In 1902 the Guernsey was blue with red and white braces. The first change to the Guernsey came when Hawthorn merged with Boroondara in 1905. The colour of the guernsey changed to black with a red sash. This was followed by a change to a gold guernsey with a blue V when the Club merged with the Hawthorn Rovers in 1912.
When Hawthorn joined the Victorian Football Association in 1914 the Brown & Gold colours were adopted. The VFA Guernsey was brown with gold yoke and the Club initials, HFC in front.
1925 Hawthorn was invited to join the VFL. The yoke was dropped for the unusual design of a V on both sides of the guernsey with the Club initials moved to the left breast. By 1933 the initials had been dropped from the Guernsey and the colours reversed for a gold Guernsey with a brown V. This Guernsey only lasted the year, with the Club adopting the nicknames, the Mustard Pots, the Canaries. Maybe this was the reason that the Guernsey change back to brown in 1934.
The most significant change to the Guernsey came in 1950 when the then coach Bob McCaskill adopted the vertical stripes that the team still wears today. His reason for change was that the vertical stripes made the players look bigger, tougher and meaner. The record shows that the Hawks lost every game in 1950.
Colour television was introduced in 1975 which saw most clubs in the VFL change to brighter colours. Hawthorn’s guernsey now had a gold back with brown numbers. The VFL logo was added to the guernsey in 1976 followed by the sponsor’s logo in 1977. The last significant change for the guernsey was the move away from wool to the polyester material in 1995 and the reintroduction of the stripes on the back of the Guernsey with the black numbers on a white square.
To enable the exhibit to happen, reproduction guersneys have been made up for the early years, 1902 through to 1937 with guernseys worn by the players, Ted Fletcher’s 1949 to Sam Mitchell’s 2008 guernsey.
Limited edition guernseys on offer at $99.00 each
The Hawks Museum has on offer a limited number of the VFA 1914 and the 1925 VFL guernseys selling for $99.00 each. They come in two sizes, 18 & 20, made from wool with the correct collars and buttons. Ideal to wear to the footy. Enquiries Hawks Museum 03 9535 3075 or email hawksmuseum@hawthornfc.com.au
Colin Newton wearing the VFL 1925 guernsey with his sons, Stephen and Grant and Andrew Eyres looking very brown & gold in his VFA 1914 guernsey.
