Hawthorn fans can enter the 2021 season with optimism if the club’s past record in years ending in the number 1 is any guide.
Hawthorn has improved its position on the ladder in the last seven seasons ending in one, most notably all the way to Premierships in 1961, 1971 and 1991.
In those seasons, the Hawks twice rose from fifth (in 1960 and 1990) and from as far back as eighth (1970). In 1951, Hawthorn improved from the winless 1950 season to win four games; in 1981, the Hawks rose from eighth to sixth; in 2001, from sixth to fourth; and in 2011, from seventh to third.
However, one word of warning, the improved seasons have started with opening round defeats more often than with wins. There were Round 1 victories in 1971, 1981 and 2001, but losses in 1951, 1961, 1991 and 2011.
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As soon as Shaun Burgoyne takes the field in 2021, he will become the oldest player in Hawthorn history. The current holder of the oldest player title is Michael Tuck, who was 38 years and 96 days, when he played his last game in the 1991 Grand Final. Burgoyne who turned 38 last October, has already exceeded that age.
The shining light in Hawthorn’s opening day games versus Essendon came 50 years ago, in Round 1 1971, when the Hawks defeated the Bombers at Windy Hill by 24 points - 13.18.96 to 10.12.72.
In warm, sunny autumn conditions, a crowd of 19,214 saw the game begin with plenty of vigour. Essendon kicked the first goal, but the Hawks responded with majors to Kevin Heath and Leigh Matthews, followed late in the quarter by further goals to Peter Crimmins and Bob Keddie.
Essendon opened a fiery second quarter with a burst of three quick goals to grab a nine-point lead before, as one match-report very specifically noted, at 2.57pm Peter Hudson kicked his first goal for the season. Two further goals from Hudson and one from Michael Porter established a handy half-time lead for the Hawks.
After the long break, Hawthorn added further goals through Hudson and Heath. Essendon then rallied and young full-back Kelvin Moore helped keep the Bombers at bay. In the final term, Matthews snapped truly from the goal square and Heath added his third to seal the win. There was almost universal agreement that 21-year-old Heath, who had spent most of his career in defence, was best-on-ground playing ruck-rover and forward, while others in the best included Hudson, Moore and Crimmins.
It was Hawthorn’s first victory against Essendon in Round 1 after seven previous losses. In fact, 1971 remains the only time Hawthorn has beaten Essendon in the opening game of the season. Let’s hope that record changes on Saturday night.
This Saturday, 20 March will become the third earliest date on which Hawthorn has played a regular season game, the only earlier ones being 13 and 19 March, the dates on which the Hawks played their opening two matches in the Olympic year of 2000, when the whole season was played earlier than usual.
A big incentive for Hawthorn this week is to avoid losing for the 100th time versus Essendon.
The defeat to the Bombers at the Adelaide Oval in Round 14 last season took Essendon to 99 wins in the head-to-head between the clubs, compared to 65 wins for the Hawks (they have never played a draw).
The only other opponent against which Hawthorn has lost 100 times is Carlton. Remarkably, Hawthorn lost its 100th game to the Blues in 2000 and has only lost three more times in the past two decades (in 2004, 2005 and 2017), while winning 22 times.
Hawthorn will be trying to record four consecutive Round 1 victories for just the third time in club history. Wins against Collinwood (2018), Adelaide (2019) and Brisbane Lions (2020) have given the current Hawks the opportunity to join the previous Hawthorn teams which won at least four consecutive opening games. The Hawks won six consecutive Round 1 games from 1992 to 1997 and four in a row from 1981 to 1984.
Prior to a defeat in 2019, Hawthorn had won four consecutive Docklands’ encounters with the Bombers, three of them by big margins – 94 points (2012), 56 points (2013) and 108 points (2016). In contrast, the other win was a thriller with Cyril Rioli kicking the match-winning goal in the dying stages to secure a four-point win in Round 2 2014.
20 years ago, in Round 1 2001, Hawthorn beat Collingwood by four points at the MCG – 13.7.85 to 11,15.81. Nick Holland kicked three goals and Joel Smith got the three Brownlow votes.
40 years ago, in Round 1 1981, it was battle of new coaches with the much-hyped return of Ron Barassi to Melbourne and the more subdued takeover by Allan Jeans at Hawthorn. The Hawks won a high-scoring MCG game by 41 points, with newly appointed captain Leigh Matthews kicking 11 goals, equalling his career-high.
Jason Dunstall holds the club record individual goal-kicking record against Essendon with 12 in 1992. Other big bags against the Bombers were 11 by Leigh Matthews in 1973 and 10 by Michael Moncrieff in 1972.
Dunstall also holds the club record for Round 1 having kicked 12 goals against Geelong in the opening rounds of both 1990 and 1992. Others to reach double figures in Round 1 were Alec Albiston (10 in 1940), Peter Hudson (10 in 1968) and Leigh Matthews (11 in 1981).
