The Football Record front cover the week prior Family Day featured Peter Hudson advising Jason Dunstall how to kick for goal. The Football Record ran a feature story telling all that Dunstall was as nervous as a kitten as the countdown starts for this Sunday’s big SHOOT OUT. “Huddo” alias Peter Hudson, was playing things pretty close to his chest. It’s 12 years since he played for the Hawks and we were not certain just how true the old boot was these days.
Hudson and Dunstall are the star attractions in the Club’s Family Day, which will feature the “Shoot Out” - a goal-kicking test between the current VFL star and the former champ. They were to shoot from various angles from about 40 metres out. In his day Hudson, 43, would have devoured this assignment as week after week he worked the goal umpires off their feet.
For the record and to the delight of all the young fans who idolized Dunstall watched him with delight as he booted 9 goals 1 behind with Hudson kicking 2 goals 8 behinds. Hudson brought all his adoring fans to their feet with his last kick of the day from deep on the boundary, he let go with one of his famous low mongrel punts that the goal umpire leaning back as the ball pass over his head.
In true Hawthorn style the football became the major raffle prize of the day. A record number of tickets were sold with Social Club identity Richard Wood drawing the lucky number to win the football. On receiving the ball, Richard had the pleasure of watching Hudson and Dunstall plus the then coach Allan Jean sign his prized possession.
23 years later Richard made a pilgrimage to Waverley to see if the Hawks Museum maybe interested in receiving the football. It is now on display in the Goal-kickers cabinet that honours Peter Hudson and Jason Dunstall and is destined to add to the debate, would you play at full forward.
Richards trip to Waverley was also personally rewarding as he and was surprised to find the Social Club Life Patrons Board on display in the Stairway of Memories. He was a Life Patron himself and happily smiled when he spotted his name. He had feared that with the closure of the Social Club that the Life Patrons honour board might have been tossed out. He had even considered making an offer to buy the honour board.
For the record Hudson (1967-74, 1977) played 129 games and kicked 727 goals and Dunstall (1985-98) played 269 games and kicked 1254 goals.
The Hudson-Dunstall football on display at the Hawks Museum.
Richard Wood points to his name on the Social Club honour board.
