Hawthorn will be hoping that this Friday night’s game against Collingwood has the same outcome as its only previous game in Sydney against a fellow Victorian club.
In vastly different circumstances to those of 2020, the Hawks played North Melbourne at the SCG in Round 10 1979, the game between the previous season’s Grand Finalists designed to promote the game in Sydney.
A crowd of 31,395 saw Hawthorn defeat North by 51 points - 23.18.156 to 16.9.105. The Hawks, who had been struggling early in 1979, trailed by 11 points at half-time, but a stunning 9.4 to 2.2 third quarter turned the game right around.
19-year old, John Kennedy Jnr., in just his fifth League game, was rated among the best, along with Peter Russo, Leigh Matthews, Peter Murnane, Michael Tuck and Norm Goss. The lasting memory of the game was provided by Matthews, who kicked a goal at the Randwick end of the SCG which many rated as among the best of the 915 he scored in his 332-game career.
Before 2020, the only two Victorian clubs which Hawthorn had not played outside Victoria were Collingwood and Melbourne. Now Hawthorn will play them in consecutive rounds in Sydney. The Hawks have played Carlton, Geelong, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda and Western Bulldogs in Launceston; met Fitzroy at North Hobart in 1991; and played Essendon at the Gabba in 1981.
Harrison Jones will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of some illustrious predecessors who made their Hawthorn debuts wearing number 40. Only one player, Andy Collins in 1988, has played in a Hawks Premiership wearing the number, but it was the starting point for several other Premiership players.
Back in 1972, Alan Goad made his debut in number 40, before becoming a Premiership player wearing number 19 in 1976. Collins himself played in two more Flags (1989 and 1991) wearing number 4 (before later moving to number 5).
Michael Osborne spent his first four seasons in number 40, before shifting to the number 7 which he wore when he played in the 2008 Flag. Osborne was followed in number 40 by Jordan Lewis, who wore it in 19 games in 2005, before becoming a four-time Premiership star in number 3.
Hawthorn has won 12 of its last 13 games against Collingwood, the only blemish being an 18-point loss in Round 9 2017. The sequence of nine consecutive victories against the Magpies from 2012 to 2016 was a club record. The Hawks began a new winning sequence with a 24-point victory in Round 15 2017, followed up with a 34-point win in Round 1 2018 and a come-from-behind four-point win in Round 16 last season.
Hawthorn has broken the club record for the most consecutive games at the start of a season without playing on a Saturday. Round 4 was the previous latest in a season Hawthorn had played on a Saturday for the first time, which had happened six times (2002, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016).
This round marks the 50th anniversary of Hawthorn’s first game at Waverley. In Round 6 1970, the Hawks maintained their dismal record of never having won their opening game at any new venue. However, they did give the reigning Premiers Richmond a fright, losing by just seven points – 20.10.130 to 21.11.137. Peter Hudson kicked eight goals and Peter Crimmins was outstanding with 27 kicks and five goals.
The Hawks soon found their Waverley mojo, winning their next six matches at the venue. In 30 seasons and 211 games at Waverley, Hawthorn had an outstanding record, winning 140 and losing 71.
Playing outside Victoria in Round 6 has certainly been common for Hawthorn in recent seasons. There were games at Giants Stadium in 2015 and 2016, and at University of Tasmania Stadium in the last three seasons.
In 2018, Hawthorn defeated St Kilda by 35 points, in a game now best-remembered as featuring the debut of James Worpel, and last season snuck home by five points against Carlton. Overall, in Round 6, Hawthorn has recorded 41 wins and 50 defeats in 91 matches (with byes in 1942, 1943, 1994 and 2011).
40 years ago, in Round 6 1980, Hawthorn defeated Footscray by 17 points at Princes Park – 19.16.130 to 18.5.113. Michael Moncrieff kicked six goals, while both Alan Goad and Leigh Matthews had 27 kicks.
60 years ago, in Round 6 1960, Hawthorn recorded its first win under the coaching of John Kennedy Snr., a 14-point victory against North Melbourne. A crowd of 8,600 saw the Hawks win 9.8.62 to 7.6.48. Phil Hay kicked an equal career-high three goals.
80 years ago, in Round 6 1940, Hawthorn scored a stunning upset win against reigning and eventual Premier Melbourne – 12.15.87 to 11.15.81 - with Jim Bohan kicking three goals.
Jason Dunstall holds the Hawthorn record for most goals in a game versus Collingwood, having booted 11 in both 1989 and 1990. Next best was Michael Moncrieff’s 10 in 1976.
Dunstall and Lance Franklin share the Hawthorn individual goals record for Round 6. Dunstall kicked nine goals in both 1992 and 1993, versus Collingwood and Adelaide respectively, a tally equaled by Franklin against Essendon in 2007.
