Hawk Ben Stratton has achieved plenty over his eight years at AFL level.
Three premierships. More than 150 games. A Rising Star nomination.
Part of one of the Hawks’ most successful and dominant eras, it could be comfortably presumed that ‘Stratts’ – albeit a devout member of the Hawthorn defensive unit – would have kicked at least a few goals over the journey as well. A handful, at least.
Nope. Not even close.
Mullet-sporting Stratton has only ever kicked one goal in the entirety of his 153-game career.
To give a little context, even James Frawley has managed half a dozen goals in only 54 appearances in the brown and gold.
Stratton fondly recalled his infamous one-and-only major which came in the second term against the Swans in Round 19, 2010, with the Hawks down by 46 points at the SCG.
“We went into a mode of play that we went into back then, which is [eight] years ago, that just said take the game on at all costs and do whatever you like, really” Stratton told SEN on Tuesday.
“So I just ran forward.”
Intricate thinking.
“I kicked it into the forward line and made a tackle and then Roughy handballed the ball out the back to me.
“I snapped a goal and then ran off to the bench and didn’t give one high-five.”
The benefit of hindsight suggests Stratton should have probably organized a motorcade.
The WA-product happens to again be facing the Swans this Friday night, almost eight years after the milestone moment, and is somehow optimistic of adding to his single-digit tally.
“Given it might be a wet and miserable night I might be able to get onto one and it just roll 80 metres which’d be quite nice,” Stratton said.
“But I never go into a game planning a goal to be honest.”
No kidding.