IF HISTORY is a guide, the fact that Hawthorn lost at Spotless Stadium in its first ever game at the venue last season is a strong pointer to a win in its second game there this Saturday.
Since Hawthorn first played at a non-Victorian ground in 1979, the only venues at which it has won its first matches were the SCG, Carrara, North Hobart and Aurora Stadium. On the other hand, the Hawks have lost their opening games at seven interstate venues, but in every case has bounced back to win the next game at each ground.
To date, Hawthorn has lost its first game, but then won its second, at the Gabba, Subiaco, WACA Ground, Football Park, Stadium Australia and Adelaide Oval. Let’s hope Spotless Stadium joins that list this week!
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Hawthorn has squared the ledger in games decided by six points or fewer for the first time in almost 90 years. After the club’s first three seasons in the VFL, Hawthorn had a 2-2 record in such games, but then after losing by three points in Round 1 1928 and having two more narrow defeats in that winless season, it has remained behind in the close games list ever since.
Now, following the heart-stopping victories in the last three weeks, the wins have caught back up to the losses in games decided by six points or fewer, with the record now tied at 108 apiece, with ten draws.
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For just the third time in VFL-AFL history a team has had the same winning margin in three consecutive matches.
Hawthorn’s victories by three points in the last three games joins South Melbourne in 1918 which won three in a row (culminating in the Grand Final) by five points and Essendon in 1947 which won three in a row by 40 points. Melbourne in 1984 is the only team in VFL-AFL history to lose three in a row by the same margin (32 points) [Note – thanks to the Rogers Results website for some of this information].
Hawthorn had a somewhat similar experience in the 1980 season. After nine rounds the Hawks had a 6-3 record but what was remarkable was that the three losses (to Richmond in Round 1, Geelong in Round 5 and North Melbourne in Round 9) were all by five points.
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The fact that Hawthorn’s first game at Spotless Stadium was in GWS’s fourth season highlights the fact that in each of the previous three seasons Hawthorn has been drawn at home to the Giants – at the MCG in 2012 and 2014, and at Aurora Stadium in 2013. Hawthorn won all three, but the margins got narrower from 162 points in 2012, to 83 points (2013) and then down to 7 points (2014).
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Cyril Rioli and Luke Breust have both now entered the top 20 goalkickers in Hawthorn history, with 233 and 232 career goals respectively. The two players they have displaced are Peter Crimmins (231) and Ted Pool (230).
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Last Friday night’s victory was the 150th win in Grant Birchall’s 221 game career. He became the 19th Hawthorn player to reach the 150 wins milestone. Birchall has a way to go to catch Michael Tuck who played in 302 wins in his 426 games. While North Melbourne’s Brent Harvey may be on track to break Tuck’s games record this season, he remains well-behind on wins having played in his 228th in Round 5.
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Hawthorn has won six of its last eight games played in Round 6, the only blemishes being a heavy loss to Essendon in 2010 and the narrow loss to GWS last season. After a bye in 2011, the Hawks beat St Kilda (2012), Adelaide (2013) and Richmond (2014) before last season’s defeat. Overall in Round 6, Hawthorn has recorded 39 wins and 48 defeats in 87 matches (with byes in 1942, 1943, 1994 and 2011).
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30 years ago, in Round 6 1986, Hawthorn secured its first victory against Essendon since the 1984 Second Semi when it beat the Bombers by 24 points at Waverley Park. Perhaps inspired by the presence of the 1961 Premiership team celebrating the 25th anniversary of their success, the Hawks quickly took complete control of the game. At one point in the third quarter Hawthorn’s lead was 68 points before some late goals to Essendon cut the final margin back to 24 points.
The match report in The Age described how captain, Michael Tuck "ran crudely through tackles and delicately around them to deliver the ball forward with raking kicks”. Then there was Gary Buckenara "who played at a calmer level than anyone else on the ground” and the backline of Gary Ayres, Chris Langford and Colin Robertson which “punched and tackled in almost maniacal fashion”. Peter Schwab “was just as desperate and effective on his wing”, while up forward Jason Dunstall, Dermott Brereton, Ken Judge and Michael Byrne all kicked three goals.
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Jason Dunstall holds the Hawthorn record for Round 6 kicking nine goals in both 1992 and 1993 (against Collingwood and Adelaide respectively), a tally equaled by Lance Franklin (against Essendon in 2007). Peter Hudson booted eight in Round 6 1970, in the club’s first ever Waverley game. Jarryd Roughead holds the record against GWS kicking six in the 2012 MCG encounter.
