In recognition of our 20-year partnership with Tasmania, we have taken a look back at some of our favourite memories down in Launceston.
Join us as we revisit so many great moments over the past two decades, counting down from 20 to 1.
11.
The milestone men
Round 16 2010 vs Brisbane
Hawthorn 17.16 118 def. Brisbane 7.1 43
Grant Birchall timed his run to 100 games to perfection, when the proud Tasmanian celebrated his milestone game in Launceston in this 2010 clash against Brisbane. Just 22 years old at the time, Birchall raced his way to 100 appearances in the brown and gold with the 14th pick in the 2005 national draft taking little time to acclimate to senior football. Also celebrating a landmark game, Chance Bateman played his 150th match on this day, becoming the first indigenous Hawk to reach this milestone. The game itself? Well, the result was essentially known after the first half an hour of play with the Hawks booting seven first-term goals to the Lions’ one.
10.
The most dominant of clean sweeps
Round 22 2015 vs Brisbane
Hawthorn 21.8 134 def. Brisbane 9.8 62
This game itself wasn’t terribly exciting in isolation but what it confirmed was incredibly impressive. Hawthorn had completed a ‘clean sweep’ of four wins from four appearances in Tassie for the 2015 season. But even then, the Hawks have achieved this feat in five seasons since the club started playing four games in Launceston annually since 2007. No, it was more about the style of this quartet of wins. Across this four-match span, the Hawks outscored their opponents by a ridiculous 267 points – an average margin of nearly 70 points. Opposition clubs were fearful of venturing to Tasmania to take on the brown and gold through this period, with the expectation that a punishing defeat was likely incoming.
9.
A Docker demolition
Round 21 2010 vs Fremantle
Hawthorn 24.11 155 def. Fremantle 5.9 39
This 116-point demolition job of Fremantle in 2010 remains Hawthorn’s biggest ever win in Launceston. The Hawks simply stunned the Dockers, delivering a true four-quarter performance that consisted of a five, seven, six and six-goal terms respectively. Meanwhile the Mark Harvey-coached visitors kicked just one goal to three-quarter time before a more respectable effort in the final term. A 23-year-old Lance Franklin booted five for the Hawks while Shaun Burgoyne and Jarryd Roughead kicked four apiece. Burgoyne also recorded a career-high 37 touches to go with his quartet but, amazingly, that wasn’t enough to merit the three Brownlow votes which went to Luke Hodge.
