In kicking 17 goals against Richmond at Waverley in Round 7 1992, Dunstall beat the previous Hawthorn record of 16, booted by Peter Hudson in 1969.
A Waverley Park crowd of 26,789 saw Dunstall kick six in the first quarter, five in the second, two in the third and four in the last. By the end of the game, his return of 17.5 were part of a team score of 25.22.172, easily accounting for Richmond’s 14.9.93.
When the teams met again in Round 22, Dunstall booted 12 goals, a total of 29 against the Tigers in 1992.
Interestingly, the Hawks had gone into Round 7 1992 with exactly the same pattern of results as is year - WLWLLW.
Hawthorn has won its last eight matches against Melbourne. The second win of the sequence squared the ledger at 74-74 in the head-to-head battle between the clubs, for the first time since it was 0-0 in 1925. The subsequent six wins have put Hawthorn in front - 80 to 74, after 154 games. In 68 away games against the Demons, the record is tied at 34.
The Hawks have a long way to go to equal the club’s all-time best sequence against Melbourne, 22 wins between Round 13 1973 and Round 3 1984 - Hawthorn’s best-ever sequence of success against any opponent.
The only previous Friday night clashes between Hawthorn and Melbourne have resulted in Melbourne wins, but by very different margins. In Round 4 1999, the difference was just one point, while in Round 8 2006, the Hawks were thrashed by 75 points, which was also the last time Melbourne beat Hawthorn.
Friday night’s game will be the 20th consecutive Hawthorn-Melbourne match played at the MCG. The last time the two teams met at a different venue was at Waverley Park in Round 19 1999.
The Hawks have played the Demons at the MCG more than any other team in succession.
Further to the list of Hawthorn footballers who passed away during World War II provided two weeks ago, Harold Zucker needs to be added to the list. Hawks Museum Curator, Peter Haby, advised that latest research indicates that, while Zucker died in 1947, it was as a result of injuries received during the war, meaning that he should be included. Zucker played 3 games for Hawthorn in 1942.
10 years ago, in Round 7 2002, Hawthorn scored a comprehensive 52-point win against Geelong at the MCG. Both teams went in with win/loss record of 3-3, but with the Cats' superior percentage, they were placed seventh on the ladder, and the Hawks 12th. The star of Hawthorn’s 20.10.130 to 11.12.78 win was Shane Crawford, who was in scintillating form gathering 30 disposals and four goals.
Chance Bateman was the only current Hawk in the team that day, while only two players from that team, Crawford and Robert Campbell went on to play in the 2008 Premiership. In contrast, six members of the Geelong team from that game are still playing at Geelong (Gary Ablett now at Gold Coast), while 13 of their 22 played in at least one of Geelong’s three recent premierships.
In Round 7 1972, Hawthorn scored a comfortable win against South Melbourne, despite kicking only 2.7 in the second half. In front of 13,727 at Glenferrie Hawthorn led 11.7 to 3.9 at half-time, but fell away in the second half.
Peter Knights continued his good form as replacement forward in the absence of Peter Hudson, kicking five goals, bringing his tally to 17 in four weeks. With St Kilda losing to Essendon, the Hawks were now alone at the top of the ladder with a 6-1 record - half a game ahead of Carlton.
Round 7 1962 and a packed Glenferrie saw another disappointing effort by the reigning premiers who lost to St Kilda by 32 points. Indeed, St Kilda probably should have won by more if not for their inaccurate 12.22.94 to the Hawks’ 9.8.62. Ian Law and Garry Young were multiple goalkickers for Hawthorn with two each.
One of Hawthorn’s most significant Round 7 wins was in 1931 when the club recorded its first-ever win against Essendon. Making the victory more noteworthy was the fact that it was achieved at Windy Hill.
Hawthorn went into the game without a win for the season but, in a game where the margin was less than a goal at every change, ran away in the final term to win 12.8.80 to 8.12.60.
Jack Ryan backed up his six goal effort in the previous game with another three, while the leadership of Captain-Coach, John ‘Jiggy’ Harris was a key factor.
Hawthorn’s overall Round 7 record is 40 wins, 46 losses and one draw. The draw came in 1963, when that year’s eventual Grand Finalists, Hawthorn and Geelong, kicked 9.12.66 apiece.
Hawthorn has only recorded two Round 7 wins in the past nine seasons - a 65-point thrashing of Collingwood in 2008 and a 32-point victory over Port Adelaide last season. The 1970s brought much Round 7 happiness - the Hawks won eight consecutive Round 7 matches from 1971 to 1978.
The leading individual goalkicker for Hawthorn against Melbourne is Peter Hudson.
