When the Hawks meet the Western Bulldogs this Friday night, it will have been 343 days since the two clubs last faced.

Last time, Hawthorn had been reigning premiers for 1084 days. 

Last time, the Dogs hadn’t won a premiership in 62 years. 

Last time, Barack Obama was still the president of the United States. 

A lot can change in 343 days.

The Bulldogs are facing the diagnosis of the dreaded “premiership hangover”, a condition that haunted the Hawks’ 2009 campaign after their premiership success the previous year.

Entering the final round of the 2017 home and away season, the Dogs and the Hawks sit alongside each other on the ladder, 11^th and 12^th.

The Dogs with 11 wins to their name and the Hawks with nine and a draw. 

If the Dogs are to miss finals this season, in addition to the obvious disappointment of an almighty downfall within the space of one year, they will have much less to hang their hat on than the Hawks. 

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Hawthorn has debuted double that of the Dogs this year, with four Hawks (James Cousins, Conor Glass, Dallas Willsmore and Teia Miles) pulling on the brown and gold for the first time this season as opposed to just Lewis Young and Tim English from Whitten Oval. 

The class of the Hawthorn young brigade has also seemingly outshone the Dogs’, with the Hawks one of only five clubs to have multiple NAB Rising Star nominations this year, Blake Hardwick and Ryan Burton, who is favourite to take out the award. 

There is no two ways about it, it will be reflected upon as a disappointing year for both clubs who were considered finals fancies at the start of the year.

But, as they prepare to face the Dogs this weekend, the Hawks can be confident that there has still been many positives to take from the season.