8 2010 when a Sam Mitchell tackle in the dying seconds secured a season-saving 3 point victory against Richmond at the MCG. That game also marked the Hawthorn debut of Shaun Burgoyne, who sported a helmet to protect a head injury. Having missed the opening 7 games of 2010, Burgoyne has incredibly only missed 4 of a possible 123 Hawthorn games since that day. His arrival marked a major turnaround in Hawthorn’s fortunes. In 2009 and the first seven rounds of 2010, Hawthorn lost a total of 19 games. In Burgoyne’s 119 game Hawthorn career the club has only lost 27 games, giving Burgoyne a winning percentage of over 75 per cent.
10 years ago, in Round 8, Hawthorn recorded the second win of Alastair’s Clarkson’s coaching career defeating Melbourne by 39 points. Mark Williams starred up forward kicking 8.5 while in the midfield Luke Hodge (35 disposals) and Sam Mitchell (28) were in top form.
***********
45 years ago, in Round 8 1970, Hawthorn had one of its most noteworthy games against the Swans. The Hawks had lost their opening seven games of the season, many by narrow margins, and were facing a South Melbourne side having its best season for a quarter century. After an even opening term, a Glenferrie crowd of 17,070 saw Hawthorn burst away in the second quarter kicking 9.7 to 2.3. Peter Hudson was in magnificent form kicking 13 goals as Hawthorn ran out 21.20.146 to 12.12.84 winners.
***********
One reader has asked whether Tasmania is the state, apart from Victoria, which has produced the most Hawthorn 200 game players. The answer is yes. Last Saturday, Grant Birchall became the third Tasmanian after Rodney Eade (229 games) and Darrin Pritchard (211) to reach the 200 game milestone at Hawthorn. Overall, there have now been 31 players to have reached 200 games and, as well as the three Tasmanians, there have been 24 Victorians, and one player each from Queensland (Jason Dunstall), New South Wales (Shane Crawford), South Australia (John Platten) and Western Australia (Ted Pool).
***********
Hawthorn and Sydney do not have a long history of playing at the MCG, having met there for the first time as recently as 2001. The two clubs have met 15 times at the venue with the Hawks holding a 10-5 advantage, including winning 8 of the last 9. Overall, Hawthorn has played the Swans 158 times, recording 88 wins, 68 defeats and two draws.
***********
As described above, Peter Hudson booted 13 against the Swans in this round in 1970, which is also the Round 8 record. Hudson had also kicked 13 against the Swans in Round 11 1969.
