2008

Hawthorn 18.7 (115) to Geelong 11.23 (89)

Coach: Alastair Clarkson
Captain: Sam Mitchell

Backs: Stephen Gilham, Trent Croad, Brent Guerra
Half-backs: Rick Ladson, Luke Hodge, Grant Birchall
Mid-field: Chance Bateman, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis
Half-forwards: Michael Osborne, Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli
Forwards: Mark Williams, Jarryd Roughead, Campbell Brown

Followers: Robert Campbell, Brad Sewell, Shane Crawford

Interchange: Stuart Dew, Xavier Ellis, Brent Renouf, Clinton Young

Goal kickers: M Williams 3, S Dew 2, L Franklin 2, J Roughead 2, C Rioli 2, L Hodge 1,X Ellis 1, C Bateman 1, C Young 1, C Brown 1, R Ladson 1, S Mitchell 1

Best players: L Hodge, B Sewell, S Dew, X Ellis, C Rioli, S Crawford, C Bateman

Norm Smith Medalist: Luke Hodge

Attendance: 100,012


The Hawks won their tenth premiership in 50 years, 17 years since its last, defeating Geelong by 26 points in 2008. Hawthorn and Geelong were locked in a mighty arm wrestle until late in the third quarter, when the Hawks started to exert their dominance over the game.
 

Indomitable Hawthorn workhorse Luke Hodge was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground.
 

The win gave veteran Shane Crawford a premiership in his 305th game, the second longest any player has waited for their first taste of VFL/AFL grand final action in history.
 

1991

Hawthorn 20.19 (139) d West Coast 13.8 (86)

Coach: Alan Joyce
Captain: Michael Tuck

Backs: James Morrissey, Chris Langford, Gary Ayres
Half-backs: Ray Jencke, Chris Mew, Michael Tuck
Mid-field: Darrin Pritchard, Ben Allan, Andrew Gowers,
Half-forwards: Tony Hall, Dermott Brereton, Paul Hudson
Forwards: Paul Dear, Jason Dunstall, Darren Jarman
 

Followers: Stephen Lawrence, Anthony Condon, John Platten

Interchange: Dean Anderson, Andrew Collins

Goal kickers: J Dunstall 6, D Brereton 4, P Dear 2, D Pritchard 2, P Hudson 2, D Anderson 1, A Condon 1, T Hall 1

Best players: P Dear, S Lawrence, J Morrissey, J Platten, D Brereton, A Condon

Norm Smith Medalist: Paul Dear

Attendance: 75,230 (at VFL Park, Waverley)


Grand Final day 1991 was an historic occasion. It was the only Grand Final played at Waverley Park and featured the first ever appearance by a non-Victorian team on the big day. West Coast had dominated the home and away season but Hawthorn, written off by many early in the season, had slowly gathered momentum and had stunned the Eagles by winning the first ever Final played outside Victoria.
 

West Coast began the re-match kicking with the aid of a strong wind blowing down to the main scoreboard end and kicked the opening four goals. However, from that point the Hawks began to gain the ascendancy and, apart from inaccuracy in the second term, would have had a significant half time lead.
 

Having maintained the half-time margin, against the wind, in the third term, the Hawks slammed on 8.4 to 1.3 to win a fifth Flag in nine seasons. Michael Tuck, Chris Mew, Gary Ayres and Dermott Brereton had played in all five. A feature of the Hawks’ performance was that its two best players – Paul Dear and Stephen Lawrence - were from the team’s younger brigade.
 

It was to prove to be Michael Tuck’s last game and he bowed out with the League record for games (426), finals (39), Grand Finals (11) and Premierships (7). 
 

1989

Hawthorn 21.18 (144) d Geelong 21.12 (138)

Coach: Allan Jeans
Captain: Michael Tuck

Backs: Andrew Collins, Chris Langford, Gary Ayres
Half-backs: Scott Maginness, Chris Mew, J Kennedy Jnr
Mid-field: Darrin Pritchard, Anthony Condon, Robert DiPierdomenico
Half-forwards: Dean Anderson, Dermott Brereton, Gary Buckenara
Forwards: Peter Curran, Jason Dunstall, Chris Wittman

Followers: Greg Dear, Michael Tuck, John Platten

Interchange: James Morrissey, Greg Madigan

Goal kickers: D Anderson 4, G Buckenara 4, J Dunstall 4, G Buckenara 4, D Brereton 3, P Curran 3, R DiPierdomenico 1, J Morrissey 1, C Wittman 1

Best players: D Pritchard, D Anderson, R DiPierdomenico, J Dunstall, G Buckenara, P Curran

Attendance: 94,796


Hawthorn finally achieved back-to-back Premierships, but only after receiving a major scare from the fast-finishing Geelong. In a sensational start, Dermott Brereton was felled at the opening bounce.
 

