The Hawks Museum is a place where our former players can meet to remember, talk and reflect on a place that significantly impacted their lives and a time when they were actively involved at the Club - a time when they were the Club before their playing days ceased and they stood aside for the next generation of Hawks.
The museum’s task is to deliver their ongoing story, to present our former players in a light that does them, and their future generations justice, and to reinforce pride in their service to the mighty Brown and Gold.
As we near the reunion for the Club’s three Premierships, 1978, 1988 and 2008, to be held in June, one of our former greats from the 1978 Premiership visited the museum not only to tell his story, but also to donate a number of significant items of memorabilia from his playing days at the Club.
Kelvin Moore has a playing record second to none with the Hawks. His record is outstanding: 300 games, three Premierships, a Life Member, named in the HFC Team of the Century and an Inaugural Inductee to the Club’s Hall of Fame. He represented Victoria 13 times a tally exceeded only by Club Legend, Leigh Matthews.
The museum was in awe when Kelvin Moore opened up his bag as he asked whether we would like any of his memorabilia. His offering included his first guernsey, when he wore number 48, his famed number 15 guernsey and his Victorian State and Sun All-Stars guernseys. Then he offered the Best & Fairest Trophy he won in 1979, plus three Truth Newspaper trophies, known as the Cazaly Award, for Best Fullback in the VFL in 1975, 1976 and 1978. He also had on hand three junior-sized mounted premiership footballs from 1971, 1976 and 1978 that he received from the Club. The museum was somewhat stunned as Moore produced another three mounted footballs from when he was selected in Sun All-Star Teams, 1975, 1976 and 1978, then three blazers, two Club and a State blazer.
Well known for his dry, understated sense of humour, Moore had an enthralling story for each item he presented. For the museum to receive such an outstanding gift from him is a real honour and many future visitors to the museum will delight in learning more about Kelvin Moore’s outstanding career by seeing his personal memorabilia first-hand.
Kelvin Moore’s Record
Born August 15, 1950
Recruited Frankston Peninsula FC
Played 1970 - 1984
Debut Order 608
First game Round 21, 1970
Last game Round 22, 1984
Games 300
Goals 21
Guernsey 15
Premierships 1971, 1976, 1978
Night Premierships 1977
Best and Fairest 1979
Director 1996 - 2000
Chair Match Committee 1997 - 1999
Assistant Coach 2000 - 2002
Life Member 1977
Team of the Century 2001
Hall of Fame Inductee 2005
VFL / AFL Honours
State Representative 13
All-Australian 1982
VFL/AFL Life Member 1984
AFL Hall of Fame 2005
Kelvin Moore was considered one of the best full-backs of his era and was a key member in the Hawks last line of defence for more than a decade. He became the third player to notch 300 games after Don Scott and Leigh Matthews.
He joined the Club as a key forward, but with Peter Hudson, Alan Martello and Bob Keddie filling the roles up front, Moore had to adapt to get a regular game. His height, anticipation and even temperament suggested that full back may suit his style, and so it proved.
Playing in an era of full forwards that included greats such as Doug Wade, (Geelong), Peter McKenna, (Collingwood), Alex Jesaulenko, (Carlton) and Michael Roach, (Richmond), Moore established himself as one of the game’s finest defenders of his era. Along with North Melbourne’s David Dench, he pioneered the role of the running full back, and his bouncing dashes from defense set up many Hawthorn attacks through the 1970s. He was also very strong in the air, taking many a relieving pack mark to turn the tide, then side-step his opponent and drop-punt to position, which became a familiar and much-loved sight for Hawk supporters.
He was a regular Victorian representative during the great days of interstate football, and an outstanding finals performer. His outstanding defensive game in the 1971 Grand Final may well have resulted in a Norm Smith Medal, had such an award existed at the time. He also played key roles in the 1976 and 1978 premiership victories.
Moore played at a high level for many years, highlighted by his Best and Fairest win in 1979, his tenth year at the Club, in a team that included the likes of Leigh Matthews, Don Scott, Michael Tuck, Peter Knights, Terry Wallace and Michael Moncrieff.
His final few seasons were impacted by injuries, but he managed to get to 300 games in 1984, his final season. After retiring from the VFL, he played for Frankston in the VFA, often as a half-forward and later served as a Chairman of Selectors for Frankston and then St Kilda.
He returned to the Hawks in 1996 to serve as a Club Director, Chairman of the Match Committee and as a member of the Coaching Staff lead by Peter Schwab, 2000 - 2002.
Moore was named at fullback in the Hawthorn Team of the Century in 2001 and was an inaugural member of the Hawthorn's Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2005, Moore was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
