2020 is the sixth season in the Clarkson era where the Hawks have begun the season with a Round 1 victory, followed by a Round 2 defeat.
In four of the five previous cases (2006, 2012, 2015 and 2019), Hawthorn then proceeded to win in Round 3, a trend which hopefully will continue this Thursday night against Richmond.
This week, Hawthorn can win a fourth consecutive MCG games for the first time since 2015. The current sequence of three successive victories includes wins against Collingwood and Geelong last season and Brisbane Lions in Round 1. The last sequence of four wins at the MCG culminated in victory in the 2015 Grand Final.
The 17-game home and away season in 2020 will be the second in Hawthorn history. The other one was in 1925, Hawthorn’s first season in the VFL, a year when the club won three games. There have been two shorter seasons in which Hawthorn has participated which were during the Second World War when the 1942 and 1943 home and away seasons had 16 rounds and 15 games, with a bye necessitated by Geelong’s absence from the competition..
Injury update: A clean bill of health from the Cattery
Hawthorn has won its last four matches played on 18 June, with wins against Richmond (2006), Essendon (2010), Gold Coast (2011) and Adelaide (2015). That means this Thursday will be the tenth anniversary of those two memorable final quarter Lance Franklin goals versus Essendon in Round 13 2010.
This week Hawthorn will be playing its eighth ever game on a Thursday. The Hawks have won four of the previous seven, but have lost the two previous ones at the MCG, which were on Anzac Day 1963 versus Melbourne and in the 2018 Qualifying Final against Richmond.
Hawthorn last beat Richmond in Round 18 2016, a 70-point victory to celebrate Sam Mitchell’s 300th game. The Hawks won 16.18.114 to 5.14.44, with Mitchell starring with 38 disposals, although pipped for the three Brownlow votes by Josh Gibson, who not only had 31 disposals but also kicked the third and final goal of his Hawks’ career.
Hawthorn’s current sequence of four losses against Richmond is the worst against the Tigers since losing six in a row from 1995 to 1998. However, Hawthorn has had some long winning sequences versus Richmond, including 16 (1985-94) and 10 (1959-64).
Grant Birchall’s debut for Brisbane Lions means that 11 members of Hawthorn’s 2008 Premiership team have gone onto play for other League clubs. There were also four members of the team who had previously played for other clubs (Stephen Gilham was in both categories), which leaves just eight members of the team who spent their entire AFL careers in brown and gold.
Round 3 has historically been one of Hawthorn’s best rounds, with 50 victories and 45 losses from 95 matches. The Hawks had a remarkable Round 3 record between 1971 and 1992, winning 19 and losing just three. Hawthorn has also done well in Round 3 in the Clarkson era, winning 11 of 15, including six in a row from 2011 to 2016. After losses to Gold Coast (2017) and Richmond (2018), the Hawks bounced back to the Round 3 winners list versus North Melbourne last season.
20 years ago, in Round 3 2000, Hawthorn gave Peter Schwab his first win as coach, coming from 25 points down half-way through the third quarter to win by seven points against Brisbane Lions at the MCG – 16.14.110 to 15.13.97. John Barker booted four second half goals and Kris Barlow kicked the sealer. Daniel Harford got the three Brownlow votes for his 28-disposal game.
30 years ago, in Round 3 1990, Hawthorn’s malaise from the previous week’s loss to Essendon continued in the opening half against Richmond at Princes Park. The Hawks trailed by 22 points at half-time but turned the game around with a brilliant 7.6 to 0.5 third quarter to take a 21-point lead to the final change. Hawthorn won 15.21.111 to 10.21.81, with the stars being Jason Dunstall (six goals) and John Platten (29 disposals).
40 years ago, in Round 3 1980, Hawthorn won a game of fluctuating fortunes against Collingwood at Princes Park – 19.16.130 to 16.23.119. The Hawks began brilliantly and led by as much as 59 points in the second quarter before the Magpies fought back and hit the front by seven points in the last quarter. In the absence of the injured Leigh Matthews, Alan Goad rose to the occasions magnificently with 26 disposals and four goals.
The individual goalkicking record for Hawthorn in Round 3 is 11 kicked by Leigh Matthews versus Essendon at Waverley in 1973. Michael Moncrieff had a liking for Round 3, kicking 10 in 1974 versus South Melbourne and again in 1976 against Collingwood.
Jason Dunstall had an amazing season against Richmond in 1992, booting a club record 17 goals in Round 7 and following it up with a further bag of 12 in Round 22.
