Each year the Hawks Museum acknowledges three players who typified the spirit of the brown and gold. They are the players who supporters believed could inspire the team to victory, could be counted on to give their all no matter the odds, the players that the supporters adopted as cult figures.
The three players honoured for 2015 are Tom Allsop (1949 - 1953), Geoff Ablett (1973 -1982) and Greg Dear (1985 - 1993)
This tribute to the three players features memorabilia from their respective family collections. You can see Tom Allsop’s black leather boots, his Sandringham guernsey worn 1959, Geoff Ablett’s 1977 guernsey, his running spikes worn in the Grand Final Sprints 1979, 1980, 1981 and his winners sash from 1980. Greg Dear’s memorabilia includes his Gardiner medal that he won in 1985, his three premiership medals and his 1989 Premiership guernsey.
When Tom Allsop brought his memorabilia into the museum, he told a remarkable story of how he gained selection for his first game back in 1949, Round 16 against Fitzroy . He had the habit of going to the movies every Thursday night with some of his teammates after football training. Conveniently, an interval at the movies occurred at the time when the teams were being read out on the radio and he always popped into the local hamburger shop to listen. This particular Thursday he got a huge shock when he heard his name, Allsop in the ‘ins’ and was way too excited to return for the second half of the movie. Instead he ran all the way home on Hill Street to tell his mother the good news that he was in the team.
Allsop lived in Hawthorn and his family initially followed St Kilda. That was all to change when he was invited to train then play with the Hawthorn Thirds in 1947. He always prided himself with his dedication to fitness, this dedication allowed him to finish games full of running. His efforts saw him being awarded the Best First Year Player.
In 1949 he started with the Seconds and displayed continued improvement being promoted to the senior list for the last four games. He made his debut with his good mate Lance Wilkinson. Allsop then pulled out his scrapbook to show the newspaper report of one of his proudest achievements with the Hawks. In their second game together, the bottom placed Hawks toppled top team North Melbourne by 18 points at Glenferrie, the smile on Allsop’s face said it all.
Allsop’s best years were 1952-53 when he played 33 of a possible 37 games. He enjoyed playing under the guidance of the new coach Jack Hale as Allsop thought he would give anyone a go if he thought they were genuine triers.
After leaving Hawthorn, Allsop went on to enjoy a successful career with Sandringham in the VFA playing in a number of finals before retiring. He was a very active member of the Past Players Association and regularly attended training nights with his good mates George Edwards, Ted Fletcher and Lance Wilkinson.
Geoff Ablett was a long-kicking winger recruited from Drouin, he was the first of the Ablett brothers to establish himself as a VFL star. Brothers Kevin (1977-80) played 31 games, Gary (1982) 6 games for the Hawks, with Gary becoming a super star in later years with Geelong. Their sister Faye married Hawk Legend, Michael Tuck.
Ablett was one of the fastest players in the league during his era, winning the footballer’s Grand Final sprint three years in a row. This event was held at half time during the Grand Final and was keenly contested with the players wearing their club guernseys.
A knee injury in his first season at senior level held him back temporarily, but upon his return Ablett made an immediate impact, initially as a long-kicking centreman, then as a free flowing winger. Known to the fans as the ‘Racehorse’ he captivated the spectators with inspiring team-lifting dashes as he charged forward with the ball. Capable of strong overhead marks he scored many a telling goal when required. He played in Hawthorn’s 1976 and 1978 premiership sides.
He later returned to the Club and instigated a very successful fitness program for local schools and served as MC in the popular Tucky’s Ton Club both at Waverley and the MCG.
Greg Dear, recruited from Traralgon was a somewhat underrated big man who played a key role in three premierships, 1986, 1988 and 1989. He was a hard-working knock ruckman who always gave his utmost.
He forced his way into the senior side in 1985 after dominating the Reserve Grade to such an extent that he won the Gardiner Medal (jointly with teammate James Bennett). Many thought he should have been picked in the 1985 losing senior grand final at Essendon as his height may have stood him in better stead against Essendon’s Simon Madden, with the star Bomber ruckman winning the Norm Smith Medal.
Dear was a permanent fixture in the Hawthorn side from 1986 onwards, playing an understated role in the star-studded midfield. Despite playing in the same era as the illustrious Madden, his brother Justin and other fine big men, Dear represented Victoria in State-of-Origin, a testament to his standing in the game.
He severely injured a knee in 1991, ruining his season including missing the Premiership however all was not lost with the Dear family as his younger brother Paul played a telling game in the Grand Final, winning the Norm Smith Medal.
Unfortunately, Dear was the victim of the cash squeeze at Hawthorn that also forced out Gary Ayres and Dermott Brereton. In his last year 1993, he continued to make a valuable contribution to the teams performance. He revived his career at Richmond playing another 53 games and 1995 he was a vital component in the Tigers’ finals campaign.
Tom Allsop
Played 1949 - 1953
Guernsey 4
Games 58
Goals 42
2nd 18 Best & Fairest 1949
3rd 18 Best First Year Player 1947
Geoff Ablett
Played 1973 – 1982
Guernsey 2
Games 202
Goals 135
Premiership 1976, 1978
Night Premiership 1977
Most Serviceable Player 1977
Greg Dear
Played 1985 – 1993
Guernsey 14
Games 137
Goals 18
Premiership 1986, 1988, 1989
Night Premiership 1985, 1986, 1991
2nd 18 Premiership 1985
2nd 18 Gardiner Medal 1985
Best Team Player 1988
Most Serviceable Player 1988
Most Improved Player 1986
