No. 26
Position: Full forward
Career: 1967-74, 1977
Games: 129. Goals: 727
Premierships: 1971. Night premierships: 1967, 68, 77. Finals appearances: 5.
Awards: Eight-time interstate representative; 1969 All Australian; six-time leading goalkicker; 1968, 70 Club Champion.

Arguably the greatest ever full-forward with an incredible average of 5.59 goals per game. The average exceeds any other player in VFL/AFL history. He kicked over 100 goals in a season on four consecutive occasions and in 1971 equalled Bob Pratt’s record of 150 goals in a season. A serious knee injury in the opening round of 1972 threatened to end his career prematurely, but although it took him five years he returned to football in 1977.

Hudson’s strength was his freakish ability to read the play. His biggest tally in the VFL was 16 goals, but he is perhaps remembered more for his heroic efforts against Collingwood in 1973. Despite being rushed back from injury, and arriving at the ground in a helicopter, he kicked an impressive eight goals for the match. The awe in which supporters held him was shown by the sign outside a church that read: ‘What would you do if Jesus Christ came to Hawthorn? Move Peter Hudson to centre-half-forward!’