Round 3 has been one of Hawthorn’s best rounds, with 49 victories and 45 losses from 94 matches. The Hawks had a remarkable Round 3 record between 1971 and 1992, winning 19 and losing just three. Hawthorn has also done well in Round 3 in the Clarkson era, winning 10 of 14, including six in a row from 2011 to 2016, before losses to Gold Coast (2017) and Richmond (2018).
The Hawks have a particularly good Round 3 record in years ending in 9 as the following demonstrates:
10 years ago, in Round 3 2009, Hawthorn beat North Melbourne by 54 points at Docklands – 19.9.123 to 10.9.69 – to record a first victory for the season. The goalkickers were headed by Jarryd Roughead (5), Lance Franklin (4) and Stuart Dew (3), with the leading disposal-getters being Brent Guerra (38), Sam Mitchell (37), Chance Bateman (29) and third-gamer Brendan Whitecross (29). Future Hawthorn Premiership stars, Josh Gibson and David Hale, were in the North opposition.
20 years ago, in Round 3 1999, Hawthorn 16.12.112 defeated Fremantle 11.12.78 at Subiaco. Angelo Lekkas, Shane Crawford, Aaron Lord, Paul Salmon and Daniel Harford were among the best for the Hawks.
30 years ago, in Round 3 1989, a Princes Park crowd of 23,922 saw the Hawks defeat their great 1980s rival Essendon by 44 points – 20.15.135 to 13.13.91. The margin was only two points at half-time, but a 6.4 to 2.3 third term set Hawthorn on the path to victory. In just his sixth League game, Dean Anderson starred with four goals from his 21 disposals, while the Brownlow Medallists, Robert Dipierdomeico and John Platten, were both outstanding.
40 years ago, in Round 3 1979, reigning Premiers Hawthorn secured its first win for the season with a 40-point victory against Geelong at Princes Park – 19.15.123 to 11.17.83. Michael Moncrieff kicked seven goals, which only earned him sixth on the list of best players behind Rodney Eade, Kelvin Moore, Peter Murnane, Norm Goss and Peter Knights.
50 years ago, in Round 3 1969, Hawthorn bounced back from a humiliating 128-point defeat against reigning Premiers Carlton to record a meritorious 13-point win against 1968 runners-up Essendon at Windy Hill – 14.14.98 to 12.13.85. Peter Hudson kicked six goals, while Peter Crimmins was outstanding around the ground gathering 26 kicks.
60 years ago, in Round 3 1959, Hawthorn recorded a 44-point victory against Footscray at the Western Oval, in a game in which only three goals were scored by either side against the wind, Hawthorn won 15.12.102 to 8.10.58. Les Kaine kicked six goals and Geoff Wilson booted a career-high four.
80 years ago, in Round 3 1939, Hawthorn made it two wins out of three to start the season for the first time in its 15-year League history, with a 50-poin thrashing of Geelong at Glenferrie – 17.14.116 to 8.18.66. Alby Naismith booted six goals, with Alec Albiston and Arthur Davidson both contributing four.
2019 is the fifth season in the Clarkson era where the Hawks have begun the season with a Round 1 victory, followed by a Round 2 defeat.
In three of the four previous cases (2006, 2012 and 2015), Hawthorn then proceeded to win in Round 3, a trend which hopefully will be continued on Sunday against North Melbourne. The exception was 2010, when the Round 1 victory was followed by successive defeats.
Hawthorn has begun a season kicking the same total in the first two games for just the third time in its history, with scores of 12.15.87 in Round 1 and 13.9.87 in Round 2.
In 1944, Hawthorn kicked 9.14.68 in a pair of defeats, and in 1985 Hawthorn recorded 15.10.100 and 14.16.100, both again being losing scores. The good news is that, in both seasons, the Hawks then won their third game.
Tom Scully has become the 27th player to represent Hawthorn after already playing for two other VFL-AFL clubs. There were 11 instances of third clubbers in Hawthorn’s first 18 seasons in the VFL, but then none between 1942 and 1983. Brent Guerra and Matt Spangher are the only two who made Hawthorn their third home who went on to play in a Premiership in the brown and gold.
Scully has been given the number 21 guernsey, which is the only Hawthorn number between 1 and 35 which has been worn in fewer than three Premiership wins. It has only been worn in one Flag-winning team which was by Michael Byrne in 1983.
The loss to the Bulldogs was just the fourth time in Hawthorn has surrendered a lead of 30 points or more at three quarter time. Two of the three previous instances were also against the Bulldogs (1957 and 1982), and the other was versus Brisbane Bears in 1995.
Hawthorn has played North Melbourne more than any other opponent, with the 174 meetings between the clubs being comfortably ahead of the 166 games the Hawks have played against their next most common rivals, Carlton and Sydney. Hawthorn has won 96 times against the Kangaroos, lost 76 and drawn two. Hawthorn’s best winning sequence against North Melbourne was 14 from 1985 to 1993.
The individual goalkicking record for Hawthorn in Round 3 is 11 kicked by Leigh Matthews versus Essendon at Waverley in 1973. Michael Moncrieff had a particular liking for Round 3, kicking 10 in both 1974 versus South Melbourne and 1976 against Collingwood.
Lance Franklin’s 13 goals in 2012 set a new club record against North Melbourne, breaking the previous high of 10 kicked jointly by Alec Albiston (1940) and Jason Dunstall (1988).
