This year’s Annual Friends of the Hawks Museum Function was held at the Pavilion at the Box Hill Football Ground on Sunday, October 12 with just on 150 Friends in attendance. It was impressive to see so many of the “Friends” dressed in their favourite Brown and Gold Club Colours worn on game day.
The theme for the day was two fold, firstly a proposed return of guernseys between Peter Knights and Carlton’s Rod Austen. They had exchanged their guernseys after the final siren to end the 1985 Reserves Grand Final won by the Hawks. This was followed by former players, Daniel Harford, Jade Rawlings and Richard Taylor reflecting on their careers at Hawthorn under the guidance of their then Coach Peter Knights in seasons 1994 - 1995 and where their football journeys have taken them since.
Standing in for the museums popular resident MC, Michael Derum, Museum Curator, Peter Haby outlined the day’s proceedings. He presented a summary of guernsey’s in the museum previously exchanged between former players and since returned to their original owners.
In March 1999 at an event held by the Hawks Museum at the MCG under the title “The Great Guernsey Swap”, former players from the 1961 Grand Final between Hawthorn and Footscray met to exchange guernseys. Hawthorn received guernseys worn by Graham Arthur, John Peck, Garry Young, John Winneke, Colin Youren and Les Kaine with Footscray receiving guenseys worn by Ted Whitten and Bob Spargo.
Since then museum has received Dermott Brereton’s guernsey worn in the 1988 Night Premiership from the family of former Geelong player Mark Bos and Ben Allen’s guernsey from the 1991 Grand Final that he traded with Dean Kemp of the West Coast Eagles. All these guernsey’s are now on display for all to see.
For today’s proposed guernsey exchange, Rod Austen unfortunately is overseas and sends his apologies. However all was not lost. Peter Knights and Rod Austen met a few weeks earlier to exchange guernseys in the Hawks Museum.
Museum volunteer Karl Jacklin is to be thanked for compiling a fascinating DVD of this guernsey exchange. It captures compelling moments when Peter Knights reflects on the Reserves 1985 Premiership and what was to be his last game with his beloved Hawks. The DVD also included the opening bounce and the closing stages of the Reserves Grand final with the camera capturing a number of players exchanging their guernseys. Former Hawk captain Don Scott then a TV commentator for Channel 7 gave a glowing tribute to Peter Knights. The DVD had the audience spell bound to see again the likes of former greats Rodney Eade, Gary Buckenara, Colin Robertson and Peter Knights strut their stuff along with emerging stars in James Morrissey, Chris Wittman, Peter Curran and Paul Abbott displaying their potential.
Peter Knights was then introduced to the Friends and took the microphone and in turn introduced the three guests, Daniel Harford, Jade Rawlings and Richard Taylor. For the next hour Peter Knights lead the proceedings with questions focusing on the highlights of their careers at Hawthorn, moving onto other AFL Clubs, then life after football.
The audience sat riveted in their seats as they heard many unheard stories from behind the scenes in those days; what it was like training on Tuesdays and Thursday nights when all the players had a day job, and their adventures on end of season footy trips.
Former Head Trainer, Ken Goddard and his wife Joyce who ran the popular Joyce Bistro in the Social Club were delighted to catch up with our guests adding a number of funny and hilarious memorable antidotes.
Harford related how he reacted when he was the first player to be offered Peter Crimmins’ famous number 5. When Crimmins passed away his guernsey was retired however the Crimmins family decided that Harford was a fitting choice to now wear the number. Rawlings explained how difficult it was moving to another club with Taylor stressing the difficulties of overcoming injury set backs and how inspiring it was to play alongside Shane Crawford.
The audience was really surprised when they learnt that both Harford and Taylor still played football with a number of former Hawks. They play fortnightly for the Bald Eagles in the Super Rules competition coached by Mark Graham. Other former Hawks that have played with this team are Kris Barlow, Nathan Thompson, Joel Smith, Paul Salmon, and former Club Doctor Bennie Crimmins. The unofficial rules of this competition had the audience in stitches … all kicks had to be torpedo punts, no body contact, you must stay in your position and if running it had to be on the outside and cheating was allowed.
The highly successful day closed with the audience queuing to get autographs and photos taken with their heroes, Daniel Harford, Jade Rawlings, Richard Taylor and their coach Peter Knights.
A special thanks to Mike Warren and Jas who assisted with the organization of this popular event and to the museum volunteers who helped on the day and to Colin Newton, Karl Jacklin, Wendy-Grace Williams.
For interested fans of the Brown and Gold wishing to join the Friends of the Hawks Museum please click here or contact the Hawks Museum 9535 3075.
Jade Rawlings, Richard Taylor, Daniel Harford and Peter Knights at the event.
