VThere is a strong correlation between Hawthorn beating West Coast at Subiaco and going on to win the Flag.

Since the Eagles joined the League in 1987, the Hawks have only beaten them at Subiaco in seven seasons, six of which (1988, 1989, 1991, 2008, 2013 and 2015) ended up being Premiership years. The only non-Premiership year when the Hawks won at Subiaco was 1994 and the only Premiership year when they did not win there was 2014, for the very good reason that they did not play there that season.

It should be noted that the 1991 Subiaco victory was in a Qualifying Final, after Hawthorn had lost a home and away game at the venue. Last season saw the reverse, as the Hawks won in Round 19, but lost the subsequent Qualifying Final. It should also be pointed out that the Hawks also beat the Eagles in Perth in 1999, but that game was at the WACA Ground.

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Five of the seven Hawthorn wins against West Coast at Subiaco have come when the Hawks were coming off a defeat in the preceding game. In fact, there has perhaps been no more stunning turnaround from week-to-week in Hawthorn history than when the Hawks ventured to Subiaco to play West Coast in Round 5 1994.

The Hawks had lost their previous three matches by a combined total of 268 points and thus were given no chance against the high-flying Eagles. However, the return from injury of Jason Dunstall, Chris Langford and Jason Taylor transformed the team, and, after a slow start, the Hawks stunned the home crowd by taking complete control and winning by 71 points - 19.15.129 to 8.10.58.

71 points was also the margin in 2008, when the Hawks bounced back from a loss to Richmond with a 19.19.133 to 9.8.62 victory, highlighted by a nine goal third quarter. Campbell Brown and Lance Franklin both kicked four goals, while several midfielders chalked up over 30 disposals, headed by Jordan Lewis and Brad Sewell with 33 each. In 2013, Hawthorn beat the Eagles by 50 points in Round 2, with Grant Birchall, Sam Mitchell and Cyril Rioli all outstanding, a week after a 10th consecutive loss to Geelong. Last season’s Round 19 victory at Subiaco came after a loss to Richmond the previous week.

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Hawthorn’s win against West Coast at the MCG in Round 2 this season took the overall record between the two clubs to Hawthorn 22 wins and West Coast 25.

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The crowd of 50,657 last Saturday was a new record for a home and away game between Hawthorn and North Melbourne. The previous record was 47,705 set in Round 13 1993. This means that St Kilda (49,373) and Western Bulldogs (47,454) are the only Victorian teams which have not had a 50,000 crowd versus Hawthorn. The Hawks have had 50,000 plus home and away crowds against four of the eight non-Victorian teams, but have not had them against Brisbane Lions, Fremantle, Gold Coast or GWS.

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The seven AFL debutants that Hawthorn has had this season is the equal second highest number in the Clarkson-era. Unsurprisingly, the highest number was ten in Clarkson’s first year in 2005, while others with seven have been 2009 and 2014. At this stage there have been no players with previous AFL experience make a Hawthorn debut in 2016 (Jack Fitzpatrick is perhaps still a chance to do so) and, if this remains the case, this year will join 2007 and 2009 as the only seasons under Clarkson’s tenure when there has not been at least one.

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Paul Puopolo’s two goals against North Melbourne took him to a new individual season-high goals tally of 31. It also leveled his games and goals tally at 129 apiece, a good return for someone who did not get the opportunity to kick his first goal until his ninth game.

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Ryan Burton joins an illustrious list of players from SANFL club North Adelaide to play for Hawthorn. Others to come from the Roosters include Darren Jarman, Nick Holland and Bohdan Jaworskyj.

Burton will also be hoping that the number 35 proves a launching place for an long career as it did for two of his current teammates Jarryd Roughead and Grant Birchall. Both Roughead and Birchall played 16 games in the number 35 jumper in their debut seasons of 2005 and 2006 respectively. The only Hawk to play 100 games in the number 35 was Jimmy Morrissey (1984-93), who wore the number with distinction in three Premiership tams. The only others to make it to 50 games in the jumper have been Norm Maginness (1953-58) and Adrian Cox (1999-2004).

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Round 22 was first contested in 1970 and, in the 46 seasons since, Hawthorn has won 31 and lost 15. In the Clarkson era, Hawthorn holds a 8-3 lead in Round 22 games, including wins in the past six seasons, versus Collingwood (2010), Carlton (2011), Sydney (2012), North Melbourne (2013), Geelong (2014) and Brisbane Lions last season. For the majority of its existence Round 22 was the final round but in 1991, 1992 and 1994, and since 2011 there have been further rounds played.

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Both Peter Hudson and Jason Dunstall regularly kicked large tallies of goals in Round 22. Hudson kicked 11 in 1970, 10 in 1971 and seven in 1977, while Dunstall contributed 10 in 1988, 11 in 1989, 12 in 1992, 10 in 1993 and 10 in 1996. Dunstall also held the record for the most goals by a Hawthorn player against West Coast, kicking seven in both 1988 and 1989, until he was surpassed by Jarryd Roughead’s eight against them in Launceston in 2014.