HAWTHORN has won all seven matches it has played against Gold Coast, its longest successful opening sequence against any opponent.
The only other clubs against which the Hawks began with a winning sequence were Brisbane (four), GWS (three), Fremantle (two), Footscray (one) and Port Adelaide (one).
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This round marks 40 years since one of the most disappointing injuries in Hawthorn history. It was early in the game in Round 14 1976, against Footscray at the Western Oval, that champion centre half back Peter Knights broke his collarbone, forcing him to miss the next seven matches. Yet, at the end of the season, Knights missed out on winning the Brownlow Medal by just three votes to Essendon’s Graham Moss, (in one of the two seasons when both umpires cast separate votes).
As mentioned in last week’s Flashbacks, Knights was on the cover of the Football Record in Round 14 1976 with a picture of his spectacular mark the previous week against North Melbourne. No wonder many talk of the curse of the Record cover.
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With Hawthorn to wear brown and pink against Gold Coast on Sunday, it will add to the range of colours that the club has worn in addition to the traditional brown and gold in recent seasons. There has been white in clash jumpers, green in Kokoda jumpers and perhaps the most radically different of all - a red, white and blue heritage jumper against Essendon in Round 20 2005, the only occasion in Hawthorn’s VFL-AFL history when the jumper has included neither brown nor gold.
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James Sicily’s nomination as the Rising Star nominee for Round 13 was Hawthorn’s first since Billy Hartung in Round 7 last season who in turn was the first since Bradley Hill in Round 6 2013. Overall, Sicily is Hawthorn’s 34th weekly nominee since the award was instituted in 1993, a tally which places the club equal fifth with Collingwood and Western Bulldogs, behind Brisbane (39), Essendon (37), Melbourne (37) and West Coast (35).
The club’s first nominee was Shane Crawford in the second week of the award, Round 2 1993. He kicked five goals and had 23 disposals in just his second AFL game. Oddly, the nominees from other clubs for both Round 1 and 3 (Peter Everitt and Nathan Chapman) of that first season of the award later played for Hawthorn.
Sicily’s nomination means that there are 12 current Hawks who have been nominees, with Luke Hodge and Shaun Burgoyne (then with Port Adelaide) nominated back in 2002. Sam Mitchell was nominated in Round 1 2003 and at the end of that season became the club’s second winner of the award following Nick Holland in 1995.
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This Sunday will be the fourth meeting between Hawthorn and Gold Coast at Aurora Stadium.
In Round 13 2011, Aurora Stadium hosted the first-ever match between the two clubs. Gold Coast were competitive in the first half, but the Hawks kicked away to a 71 point win – 19.15 (129) to 8.10 (58). Two young Hawks, Luke Breust and Shane Savage, both kicked four goals, with Savage also accumulating 33 disposals. Best on ground was Sam Mitchell with 38 disposals, while Luke Hodge and Grant Birchall were also among the best.
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Hawthorn has played 89 matches in Round 14, recording 43 wins and 46 losses (and had the bye in both 1993 and 1994). The Hawks have won their last six games in this round beating the Western Bulldogs (2010), Essendon (2011), Carlton (2012), Brisbane Lions (2013) and Collingwood in both 2014 and last season.
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Twenty years ago, in Round 14 1996, Hawthorn made it four wins out of five with a solid 33-point win against Collingwood at Waverley Park – 17.12 (114) to 11.15 (81). The veterans led the way with Jason Dunstall kicking six goals and John Platten getting the three Brownlow votes after a 31-disposal game. Other good players included Daniel Harford, Shane Crawford, Paul Salmon, Anthony Condon and Craig Treleven.
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Thirty years ago, in Round 14 1986, Hawthorn recorded its biggest ever win against Richmond, defeating the Tigers by 101 points – 26.19 (175) to 11.8 (74). There were similarities with the 1996 game described above. This time the much younger Jason Dunstall also kicked six goals, but John Platten only got two Brownlow votes, instead of three. Gary Buckenara was outstanding with 27 disposals and five goals, as were Terry Wallace and Richard Loveridge
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Forty years ago, in Round 14 1976, the injury to Peter Knights described above did not prevent the Hawks comprehensively beating the Bulldogs. After keeping Footscray scoreless in the opening term, Hawthorn went on to a 17.15 (117) to 5.7 (37) win. Michael Moncrieff kicked six goals and Leigh Matthews five, while youngsters Don Fletcher and Peter Bennett both collected plenty of kicks. However, Hawthorn’s best player was centre half forward Alan Martello.
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The Round 14 individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn is 12, kicked by Peter Hudson against Footscray at Glenferrie in 1968. The record for Hawthorn against Gold Coast is five, held jointly by Luke Breust (2011), Lance Franklin (2013) and Jack Gunston (2014).
