TWENTY years ago this round, Paul Salmon made his debut for Hawthorn.

In Round 4 1996, Salmon played very well in his first game in his new colours against Footscray at the Western Oval. It was a memorable day for other reasons too, as Hawthorn and Footscray played a low-scoring draw, kicking 8.9 (57) apiece.

The Hawks trailed at every change and only drew level when Darrin Pritchard scored a late behind. At the time, many lamented that he had not kicked straighter to secure a win, but the two points for the draw proved sufficient to ensure Hawthorn snuck into the eight at the end of the home and away season. Richard Taylor was the Hawks' best against the Bulldogs, while Tim Hargreaves kicked three goals.

Salmon went on to win the club best and fairest in his first two seasons at Hawthorn and his 100-game career at the club was so impressive that he was named on the interchange bench in the Hawthorn team of the century.

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Ninety years ago this round, Hawthorn kicked its first ever century score.

Unfortunately, the score of 14.16 (100) in Round 4 1926 was not enough to secure victory, as opponent Richmond booted 16.16 (112). Hawthorn recorded another losing century score in 1928 before finally, in Round 1 1930, the club’s first ever winning century score was recorded against St Kilda.

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Hawthorn and St Kilda have met once previously at Aurora Stadium – in Round 19 2009. It was a disappointing day for Hawthorn which failed to win, despite the ladder-leading Saints resting several leading players, although to be fair the Hawks had a number of their best players out injured.

St Kilda won 10.14 (74) to 7.7 (49), with Ben McGlynn Hawthorn’s only multiple goalkicker with two. Leading possession getters were Sam Mitchell (31 disposals), Jordan Lewis (29), Josh Kennedy (26) and Travis Tuck (25). The attendance at the game was 20,011, the second highest ever for a Hawthorn game in Launceston.

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Hawthorn has won its last five games against St Kilda. The sequence began when the Hawks overcame a 32-point quarter time deficit to win by 30 points in 2011. It was followed by victories by 35 points (2012) and 46 points (2013), before the Hawks thrashed by the Saints by a massive 145 points in 2014, following up with a 63-point success at Docklands in Round 10 last season.

Overall, the two clubs have met 152 times with the Hawks winning 79 and the Saints 71, plus two draws. Hawthorn won 20 consecutive games against St Kilda from 1979 to 1989, while the longest losing sequence was 11 from 1933 to 1940.

Hawthorn has been drawn to play St Kilda less than any other club in recent home and away seasons. 2007 is the only season since 2001 when the two clubs have met twice in the regular season, although they ended up playing twice in 2008 as they met in the Preliminary Final.

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The three-point win against the Bulldogs last Sunday was the Hawks' first win in a game decided by six points or fewer since the 2014 Preliminary Final, when the margin was also three points.

Last season, Hawthorn lost two games by six points or fewer (to Essendon in Round 2 and Sydney in Round 8). Overall, Hawthorn has played in 224 of these games winning 106 and losing 108 and having 10 draws.

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Sunday's match was just the 13^th time Hawthorn has won a game after trailing by 19 points or more at the final change.

The last time Hawthorn overturned such a big three quarter time deficit was in the 2013 Preliminary Final, when famously the Hawks trailed the Cats by 20 points before storming home to end the “Kennett Curse”.

Another hugely significant member of these 13 comebacks was the 1971 Grand Final when Hawthorn trailed St Kilda by 20 points at three quarter time before getting home to win the club’s second Premiership by seven points.

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The Hawks and Saints met several times in Round 4 in the 1980s and 1990s, including Hawthorn’s last game at Moorabbin in 1992. Another of these meetings was 30 years ago, in Round 4 1986, a game which saw the winless St Kilda take it right up to the undefeated Hawthorn.

The Hawks actually trailed by 19 points at half-time, but recovered to win 19.14 (128) to 17.14 (116). Jason Dunstall kicked eight goals for the second time of his career in just his 19th game, while others to play well included Richard Loveridge, Gary Buckenara, Terry Wallace and Michael Tuck.

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Overall in Round 4, Hawthorn has won 39, lost 49, played two draws (1939 and 1996) and had one bye (1991). Hawthorn took longer to win in Round 4 than in any other round. It was not until 1941 that the club tasted success after 15 losses and one draw.

The Hawks best Round 4 sequence was eight consecutive wins from 1974 to 1981. After wins by 42 points against Fremantle at Aurora Stadium in 2013 and 99 points away to Gold Coast in 2014, the Hawks lost last year’s Round 4 match against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.

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Peter Hudson holds the record for the highest number of goals by a Hawthorn player against St Kilda, kicking 12 at Glenferrie in Round 15 1971 in a match which was a preview of the season’s Grand Final. Michael Moncrieff has the best tally in Round 4, kicking nine goals at Waverley Park against South Melbourne in 1979.