On seven previous occasions in the Club’s history, Hawthorn has followed the pattern of 2010 to date - a win in the opening round and then losses in the next three matches. In none of those previous seasons has the slide been halted in Round 5.
The seven seasons in question were 1930, 1933, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1967 and 2004. Only in 1940 did Hawthorn even manage a win in Round 6, with the other seasons producing the next successes in Round 7 three times, in Round 8 twice, and once, in 1935, the team did not win again until a return meeting with Round 1 opponent North Melbourne in Round 12.
Hopefully Jarryd Roughead can boot at least four goals on Sunday and thus become the 25th Hawthorn player to reach 200 career goals.
Before last Saturday night, he was on 195 goals, in equal 26th place on the career goals list with 1971 Grand Final hero, Bob Keddie. His solitary major against Collingwood took him to 196, equal with 1980s dual premiership player, Peter Curran. The next players in Roughead’s sights as he heads up the list are Graham Arthur and Peter Knights on 201.
In this Anzac Day round, we should remember the eight Hawthorn players who lost their lives in World War Two - Jack Drake, Alf Giblett, Alex Nash, Richard Pirrie, Jack Price, Len Thomas, Max Wheeler and Gus Young.
Hawthorn will be playing on Anzac Day for the second consecutive season, having played West Coast at Aurora Stadium last season.
The League first played matches on Anzac day in 1960, and Hawthorn first ever Anzac Day appearance was in 1963. It was a big clash against Melbourne at the MCG and a crowd of 55,293 (the first Hawthorn home and away crowd of more than 50,000) saw the Hawks lose by four points, despite 6 goals from full-forward John Peck.
Seven of Hawthorn’s previous eleven appearances on Anzac Day have been when it fell on a Saturday, but the fact that, unlike other public holidays on which football is played, Anzac Day falls on different days of the week means that it has provided the only ever games that Hawthorn has played on a Tuesday (1989), Wednesday (1979), Thursday (1963) and in the daytime on a Friday (1980). This year is the first time that Hawthorn has played on Anzac Day when it has fallen on a Sunday.
Hawthorn has won seven out of the eleven Anzac Day games, including the last four. It has met North Melbourne once previously on Anzac Day, winning by 35 points at Princes Park in 1981.
Those fans getting nervous about the Hawks’ 1-3 start to the 2010 season should note that twice previously, in 1994 and 2000, the Hawks have made the Finals after being 1-3. Also noteworthy is 1996, when the team had recorded one win (against lowly Fitzroy) and a draw after four rounds, then lost in Rounds 5, 6 and 7, and yet recovered to make the Finals.
It is now eight years since one of the most significant games for Hawthorn debuts in the club’s history. In Round 5, 2002, Hawthorn defeated Richmond by 42 points at the MCG, but it will be remembered in Hawthorn the Club’s history for the debuts of future Premiership captain, Sam Mitchell, Norm Smith medallist, Luke Hodge, and now retired Premiership ruckman, Robert Campbell.
2010 is the first season since 2001 when Hawthorn has been drawn to play North Melbourne only once in the home and away season.
In the eight consecutive seasons when the two teams met twice, the results were split 1-1 five times, the Roos won both matches in 2004 and 2005, while last season Hawthorn finally managed to beat North twice in the one season for the first time since 1992.
The recent glut of meetings, plus the fact that the two clubs have met 15 times in Finals, means that the 163 games against North is the most Hawthorn has played against any club. The next highest figure is 156 games against Carlton.
The overall record between Hawthorn and North is 88 to 73 (with 2 draws) in the Hawks’ favour with the lead mainly accounted for by the Hawks’ 14 consecutive wins over North from 1985 to 1993.
This is the fourth occasion when Hawthorn has hosted North Melbourne in Launceston, with the Hawks holding a 2-1 advantage. The Hawks won low-scoring games in 2006 and 2009, but lost by 37 points in 2007.
Hawthorn kicked a massive score against North Melbourne in Round 5, 1988 - Hawthorn 31.19.205 defeated North Melbourne 19.14.128. The score is one of only five of over 200 in Hawthorn history, the others being 231 (v Fitzroy, 1991), 225 (v Geelong 1986), 224 (v Essendon, 1992) and 206 (v North, 1982). The aggregate of 333 is the third highest in the club’s history, behind 334 in the comeback win against Geelong in 1989, and 337 in a loss to Richmond in 1985.
Hawthorn had 12 individual goal-kickers headed by Jason Dunstall (7), Stephen Lawrence on debut (5), Peter Curran (3), Robert Dipierdomenico (3) and John Platten (3). Tony Hall had 34 disposals and Platten 30. However, the player who impressed the umpires most was the late Robert Dickson, so tragically killed in a car just over a year ago, who in just his fifth game earned the 3 votes for his 15 polished disposals and 2 goals.
Hawthorn has played 84 games in Round 5 for 37 wins and 47 losses (having a bye in 1993). In the Clarkson era, Round 5 games have all been reasonably close. There were wins over Essendon in 2006 (by one point), Brisbane Lions in 2008 (12 points), and West Coast last season (18 points), while in 2005 and 2007 the Hawks lost to North and the Bulldogs by 19 points and 17 points respectively.
Ten years ago, in Round 5 2000, Hawthorn had the unusual fixture of a Sunday night game at Football Park against Port Adelaide and scored an upset 39 point win - 16.17.113 to 10.14.74. Trent Croad was the star with a career-high 6 goals, which was good enough to earn him the 3 Brownlow votes, with Mark Graham securing 2 and Michael Collica 1.
Round 5 produced what was then the highest, and remains the second highest, individual goal tally in Hawthorn history, when Peter Hudson kicked 16 against Melbourne at Glenferrie in 1969. The record individual goal tally for Hawthorn against North is 10 held jointly by Alec Albiston (Round 1, 1940) and Jason Dunstall (Round 22, 1988).
