Follow along every Tuesday, as we celebrate Hawthorn champions, past and present...
Before Jarryd Roughead helped the Hawks to four premierships, Hawthorn had another champion key forward don the number two guernsey.
Similarly courageous and strong overhead, Nick Holland was drafted from North Adelaide with the 14th pick in the 1992 draft initially as a centre half-back.
After making his debut in 1994, Holland flourished the following season in defence while also pinch-hitting in the ruck, averaging 17.2 disposals and 8.2 marks, to win the 1995 Rising Star Award and finish runner-up in the Hawks’ Peter Crimmins Memorial Trophy.
But by 1997 Holland had made the move forward, with a return of 29 goals for the season scoring the 195cm key position player his first leading goal-kicker award.
Arguably his best season in the brown and gold, 2000 saw Holland kick a career-high 51 goals, including a haul of seven goals and two of six, as he this time claimed the club’s best and fairest award in a tie with teammate Daniel Chick, as well as again leading the side’s goal kicking.
While the majority of his 2001 campaign was derailed by shoulder injuries, Holland was able to return to play a key part in that year’s finals series, including a three-goal performance in the Preliminary final in which Hawks went down to Essendon by just nine points.
After suffering further shoulder injuries Holland called time on his career after 13 seasons, finishing up with 179 games and 239 goals for the Hawks.
Catch up: Champion Tuesday - Terry Wallace
Best Performance
21 disposals, 15 marks and seven goals v Adelaide, Round 21 2000
Best Venue
Waverley Park - played 54 games, averaged 15.22 disposals, kicked 77 goals
Best Opponent
St Kilda - met 11 times, averaged 16.18 disposals, kicked 21 goals
