Hawthorn will be hoping that a remarkable sequence of alternating Round 1 results continues for one more season.
The Hawks have won their last five Round 1 games in even-numbered years beating Melbourne (2004, 2008 and 2010), Fremantle (2006) and Collingwood (2012). In contrast, there have been losses in the last six opening round games in odd-numbered seasons against Geelong (2009 and 2013), Melbourne (2003), Sydney (2005), Brisbane Lions (2007) and Adelaide (2011).
***********
On the 10 previous occasions when the Hawks have entered Round 1 as the reigning Premier, they won five and lost five. Half of these 10 games have been Grand Final rematches, of which Hawthorn won two (1987 and 1992), but lost three (1962, 1977 and 2009).
Overall, in 89 previous Round 1 games, Hawthorn has won 37 and lost 52. The Hawks have twice previously played Brisbane in the opening round, winning by 57 points at Waverley in 1995, but losing by 25 points at the Gabba in 2007.
***********
This is the second occasion when Hawthorn has played a Round 1 game at Aurora Stadium.
The one previous instance was in 2006, when the Hawks beat Fremantle by 22 points. The highlight was a brilliant 8-goal performance from Mark Williams, backed up by a winning midfield led by Sam Mitchell (35 disposals), Shane Crawford (29), Luke Hodge (29) and Richie Vandenberg (28).
The game also saw the debut of young Tasmanian draft pick, Grant Birchall, who gathered a respectable 14 disposals.
***********
Hawthorn takes a winning sequence of seven into the 2014 season, the second longest in the Club’s history behind the 12 the club took into 1962. The club’s longest winning sequence across two seasons is 10 in 1983-84 (with 5 wins in each season).
***********
Since Brisbane entered the league in 1987, the two clubs have met 42 times with the Hawks having recorded 26 victories and 16 defeats. After Hawthorn won 12 of the first 13 games between 1987 and 1995, the Lions won 10 of the 11 encounters between 2001 and early 2007, but now the Hawks have won 7 of the past 8 encounters.
Hawthorn played Brisbane at the Gabba in a remarkable 16 consecutive seasons from 1993 to 2008. In an odd twist, 2014 will become the 6th year in a row when the Hawks have not been fixtured to play there. This will be the 6th time the two clubs have met at Aurora Stadium, with the Hawks having won 4 and lost 1 of the previous 5 matches.
***********
40 years ago, in Round 1 1974, Hawthorn scored an upset 16-point win over reigning premier Richmond in wet conditions at the MCG – 15.14.104 to 13.16.88. Peter Hudson, playing just his second game since the opening round of 1972, kicked three goals, but he was overshadowed by his understudy Michael Moncrieff who booted six. Other good players for the Hawks included Bohdan Jaworskyj, Peter Knights and John Hendrie.
***********
Jason Dunstall twice kicked 12 goals in the opening round, in 1990 and 1992, both times against Geelong. Others to reach double figures in Round 1 were Alec Albiston (10 in 1940), Peter Hudson (10 in 1968) and Leigh Matthews (11 in 1981). Dunstall also holds the club individual goal-kicking record against Brisbane, a mark he set when he booted 11 against the Bears in the first ever match between the two clubs at Carrara in 1987.
