Hawthorn will present the No.5 guernsey to its new occupant on Saturday, and there has been plenty of speculation as to who that player might be.

To truly understand the significance of the number, one must look back at Hawthorn’s history.

19 men have donned the No.5 for Hawthorn. Its significance started early, with Alec Albiston wearing the guernsey for the majority of his 170 games, starting in 1936. In 1947, however, he was elected captain and switched to guernsey No.1, as it was tradition for Hawthorn's captain to wear No.1 during that era. Albiston was inducted into Hawthorn’s Hall of Fame in 2011.

After shuffling hands a couple of times, the number was passed on to Pat Cash Snr (father of retired Australian tennis player Pat Cash Jr.) who wore it from 1951 through to 1955. Though Hawthorn experienced little success during this period, Cash managed to lead the Hawks’ goal kicking in his debut season.

Flash forward a couple of years to Hawthorn’s first premiership in 1961. John Fisher proudly wore No.5 as he received his premiership medallion.

The next recipient of the No.5 brown and gold guernsey had arguably the most significant impact on Hawthorn of anybody who has played the game. From 1966 until 1975, Peter Crimmins wore No.5 with pride, captaining the side from 1974 before sadly losing his battle with cancer in 1976. Crimmins exuded courage, determination and leadership both on and off the field, and was immensely respected by teammates and opposition alike. His untimely death rocked the entire football community. Hawthorn has recognised his fighting spirit by renaming their annual best and fairest award the Peter Crimmins Medal.

Out of respect for Crimmins, the No.5 was retired until 1993, when his family asked for the number to be reinstated and worn by Andy Collins, who’s playing style was reminiscent of their late great champion. Collins accepted the honour, and donned the No.5 proudly for the following four seasons.

This century, there have been only two Hawks to wear the famous number. Daniel Harford between 1997 and 2003, and Sam Mitchell from 2004 to 2016. Both men were hard-at-the-ball, determined and aggressive players. Mitchell captained the side from 2008 until 2011, and led the Hawks to their 2008 premiership. At the end of the 2016 season, Mitchell headed west to join the Eagles, leaving the famous No.5 available to any player deemed worthy.



1925 Les Woodford, 13 games
1926 – 1928 Frank Murphy, 28 games
1927 George Arnott, 10 games
1927 – 1929 Fred Barker, 29 games
1927-1928, 1931 – 1933 Bob Hammond, 34 games
1931, 1933 – 1935 Bert Chandler, 48 games
1936 – 1942, 1945 – 1949 Alec Albiston, 170 games
1942 Cec Austen, 5 games
1943 Norm Fletcher, 2 games
1945 Jack Taylor, 2 games
1949 Allan Baldwin, 5 games
1050 – 1951 Jack McLeod, 64 games
1951 – 1955 Pat Cash, 58 games
1956 – 1957 John Cooper, 20 games
1957 – 1965 John Fisher, 94 games
1966 – 1975 Peter Crimmins, 176 games
1993 – 1996 Andy Collins, 212 games (previously No.40 and No.4)
1997 – 2003 Daniel Harford, 153 games
2004 – 2016 Sam Mitchell, 307 games
2017 – TBA.