One of the significant games in Hawthorn’s history was the win against this week’s opponent, Collingwood, at Victoria Park in 1960.
It was Hawthorn’s first win at Collingwood’s traditional home after losing there 28 times. In addition, it was Hawthorn’s first-ever win with a goal after the siren and remains one of just three such victories after 100 years. It also remains one of just 15 wins by a one-point margin.
It was John Peck who kicked the winning after-the-siren goal in the 7.16.58 to 7.15.57 victory. This triumph was a huge leap forward towards Hawthorn’s first Premiership the following season and the subsequent decades of success.
And to underline the transformation, in 1987, the Hawks delivered the heaviest defeat Collingwood ever suffered at Victoria Park, a 125-point victory – 25.18.168 to 5.13.43.
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Jack Scrimshaw will this week play his 100th game in the number 14 guernsey, having begun his Hawthorn career with 10 games in number 35 in 2019.
Scrimshaw will be the fourth player to reach 100 games in number 14, following in the footsteps of Alan Martello, Greg Dear and Grant Birchall. Martello and Dear played their whole careers in the number, whereas Birchall, like Scrimshaw, began with a season in number 35.
Birchall achieved the most games in 14, reaching 232, narrowly ahead of Martello’s 223, while Dear is third with 137. A special mention should also be made of Peter O’Donohue, who played 99 games in number 14 from 1947 to 1952, having played 10 earlier games in other numbers. Another number 14, Len Crane, played 102 Hawthorn games in total, but only 70 were in number 14.
The number 14 has featured in 11 of Hawthorn’s 13 Premierships, with Birchall (4), Martello (3) and Dear (3), the main contributors, the other being Ian Mort in 1961.
Hawthorn has won 15 of its last 19 games against Collingwood, and 15 of the last 17 against them at the MCG, with two of the recent defeats at Sydney Showground (2020) and Adelaide Oval (2024). The Hawks’ sequence of nine consecutive victories against the Magpies from 2012 to 2016 was a club record and Hawthorn has continued to win regularly since then, including a 66-point win in the most recent encounter at the MCG in Round 19 last season.
Currently, Hawthorn has won 71 and Collingwood 100 from 171 meetings, the deficit of 29 being a massive improvement from when it was 56 in 1974 (15-71).
The crowd of 57,919 last Saturday smashed the previous record attendance for Hawthorn against Brisbane Lions of 39,007 from 2007. This means that in the past 12 months, Hawthorn has set new home and away attendances records against five clubs. The other four were Richmond (92,311) in Round 14 last season, Carlton (84,773) in Round 22 last season, Essendon (80,735) in Round 1 this season and Geelong (88,746) on Easter Monday.
The attendance was also the fifth biggest home crowd against a non-Victorian opponent, the four bigger ones all being against Sydney, at Waverley Park in 1999, and at the MCG in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
This round marks the 25th anniversary of Hawthorn’s first game at Docklands. In Round 12 2000, Hawthorn defeated Fremantle by 59 points – 19.7.121 to 8.14.62. Shane Crawford, Nick Holland and Nathan Thompson all kicked three goals, while Daniel Harford was the leading possession-getter with 25 disposals.
It was the 26th VFL-AFL venue for Hawthorn, with the past quarter century seeing a further nine added, the most recent being Norwood Oval in 2023. Hawthorn has now played a total of 96 games at Docklands for 55 wins, 40 losses and one draw (against St Kilda in 2010).
Luke Breust has kicked more goals against Collingwood than against any other opponent. His 43 goals against the Magpies (from 17 games) exceeds his 41 goals versus North Melbourne (18 games) and 39 against Fremantle (19 games).
Hawthorn’s record in Round 12 games is 42 wins and 55 losses from 97 games. Last season’s Round 12 win against Adelaide was the club’s first in the round since thrashing Essendon by 108 points in 2016, but the seven intervening seasons included three byes, so there were only four defeats in that time.
10 years ago, in Round 12 2015, Hawthorn ventured to the Adelaide Oval on a Thursday night and came away with a 29-point win against Adelaide – 17.12.114 to 12.13.85. Luke Hodge, Liam Shiels and David Hale headed the best players list.
40 years ago, in Round 12 1985, Hawthorn recorded what on paper looks like a regulation 29-point win against Geelong at Princes Park – 17.15.117 to 13.10.88 – highlighted by Peter Russo’s 28 disposals and Dermott Brereton’s 11 marks and three goals. However, it was far from a regular game. In the gloomy last quarter conditions, the game got out of control, as Geelong’s Mark Jackson began striking a series of Hawthorn defenders. In the ensuing mayhem, the controversial incident involving Leigh Matthews and Neville Bruns took place.
50 years ago, in Round 12 1975, Leigh Matthews was the star of Hawthorn’s 25-point win against eventual Grand Final opponent, North Melbourne at Arden Street. Matthews had 25 kicks and booted five goals, as the Hawks came from behind at half-time to beat North 18.12.120 to 13.17.95. Michael Moncrieff also kicked five goals and Michael Tuck got three.
70 years ago, in Round 12 1955, a Glenferrie crowd of 10,500 saw the Hawks record a 61-point victory over Fitzroy – 18.12.120 to 9.5.59. Roy Simmonds kicked a career-high five goals, with both Pat Cash and Noel Voigt contributing four, and John O’Mahony was in excellent form.
80 years ago, in Round 12 1945, Hawthorn caused one of the upsets of the season, defeating Essendon by 53 points – 15.17.107 to 7.12.54, keeping the Dons goalless in the middle two quarters. Alec Albiston kicked six goals and Andy Brannan three.
90 years ago in Round 12 1935, Hawthorn kicked its highest score since joining the League, booting 16.18.114 to defeat North Melbourne 6.10.46, helped by an 8.4 to 0.1 last quarter. Tom Byrne kicked five goals, Jack Green four and Roy Rodda three, with Bert Mills and Stan Spinks prominent in the best.
Jason Dunstall holds the Hawthorn record for most goals in a game versus Collingwood, having booted 11 in both the 1989 and 1990 seasons. Next best has been Michael Moncrieff’s 10 in 1976. Dunstall also holds the individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn in Round 12, with 11 against Brisbane Bears at Carrara in 1987, which he later equaled against Sydney at the SCG in 1994.
