­­With this September a bit less busy than Hawks fans would have liked, we thought we would take a trip down memory lane to more exciting events that occurred on the same date. 

On this occasion, we take you back to 14^th of September…… 1991. It was the Semi Final and the Hawks did battle with Geelong for a place in the Grand Final.

The mission is simple. 

For the winner, a ticket straight to the 1991 Grand Final in a fortnight’s time.

For the loser, a preliminary final against the winner of tomorrow’s match; a Waverley Park hit out between first-year captain John Worsfold’s West Coast and the Garry Lyon-led Melbourne Demons.  

Hawthorn and Geelong have met once this year. Round 12, when Geelong, after leading by just five points at half-time, kicked 12.8 to the Hawks’ 6.9 in the second half to run away 40-point victors. 

The Cats’ win brought to an end an 11-game Hawthorn winning streak over the blue-and-white hoops - a run that included the Hawks’ famous 1989 premiership win.

Both sides, after wins last week, will enter this game with their tails up. 

The Hawks were able to overcome West Coast, thanks to Jason Dunstall’s bag of four goals and Peter Sumich’s inaccuracy in front of goal, with the Eagles goal kicker booting 3.5.

While the Cats had a tight seven-point encounter themselves in their elimination final, with St Kilda pushing them all the way to the end.

The game was a shoot-out of epic proportions, with big Cat Bill Brownless kicking eight goals while Tony Lockett booted nine of his own down the other end.

Yet the sub-standard year of Gary Ablett trudged on in the do-or-die clash, as the superstar gathered just six disposals and failed to hit the scoreboard.

After announcing his retirement in February, even Ablett’s surprise mid-season return to the game hasn’t been enough to shock the forward into the sublime form fans are used to. 

And he won’t have the opportunity to better his season today, with the ’89 Norm Smith Medalist set for a stint after copping a suspension for his hit on Saint Nathan Bourke behind play last week.

The opening siren sounds from the Sir Kenneth Luke Stand; we’re underway. 

First quarter: The Hawks started with a bang, dominating possession of the ball.

But the brown and gold were wasteful in front of goal, kicking just three majors from their 14 shots in the first quarter.

Nevertheless, they lead the Cats into the first break with a 16-point ascendancy.

Second quarter: The Hawks rediscovered their kicking boots in the second term after a huge Allan Joyce spray in the quarter time huddle.

But the Cats are holding strong, kicking 3.1 to match the Hawks’ 3.2 as we head into the main break. 

17 points in it, one half to go.

Third quarter: A six-goal quarter from the Cats. 

Goals to Brownless and Mark Neeld help them sway the tide back in their favour, as Geelong claim a one-point advantage heading into the final stanza.

Fourth quarter: A pure arm wrestle, with neither side able to gain a true ascendancy at any stage, but the Hawks have done it! 

The match boiled down to the final minute when Geelong’s Trevor Poole gathered the ball on the Waverley Park wing, took one bounce, but failed to kick truly, leaving the Hawks two points ahead with 20 seconds remaining.

Chris Mew took the ensuing kick in, and his experience shone through. His 50-metre kick found Andrew Gowers on the outer side, who was able to ice the clock to the eventual siren.

The Hawks will now enjoy the week off, and will eagerly await tomorrow’s result to see who they’ll come face to face with in a fortnight’s time, as they vie for the 1991 Premiership Cup.