Ignoring instructions to leave the field, moments later Brereton took an inspirational mark that highlighted the brilliant opening term that saw the Hawks race to a 40 point quarter time lead. However, Geelong’s initial attack on the player rather than the ball set the pattern for the day, with Hawthorn having only a dozen fit players by the end of the match.
 

John Platten and Gary Ayres were on the bench unable to return, while Robert Dipierdomenico’s punctured lung was the most serious of the injuries afflicting the players remaining on the ground. The team had truly followed coach, Allan Jeans, injunction to “pay the price”.
 

To underline the fact that Hawthorn’s actual superiority over Geelong was more than 6 points, when the teams met in Round 1, 1990 the Hawks won by 115 points.
 

1988

Hawthorn 22.20 (152) d Melbourne 6.20 (56)

Coach: Alan Joyce
Captain: Michael Tuck

Backs: Andrew Collins, Chris Langford, Gary Ayres
Half-backs: Scott Maginness, Chris Mew, Michael Tuck
Mid-field: Tony Hall, Peter Schwab, Robert DiPierdomenico
Half-forwards: Chris Wittman, Dermott Brereton, John Kennedy Jnr
Forwards: Paul Abbott, Jason Dunstall, James Morrissey
 

Followers: Greg Dear, Gary Buckenara, John Platten

Interchange: Russell Greene, Darrin Pritchard

Goal kickers: J Dunstall 7, P Abbott 6, D Brereton 5, R DiPierdomenico 1, J Kennedy Jnr 1, J Morrissey 1, P Schwab 1

Best players: Gary Ayres, P Abbott, J Platten, P Schwab, J Dunstall, D Brereton

Norm Smith Medalist: Gary Ayres

Attendance: 93,754


The 1988 Grand Final was over as a contest by early in the second term, when goals from the boundary from opposite pockets from Dermott Brereton and Robert Dipierdomenico showed it was the Hawks’ day.

In a remarkable passage of play later in that quarter, the Hawks moved the ball forward fifty metres through the middle of the ground without any player gaining a disposal.
 

The winning margin of 96 points broke the Hawks own record of 83 set in 1983. Jason Dunstall, Paul Abbott and Brereton kicked 18 goals between them, while Gary Ayres became the first player to win two Norm Smith Medals.

1986

Hawthorn 16.14 (110) d Carlton 9.14 (68)

Coach: Allan Jeans
Captain: Michael Tuck

Backs: Peter Russo, Chris Mew, Paul Abbott
Half-backs: Peter Schwab, Chris Langford, Michael Tuck
Mid-field: Gary Ayres, Terry Wallace, Robert DiPierdomenico
Half-forwards: Gary Buckenara, Dermott Brereton, Peter Curran
Forwards: Russell Greene, Jason Dunstall, John Platten

Followers: Greg Dear, Rodney Eade, Richard Loveridge

Interchange: John Kennedy Jnr, Russell Morris

Goal kickers: J Dunstall 6, G Buckenara 4, D Brereton 3, G Ayres 1, P Curran 1, P Russo 1

Best players: G Ayres, R Eade, J Dunstall, G Buckenara, T Wallace, C Langford

Norm Smith Medalist: Gary Ayres

Attendance: 101,861


Having finished the home and away season on top of the ladder, Hawthorn had been surprisingly outplayed by Carlton in the Second Semi Final.
 

The Hawks had returned to form with a 56 point thrashing of Fitzroy in the Preliminary Final, but had never previously won a Grand Final after losing the Second Semi. Hawthorn controlled the game all day, sealing it with a 7.1 to 2.2 third term in which Jason Dunstall booted 3 of his 6 goals for the game.
 

A series of positional moves from coach, Allan Jeans, all worked well, completely blanketing Carlton’s chief play makers.
 

Gary Ayres, playing on the wing, won the Norm Smith Medal while Rodney Eade, controversially left out of the 1985 Grand Final side, cut his opponent out of the game and won many kicks himself.

