Reflecting on all the topical milestones and achievements, past and present, as we head into Round 10 of the 2019 season. This is 'Footy Flashbacks'....
For just the third time in the last six decades, Hawthorn’s scores in the opening nine rounds have all been above 50, but below 100. So far this season, the Hawks’ highest score has been 93 in the Round 6 win against Carlton and the lowest was 59 versus Richmond last Sunday.
The most recent instance of all Hawthorn scores being between 50 and 99 in the opening nine rounds was in 1997 when, after Round 9, the Hawks had a 3-6 record with a highest score of 99 and a lowest of 73. The other time this scoring pattern occurred in the past 60 years, was in the club’s first premiership season, 1961, when Hawthorn were 5-4 after nine rounds, with a high of 95 and low of 56. In 1961, the sequence extended all the way until Round 14, before in Round 15 Hawthorn kicked its first century of the season, but only just, with a tally of 15.10.100 against North Melbourne.
This round marks the 40th anniversary of Hawthorn’s first game outside Victoria.
In Round 10 1979, the Hawks played North Melbourne, their opponents from the previous season’s Grand Final, at the SCG in front of a crowd of 31,395. North (with an 8-1 record) were favourites, but it was the reigning Premiers Hawthorn (4-5) who prevailed, winning 23.18.156 to 16.9.105. The Hawks actually trailed by 11 points at half-time, but a stunning 9.4 to 2.2 third quarter turned the game right around.
19-year old, John Kennedy Jnr., in just his fifth League game, was rated among the best, along with Peter Russo, Leigh Matthews, Peter Murnane, Michael Tuck and Norm Goss. The lasting memory of the game was provided by Matthews, who kicked a goal at the Randwick end of the SCG which many rated as among the very best of the 915 he scored in his 332-game career.
This Saturday will be the sixth meeting between Hawthorn and Port Adelaide at University of Tasmania Stadium. Last season’s Round 11 victory gave the Hawks a 3-2 advantage in the contests between the clubs at the venue. Port won the first two encounters in 2002 and 2007, by 40 and five points respectively, before Hawthorn turned it around to win by 15 points (2008), 72 points (2012) and three points (2018).
Amazingly, in the first of these games back in 2002, Shaun Burgoyne was there as a 19-year old making just his third AFL appearance for Port Adelaide.
Hawthorn’s biggest win in its history was against Port Adelaide. At the MCG, in Round 21 2011, the Hawks won by 165 points - 31.11.197 to 5.2.32 - Lance Franklin kicking eight goals and Cyril Rioli six. Both those star forwards received Brownlow votes, but the three votes went to Sam Mitchell who was outstanding in the midfield.
In contrast, five games between Hawthorn and Port have been decided by six points or fewer, with the Hawks winning three of them, all by three points – the 2001 Semi Final, the 2014 Preliminary Final and Round 11 last season. Overall, Hawthorn has won 15 and lost 19 of its 34 matches against the Power.
Port Adelaide has certainly been a fertile recruiting ground for Hawthorn. Chad Wingard has this season joined a list which already included previous several former Port players who have moved to the brown and gold – Stephen Gilham, Brent Guerra, Stuart Dew, Shaun Burgoyne and Jarman Impey. Players who have headed in the other direction include Nathan Lonie, Brent Renouf and Ryan Burton.
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Hawthorn has a positive Round 10 record with 48 wins and 46 defeats, including wins in seven of the last eight seasons, the only blemish in that period being a loss to Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval in 2014.
20 years ago, in Round 10 1999. Hawthorn scored a six-point win against Richmond – 12.15.87 to 11.15.81 – in front of 45,382 at the MCG. Paul Salmon was outstanding, his ruckwork highlighted by a brilliant tap to set up a Richard Taylor goal in the final quarter. Joel Smith played his best game for the club since crossing from St Kilda, while ex-North star Anthony Rock continued his recent good form. Angelo Lekkas also showed why he had been picked to play for Victoria the previous week with another excellent game.
30 years ago, in Round 10 1989, Hawthorn won by five points against West Coast at Subiaco – 16.14.110 to 15.15.105. Jason Dunstall kicked seven goals and Gary Buckenara was outstanding with 39 disposals. However, the victory was soured by the serious broken leg suffered by Paul Abbott, who missed the chance to play in another Premiership team.
Five points had also been the margin thirty years earlier, in Round 10 1959, when Hawthorn 14.13.97 defeated Essendon 12.20.92 at Glenferrie Oval. Garry Young kicked four goals.
And if we go back 90 years ago, to Round 10 1929, we reach a momentous moment in Hawthorn history, with the club recorded consecutive victories for the first time since entering the League four and a half year earlier. In Round 9, Hawthorn had defeated Fitzroy at Glenferrie by 35 points and then in Round 10 backed that result with a 12-point win against North Melbourne at Arden Street – 8.18.66 to 8.6.54.
Lance Franklin holds the Hawthorn individual goalkicking record for Round 10 with his 13 goals against North Melbourne in 2012 surpassing the previous round record of nine, held jointly by Peter Knights (1985), Paul Hudson (1991) and Jason Dunstall (1998), against Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon respectively.
Franklin’s eight goals at the MCG in 2011 is the highest tally by a Hawthorn player against Port Adelaide.
