On Easter Monday, Sam Mitchell will become the sixth man to coach Hawthorn in 100 VFL-AFL games.

He joins Alastair Clarkson (390 games), John Kennedy Snr (299), Allan Jeans (221), Jack Hale (146) and Peter Schawab (109).

For those looking for omens, Hawthorn has a 3-2 record in coaches’ 100^th games, winning those of Hale, Jeans and Schwab, but losing those of Kennedy and Clarkson.

Dylan Moore will this week join select company by playing 100 consecutive Hawthorn games. His current sequence of 99 games started in Round 1 2022 which was also, of course, Sam Mitchell’s first game as coach.

The list of consecutive games for the Hawks is headed by Andy Collins (189), followed by Michael Tuck (138), Kelvin Moore (128), Shaun Burgoyne (107) and Blake Hardwick (104 and continuing).

There are three other honourable mentions. One is to Jim McCashney who played 105 consecutive senior games for the club, beginning in the VFA in 1920 and continuing into the VFL-AFL until 1926. The other two are Allan Woodley and Ian Law, whom the AFL classes as playing 110 and 100 consecutive games respectively, but these include State games which meant missing Hawthorn games and breaking the club sequence.

Jarman Impey will become the ninth individual recruited from another VFL-AFL club to play 150 games for Hawthorn. The other players to achieve this feat are Jack Gunston, Shaun Burgoyne, Russell Greene, Joel Smith, Ben McEvoy, Josh Gibson, Brent Guerra and Ian Bremner. 

The Round 2 victory against Sydney was the second time within 12 months when the Hawks have won a game after trailing at every change. The previous one was in Round 14 last season against Adelaide in Launceston. The most recent loss, after leading at every change, was against GWS in Canberra in Round 21 2024. 

Could Hawthorn have an unchanged team again this week? The Hawks have had the same team in the wins against Essendon and Sydney and having the same team in three consecutive games is something which has only happened twice before in the club’s VFL-AFL history. The first was in Rounds 2 to 4 of 1983 and the second in Rounds 22 to 24 of last season. In both cases, the Hawks won the first two games but lost the third. 

Hawthorn won its only previous Easter Monday game played on 6 April. That was in 2015 when the Hawks recorded a 62-point Round 1 victory – 17.21.123 to 8.13.61. Luke Breust kicked five goals and Jordan Lewis received three Brownlow votes for his 35-disposal game.

Hawthorn’s most recent win against Geelong was on Easter Monday 2022, securing a 12 -point win – 14.8.92 to 11.14.80. The Hawks trailed by two goals at three-quarter time but kicked four goals to nil in the final term, with Mitch Lewis booting a memorable sealer.

Overall, Hawthorn trails Geelong 76 to 97 in the head-to-head, with one draw (in 1963) after 174 games between the two clubs.

Hawthorn’s Round 4 record is 42 wins, 55 defeats, two draws (1939 and 1996) and two byes (1991 and 2025). Hawthorn took longer to win in Round 4 than in any other round. It was not until 1941 that the club tasted success after 15 losses and one draw.

The Hawks’ best Round 4 sequence was eight consecutive wins from 1974 to 1981. The last of those was perhaps the most memorable of the sequence, as it featured the first clash between great rival coaches, Allan Jeans at Hawthorn and Kevin Sheedy at Essendon. The Hawks won the Windy Hill encounter by 15 points.

10 years ago, in Round 4 2016, the Hawks defeated St Kilda in Launceston by three points – 13.9.87 to 13.6.84. Sam Mitchell had a career-high 44 disposals.

20 years ago, in Round 4 2006, Hawthorn continued its promising start to Alastair Clarkson’s second season as coach with a 32-point victory against Carlton – 15.10.100 to 9.14.68. Trent Croad got the three Brownlow votes for his 15 marks and five goals.

30 years ago, in Round 4 1996, Paul Salmon made his Hawthorn debut on a memorable day at the Western Oval as Hawthorn and Footscray played a low-scoring draw, kicking 8.9.57 apiece. The Hawks trailed at every change, drawing level when Darrin Pritchard scored a late behind, the two points gained allowing Hawthorn to sneak into the Eight at the end of the season. Richard Taylor was the Hawks’ best.

40 years ago, in Round 4 1986, the Hawks had a surprisingly tough struggle to defeat lowly St Kilda at Moorabbin, winning by 12 points – 19.14.128 to 17.14.116. Jason Dunstall kicked eight goals, and Richard Loveridge had 33 disposals.

50 years ago, in Round 4 1976, the margin was also 12 points as Hawthorn defeated Footscray at Waverley – 14.20.104 to 14.8.92. Leigh Matthews and Kelvin Moore were absent with the Victorian team in Perth.

70 years ago, in Round 4 1956, Hawthorn made it 2-2 for the season with a six-point victory over South Melbourne at the Lake Oval – 8.11.59 to 6.17.53. John O’Mahony was prominent in the best players.

100 years ago, in Round 4 1926, Hawthorn kicked its first century score in the VFL. Unfortunately, 14.16.100 was not enough to secure victory, as opponent Richmond booted 16.16.112. Hawthorn recorded another losing century score in 1928 before finally, the club’s first winning century score was recorded against St Kilda in Round 1 1930.

The individual goal-kicking record for a Hawthorn player versus Geelong is 12 by Jason Dunstall in 1990 and 1992, both at Waverley and both in Round 1. Michael Moncrieff has the best tally in Round 4, kicking nine goals at Waverley against South Melbourne in 1979.