1983

Hawthorn 20.20 (140) d Essendon 8.9 (57)

Coach: Allan Jeans
Captain: Leigh Matthews

Backs: Gary Ayres, Chris Mew, David O’Halloran
Half-backs: Russell Greene, Michael McCarthy, John Kennedy Jnr
Mid-field: Rodney Eade, Terry Wallace, Peter Schwab,
Half-forwards: Peter Knights, Dermott Brereton, Gary Buckenara
Forwards: Leigh Matthews, Michael Byrne, Richard Loveridge
 

Followers: Ian Paton, Michael Tuck, Colin Roberston

Interchange: Ken Judge, Robert DiPierdomenico

Goal kickers: L Matthews 6, M Byrne 3, K Judge 2, R Loveridge 2, R Greene 2, D O’Halloran 1, T Wallace 1, M Tuck 1, P Knights 1, J Kennedy Jnr 1

Best players: C Robertson, M Tuck, P Knights, L Matthews, J Kennedy Jnr, R Greene

Norm Smith Medalist: Colin Robertson

Attendance: 110,332


Hawthorn and Essendon went into the game as equal favourites. The Hawks suffered an early blow when forward Gary Buckenara went down with a serious knee injury but, fortunately there was a more than adequate replacement in Ken Judge on the bench.
 

Hawthorn dominated the first quarter but Essendon’s accuracy in front of goal saw the lead reduced to only two goals early in the second term, when the Dons kicked their fourth for the match. Between Essendon’s fourth and fifth goals Hawthorn added 13 in a brilliant display of running football.
 

By early in the final term, Hawthorn led by over 100 points and, despite allowing Essendon the consolation of some late goals, still won by a then-record Grand Final margin of 83 points.
 

Much to the ire of the Essendon fans Colin Robertson won the Norm Smith Medal; they were upset after a clash that Robertson had with their favourite son Tim Watson early in the game.

1978

Hawthorn 18.13 (121) d North Melbourne 15.13 (103)

Coach: David Parkin
Captain: Don Scott

Backs: Alle de Wolde, Kelvin Moore, Ian Paton
Half-backs: David Polkinghorne, Peter Knights, Robert Di Pierdomenico
Mid-field: Rodney Eade, Terry Wallace, Geoff Ablett,
Half-forwards: John Hendrie, Alan Martello, Peter Murnane
Forwards: Richard Walter, Michael Moncrief, Peter Russo
 

Followers: Don Scott, Michael Tuck, Leigh Matthews

Reserves: Norm Goss, Michael McCarthy

Goal kickers: L Matthews 4, M Moncrief 4, D Scott 3, P Knights 2, G Ablett 1, R Eade 1,
J Hendrie 1, A Martello 1, P Murnane 1

Best players: R DiPierdomenico, L Matthews, R Eade, D Scott, T Wallace, P Knights,

Attendance: 101,704


Hawthorn and North Melbourne were meeting in their tenth final in five years and their third Grand Final in four years.
 

Hawthorn made a dream start when Michael Moncrieff marked on the lead twice in the opening minutes and goaled twice. The Hawks seemed well on top until a series of big marks and goals from Phil Baker dragged North back into the game by half time.
 

When the Kangaroos led by two goals early in the third term the situation looked ominous for Hawthorn. However, with Don Scott at his inspirational best and Leigh Matthews booting 3 goals for the term, the Hawks regained the ascendancy.
 

While Matthews gathered 10 kicks in the last quarter, Peter Knights provided the highlight when, after being knocked out in the backline, he went forward and booted two magnificent goals.

1976

Hawthorn 13.22 (100) d North Melbourne 10.10 (70)

Coach: John Kennedy
Captain: Don Scott

Backs: Brian Douge, Kelvin Moore, Bernie Jones
Half-backs: Ian Bremner, Peter Knights, David O’Halloran
Mid-field: Rodney Eade, Barry Rowlings, Geoff Ablett
Half-forwards: Kelvin Matthews, Alan Martello, David Polkinghorne
Forwards: Allan Goad, John Hendrie, Michael Moncrief
 

Followers: Don Scott, Michael Tuck, Leigh Matthews

Reserves: Leon Rice, Peter Murnane
 

Goal kickers: M Moncrieff 3, J Hendrie 2, A Goad 2, K Matthews 2, A Martello 1, L Matthews 1, D Scott 1, B Rowlings 1

Best players: J Hendrie, P Knights, G Ablett, B Douge, B Rowlings, K Moore

Attendance: 110,143


Hawthorn had two powerful motivations for winning the 1976 Grand Final. The first was that the club was seeking revenge for their humiliating loss to North Melbourne in the 1975 Grand Final.
 

