While his major milestone of 300 games is still a fortnight away, Luke Hodge will this Sunday equal the most number of games played for Hawthorn in the number 15 jumper.

The current record of 298 games in number 15 is held by champion full-back Kelvin Moore. Moore played exactly 300 games in his illustrious career, but his first two matches at the end of the 1970 season were in jumper number 48. He moved to number 15 at the beginning of 1971 and remained in it until his retirement in 1984.

Only three Hawthorn numbers have been worn in 300 or more games by a single player – the number 9 (by Shane Crawford), 17 (by Michael Tuck) and 23 (by Don Scott). Other Hawthorn 300-gamers who, like Moore, changed jumper numbers early in their careers were Leigh Matthews (32 to 3), Chris Langford (28 to 24) and Sam Mitchell (28 to 5).

Incidentally, there were four players who wore the number 15 for Hawthorn between Moore’s retirement in 1984 and Hodge’s arrival in 2002. Can you name them? (The answer is at the bottom of the column).

Read: Premiership star set to return for Hawthorn's Round 15 clash

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It is more than a decade since Hawthorn lost a home game to Collingwood. It was back in Round 2 2006 when the Magpies last won away to the Hawks overcoming a nine point deficit to run out 35 point winners in a Hawks home game played at Docklands. The game seems to be most often remembered for young Hawks defender Zac Dawson playing on a rampant Anthony Rocca, although there was also controversy about the roof being shut at half-time.

Since then, Hawthorn home games against Collingwood have all been at the MCG and the Hawks have won all six of them. A couple of the victories have been by narrow margins (three points in 2010 and one point last season), while at the other end of the scale was a 65 point Hawthorn win in 2008. 

That game in Round 7 2008 was watched by a crowd of 76,048 who saw Hawthorn win 24.10.154 to 13.11.89. The performance was highlighted by a 10 goal final quarter. Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead both kicked six goals, while Sam Mitchell was superb with a 39 disposal performance.

Before the loss to Collingwood in Round 9 this season, Hawthorn had won a club record nine consecutive games against the Magpies. That defeat six weeks ago took the overall record between the clubs to 97-65 in Collingwood’s favour.

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It is almost 30 years since Hawthorn’s biggest ever win against Collingwood. On 18 July 1987, the Hawks travelled to Victoria Park and came away with a 125 point win – 25.18.168 to 6.7.43 – having systematically increased their lead at every change. Jason Dunstall kicked six goals and Gary Buckenara five. Buckenara also accumulated 31 disposals, but this was surpassed by Richard Loveridge who produced a career-high 40 disposal game. A modest crowd of 17,370 added to the feeling that Victoria Park was no longer such an intimidating place to visit.

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Round 15 has historically been one of Hawthorn’s best rounds, with 48 wins, 2 draws and 41 defeats. In the 27 seasons from 1970 to 1996, Hawthorn’s Round 15 return was remarkably good with 24 wins and only 3 losses. Last season the Hawks had a bye in Round 15 so the last game the club has played in the round was in 2015 against Fremantle at Aurora Stadium, a match which resulted in a 72 point Hawthorn win.

Read: How each listed player fared in Box Hill's Round 10 loss

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Five years ago, Round 15 2012 produced the second biggest winning margin in Hawthorn history, a 162 point demolition in the club’s first ever game versus GWS Giants. Hawthorn won 28.25.193 to 4.7.31 and had 14 individual goal-kickers headed by Jarryd Roughead with six. There were four players who collected over 30 disposals - Matt Suckling, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis and Grant Birchall.

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40 years ago, in Round 15 1977, the Hawks also had a massive win defeating Geelong by 107 points – 28.23.191 to 13.6.84. Three players kicked big bags of goals as Peter Hudson and John Hendrie both kicked eight majors and Leigh Matthews seven. Matthews of course spent a lot of the game on the ball and he had 38 disposals in yet another outstanding game.

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10 years ago, in Round 15 2007, Hawthorn handed a debut to number six draft pick Mitch Thorp in a comfortable 53 point victory against Richmond. Wearing number 31, Thorp kicked a goal on debut, but this proved to be the only goal of his AFL career as he did not add another in his only other game in 2009 (by which time he was wearing number 19).

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Jason Dunstall holds the Hawthorn record for most goals in a game versus Collingwood, having booted 11 in both 1989 and 1990. Next best was Michael Moncrieff’s 10 in 1976. The best individual return for a Hawthorn player in Round 15 is 12 goals, recorded by Peter Hudson in a 23 point Hawthorn win at Glenferrie in 1971 against their subsequent Grand Final opponent St Kilda. 

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Answer - the four number 15s between Kelvin Moore and Luke Hodge were Russell Morris (1985-90), Ben Allan (1991-94), Daniel Harford (1995-96) and Aaron Lord (1997-2001).