In celebration of Peter Hudson’s birthday today, we have looked back at his stellar career in the brown and gold.
Take a look at some of his numbers and appreciate just how great he was.
● Across his nine seasons between 1967 and 1977, Peter Hudson maintained a goals per game average of 5.64. This is the greatest average of any player in the history of the game.
● Alongside South Melbourne's Bob Pratt, Hudson also holds the record for most goals in a season - 150. Pratt achieved this in 1934, while Hudson notched 150 goals 37 years later in 1971. Hudson was also responsible for the next best season, kicking 146 the year previous.
● Hudson reached the 100-goals-in-a-season threshold five times. Fellow Hawk legend Jason Dunstall and Tony Lockett are the only players to have bettered Hudson, achieving the feat six times. But, it’s important to note, Lockett played 18 seasons and Dunstall 14 while Hudson only played nine.
● Hudson’s best goals tally in a single game was 16, when he led the Hawks to victory over Melbourne in Round 5 1969. He is one of only six players in the history of the game to reach or surpass this mark.
● Hudson won the Coleman Medal four times in his career: in 1968 (125 goals), 1970 (146), 1971 (150), and 1977 (110).
● From his 129 career games, Peter Hudson kicked ten or more goals in a game 12 times. He kicked five or more 78 times – over 60% of the time he ran out onto a VFL field.
● Between Rounds 7 and 19 of the 1971 season, Hudson recorded 13 consecutive games of booting five goals or more. This is a VFL/AFL record.
● Hudson was kept goalless on just three occasions throughout his VFL career.