The second was that their inspirational former captain, Peter Crimmins, was seriously ill with cancer. Crimmins was too ill to attend the game, but invoking the need to win for “the little fella” was all that coach Kennedy needed to say to inspire his players.
 

Hawthorn controlled the game for most of the day and while North had the better of the third term, the result was never really in doubt. John Hendrie was generally acknowledged as best-on-ground; there would have been no argument except for his inaccuracy that saw him kick 2.7. On Grand Final night, a group of Hawthorn players took the Premiership cup to the home of their dying former skipper.
 

One of the most iconic photographs in the history of the Hawthorn Football Club shows Crimmins surrounded by a group of his team mates, holding the Premiership Cup. He died three days later.

1971

Hawthorn 12.10 (82) d St Kilda 11.9 (75)
 

Coach: John Kennedy
Captain: David Parkin

Backs: David Parkin, Kelvin Moore, Les Hawken
Half-backs: Ian Bremner, Norm Bussell, Robert Day
Mid-field: Leon Rice, Geoff Angus, Des Meagher
Half-forwards: Michael Porter, Alan Martello, Robert Keddie
Forwards: Leigh Matthews, Peter Hudson, Kevin Heath
Followers: Don Scott, Bruce Stevenson, Peter Crimmins
Reserves: Ken Beck, Ray Wilson

Goal kickers: R Keddie 4, P Hudson 3, P Crimmins 2, L Rice 1, L Matthews 1, Don Scott 1

Best players: D Scott, K Moore, P Crimmins, D Parkin, R Keddie, L Rice

Attendance: 118,192


Two of the toughest sides ever to play the game faced off in the 1971 Grand Final, as John Kennedy’s Hawthorn took on Allan Jeans’ St Kilda. A typically uncompromising opening half saw the Hawks trail by two points at half time.
 

The third quarter was all St Kilda and only late did Leon Rice score the Hawks’ only goal of the term. It cut the margin to 20 points at three quarter time and set the scene for one of the great Grand Final comebacks. Hawthorn come storming home, kicking 7.3, to win by 7 points. The star was Bob Keddie who booted 4 final quarter goals, having been shifted to full forward. Earlier in the game, Hawthorn’s champion full-forward Peter Hudson had kicked 3 goals to equal Bob Pratt’s 1934 record of 150 goals in the season.
 

However, Hudson had been the recipient of some particularly heavy treatment and was groggy and not his usual potent force, hence the Keddie move. While Hudson did get opportunities in the final term, his attempts to break the record foundered as first he kicked into the man on the mark and then out on the full from 30 yards out.

1961

Hawthorn 13.16 (94) d Footscray 7.9 (51)

Coach: John Kennedy
Captain: Graham Arthur

Backs: Reg Poole, Les Kaine, Graham Cooper
Half-backs: Sted Hay, John McArthur, Cam McPherson
Mid-field: Col Youren, Brendan Edwards, John Fisher
Half-forwards: Ian Mort, Garry Young, Morton Browne
Forwards: Malcolm Hill, John Peck, Jack Cunningham
Followers: John Winneke, Graham Arthur, Ian Law
Reserves: Ron Nalder, Phil Hay

Goal kickers: M Browne 3, I Law 2, I Mort 2, M Hill 1, J Cunningham 1, G Arthur 1, B Edwards 1, J Peck 1, R Nalder 1

Best players: B Edwards, I Law, J Winneke, J Fisher, I Mort, M Hill

Attendance: 107,935

Hawthorn made its first Grand Final in only its second Finals’ Series appearance (the first was in 1957).
 

As minor premier, the Hawks had proved their worth by beating Melbourne (winner of 5 of the previous 6 Flags) in the Second Semi Final.
 

To the surprise of most, Footscray won the Preliminary Final to make the 1961 Grand Final a clash of two clubs that had joined the League in 1925. After a poor first half, the Hawks were lucky to only trail by nine points at the long interval.
 

However, they were revitalised in the third quarter, hitting the front within three minutes and slamming on 6.6 to 1.0 for the term. It remained one-way traffic in the last quarter as Hawthorn cruised home by 43 points to claim the club’s first Premiership. Brendan Edwards had 33 kicks in a best-on-ground performance.