Brendon Bolton has joined a select group of stand-in Hawthorn coaches to have begun with a win.

Way back in 1933, Arthur Rademacher took over as Hawthorn coach for the first four games of 1933 after the sudden death of appointed coach Fred ‘Flops’ Phillips on the eve of the season. Rademacher began with a Round 1 win, but lost the next three, before Bill Twomey became the official coach.

A last minute stand-in coach was required in 1957 when Jack Hale was involved in a car accident on the way to Glenferrie for the home game against Collingwood. Captain John Kennedy took over but the Hawks lost by 19 points. 16 years later Kennedy was in the reverse role as the appointed coach who needed replacing. He was away coaching Victoria and so his assistant Roy Simmonds coached the team in a loss to Fitzroy at the Junction Oval.

In 2001, Peter Schwab missed the Round 17 game against Carlton due to a heart condition. His assistant Chris Connolly took the reins and coached the team to a 3 point win, victory coming with a goal after the siren from Ben Dixon. Three years later, in 2004, when Schwab’s coaching career had been terminated, Donald McDonald coached the team for the final five games of the season. He began with a loss but did win 2 of his other 4 games.

Of course, the most famous stand-in coach in the club’s history was Alan Joyce who filled in for Allan Jeans for the entire 1988 season. The Hawks had a stellar year clinching the Flag with a then record 96 point Grand Final win, after losing only 3 games for the entire season. However, one of the losses was in Joyce’s first match in charge in Round 1.

***********

Hawthorn’s two wins against West Coast last season took the overall record between the two clubs to Hawthorn 18 wins and West Coast 24. Hawthorn has won the last 3 and victory on Saturday will equal the Hawks best ever winning sequence of 4 against the Eagles set from 2007 to 2009.

***********

This will be the 7^th time Hawthorn has hosted West Coast at Aurora Stadium, bringing the Eagles back level with Fremantle as the opposing team Hawthorn has played most often in Launceston. Other regular opponents there have been Brisbane Lions (6), North Melbourne (6), Adelaide (4) and Port Adelaide (4).

In the 6 games against West Coast at Aurora Stadium to date, Hawthorn has won 4 and lost 2. The two clubs first meeting in Launceston was in Round 2 2003 and the Hawks secured victory in a thriller by 2 points, thanks to a late goal by Jade Rawlings. The 35 point win in Round 9 2007 was also a landmark success for Alastair Clarkson’s emerging Hawthorn team, as the Eagles were the reigning Premiers. The most recent clash at the venue was in Round 4 2011 and saw the Hawks get home by 7 points.

***********

Hawthorn has a good recent record in Round 12 with 6 wins and just 2 losses in the past 8 Round 12 matches. Recent wins have been against Adelaide (2010), Brisbane Lions (2012) and Carlton (2013). Overall, in 89 Round 12 games, Hawthorn has won 38 and lost 51. 

***********

20 years ago, in Round 12 1994, Hawthorn thrashed Sydney by 58 points at the SCG – 21.15.141 to 13.5.83. Jason Dunstall kicked 11 goals, while Darren Jarman (28 disposals and 3 goals) was also outstanding. An interesting feature of the game was that Dermott Brereton played against Hawthorn for the first time and, while he only got 5 kicks, he did boot 3 goals. The Swans line-up also included two future Hawks in Simon Minton-Connell and Darren Kappler.

30 years ago, in Round 12 1984, the clash of League heavyweights failed to live up to expectations as Hawthorn comfortably defeated Essendon by 47 points – 12.21.93 to 6.10.46. It was a grey, windy day at Princes Park and rain after half-time saw the two teams manage just 5 goals between them in the second half. Hawthorn’s best included Gary Ayres, Chris Mew and Michael Tuck, while veteran full-back Kelvin Moore, playing just his fifth game for the season, restricted the Bombers’ boom full-forward Paul Salmon to 2 goals.

40 years ago, in Round 12 1974, defeated reigning Premiers Richmond for the second time in the season. Having beaten the Tigers at the MCG in Round 1, the Hawks backed it up with a 23 point victory in a high-scoring game at Princes Park, winning 19.17.131 to 15.18.108. Leigh Matthews kicked 5 goals, Michael Moncrieff 4 and John Hendrie 3. Matthews and Hendrie headed the list of best players followed by Kelvin Matthews, Leon Rice, Des Meagher, Geoff Ablett and Peter Crimmins.

***********

Jason Dunstall holds the individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn in Round 12 – with 11 at Carrara in 1987, later equaled against Sydney at the SCG in 1994 (see above). Dunstall also holds the record for the most goals by a Hawthorn player against West Coast, kicking 7 in both 1988 and 1989.