Reflecting on all the topical milestones and achievements, past and present, as we head into Round 21 of the 2018 season. This is 'Footy Flashbacks'....
Having made it six from six against Essendon in Round 20 encounters last Saturday, the Hawks will this week be looking to add to an impressive Round 21 record against Geelong.
The six wins against the Bombers in Round 20 now include two victories by four points and one by 160 points, and similarly in Round 21 games against the Cats, Hawthorn has won two games by two points and one by 135 points.
The only difference is that the Hawks have lost once to Geelong in Round 21 – a 40-point defeat at Kardinia Park in 1974, but since then it has all been positive for the brown and gold.
40 years ago, in Round 21 1978, Hawthorn beat Geelong by two points at Kardinia Park – 13.10.88 to 13.8.86. Peter Knights, Michael Tuck, Norm Goss and Geoff Ablett were among the best as the Hawks came from 13 points down at three quarter time to claim victory. Hawthorn was still 11 points down in the dying stages, but two John Hendrie goals clinched the win. There was considerable controversy about the winning goal, as the Geelong defenders claimed it was touched.
In Round 21 1986, Hawthorn led Geelong by three points at half-time, 10.8 to 10.5. In the second half Hawthorn added an incredible 25.7 to 3.7 to win by 135 points – 35.15.225 to 13.12.90. Jason Dunstall kicked nine goals, but he was eclipsed for the three Brownlow votes by Terry Wallace. Robert Dipierdomenico was probably a bit unlucky not to add more votes for his 33-disposal game in what proved to be his Brownlow-winning year.
20 years ago, in Round 21 1998, Hawthorn’s late season revival continued with a 21-point victory over Geelong at Waverley – 11.18.84 to 8.15.63. Ben Dixon kicked four goals, while others in the best were Paul Salmon, Shane Crawford, Jonathan Robran, Tony Woods and Daniel Harford.
The following year, 1999, the two clubs met again in Round 21, when in a Saturday night Waverley Park classic Hawthorn 15.13.103 defeated Geelong 15.11.101. After a high-scoring three quarters, the final term produced only a goal apiece, Aaron Lord clinching victory for the Hawks against his former (and future) club with just his third kick for the night. Shane Crawford became even firmer Brownlow favourite with a brilliant 28 disposal game, while Nick Holland with five goals also starred. Michael Collica helped save the game, taking a crucial defensive mark in the dying moments.
Hawthorn’s four-point win against Essendon continued the club’s outstanding recent record in games decided by six points or fewer. Hawthorn has won 16 and lost just four of the last 20 such matches since late in the 2012 season. This recent positive run has seen Hawthorn go ahead in the overall record in these games, with 116 wins, 110 losses and 11 draws.
Harry Morrison’s nomination for the Rising Star award this week means that Hawthorn has had at least one nominee in 22 of the 26 seasons in which the award has existed. The only years when there were no young Hawks nominated were 2004, 2007, 2012 and 2014.
Morrison’s nomination was the latest in a season for a Hawthorn player since Campbell Brown in Round 22 2002. Angelo Lekkas (1997) and Steven Greene (2001) were also final round nominees, while Rayden Tallis (1994) was the only previous Hawthorn nominee for Round 20.
Isaac Smith needs to kick just three more goals in the coming weeks to reach two milestones. He has booted 22 goals so far in 2018, just two behind his highest season tally 0f 24 in 2014, and his outstanding season has taken him to 147 career goals. So, three more goals and this will be his most productive goal-kicking season, and he will become the 39th Hawk to reach 150 goals.
Since it was first contested in 1970, Round 21 has been one of the best rounds for Hawthorn, with 34 wins and only 14 defeats, including victories in 13 consecutive Round 21 matches between 1982 and 1994 and eight consecutive wins between 2006 and 2013. That run was broken by a loss to Fremantle in Perth in 2014 and was followed by a defeat against Port Adelaide at Docklands in 2015. In the last two seasons in Round 21 Hawthorn has beaten North Melbourne - at the MCG by 39 points in 2016, after a brilliant 8.4 to 1.0 first quarter, and by 27 points in Launceston last season.
A feature of Hawthorn’s Round 21 wins is massive winning margins. In fact, five of the 27 one hundred-point victories in Hawthorn history have occurred in Round 21, more than in any other round. These were in 1983 (versus Melbourne), 1986 (Geelong – see above), 1991 (Fitzroy), 2010 (Fremantle) and 2011 (Port Adelaide).
10 years ago, in Round 21 2008, Hawthorn travelled to Perth to take on West Coast and came away with a first away win against the Eagles since 1999. It was a comprehensive 71-point victory – 19.19.133 to 9.8.62. Lance Franklin’s four goals took him to 98 for the season, while Campbell Brown also booted four and Mark Williams contributed three. Five players had over 30 disposals, headed by Sam Mitchell with 34.
Jason Dunstall holds the club’s individual goal-kicking record against Geelong kicking 12 goals in Round 1 of both 1990 and 1992. Dunstall shares Hawthorn’s Round 21 with Peter Hudson. Hudson kicked nine goals in Round 21 in both 1970 and 1971, while Dunstall recorded the same tally in 1986 (see above) and 1989.
