This week, Hawthorn will be attempting to win six consecutive games for the first time in eight years.

The Hawks most recently won six games in a row from Round 18 to Round 23 in 2018. There have only been two sequences of five wins in the intervening period, the other being in 2024. It should be noted that Hawthorn was unbeaten in six games across the last four games of 2021 and the first two of 2022, but that was five wins and a draw, not six wins.

Last Saturday was the first instance of Hawthorn winning a game where the scores were level at three-quarter time for 10 years. In 2016, the Hawks defeated St Kilda (Round 4) and Melbourne (Round 11) after scores were level at the final change. In the intervening decade, scores were only level at three-quarter time once, in a 2020 loss, also against Port Adelaide.

Last Saturday’s attendance of 37,070 was easily the largest for a Hawthorn home game against an interstate opponent at Docklands. The previous biggest was 32,567 against West Coast in 2013. Saturday’s attendance was also higher than for either of the club’s Finals against interstate opponents at the venue, Sydney (2001) and Adelaide (2007). The largest crowd for any Hawthorn Docklands home game was 48,090 against the Bulldogs in 2017.

Blake Hardwick will this week move past Shaun Burgoyne on the club’s consecutive games list, his 108th consecutive game placing him behind only Andy Collins (189), Michael Tuck (138) and Kelvin Moore (128). AFL records include Allan Woodley playing 110 consecutive games, but this includes a game for Victoria, which broke his club sequence.

Dylan Moore’s run of consecutive games will end at 102, following his one-week suspension. He is in good company as Collins consecutive games record was also ended by a one-match suspension, arising from the ‘merger match’ against Melbourne in Round 22 1996. The next longest sequence after Collins and Moore to be ended by suspension was Darren Jarman’s 73 consecutive games from 1991 to 1994.

Last Saturday’s debutant Will McCabe is exactly 100 years younger than star 1930s full-forward Jack Green. Both were born on 29 September, in 2005 and 1905, respectively. Green had experience with Carlton before he joined Hawthorn in 1934, playing 40 games in brown and gold, and kicking an incredible 167 goals.

The home team has won 16 of the 19 games between Hawthorn and Gold Coast, including the past nine encounters. The only away successes were recorded by Hawthorn at Carrara in 2011 and 2014, and Gold Coast at the MCG in 2017. Since that 2017 defeat, Hawthorn has won four home games, at University of Tasmania Stadium (2018 and 2022), Docklands (2019) and Adelaide Oval (2020). The overall record between the clubs is currently 12-7 in Hawthorn’s favour.

In this Anzac Day round, we should remember the ten Hawthorn League players who lost their lives in the Second World War, or who died as a result of war wounds, or war-related illness – Jack Drake, Alf Giblett, Bruce Hone, Alex Nash, Richard Pirrie, Jack Price, Len Thomas, Max Wheeler, Leo ‘Gus’ Young and Harold Zucker, plus Seconds player, Douglas Curphey.

There were also several players who represented the club in its days in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association and VFA who lost their lives on active duty in the First World War. Their names include Hugh Callan, John Collins, William Field, Don McConville, Joseph Skene, Joe Slater and Joseph Sorby.

This year, Hawthorn plays on Anzac Day for the first time since 2022. The Hawks have played on Anzac Day on 15 previous occasions, with an 8-7 win-loss record.

Hawthorn won eight consecutive Round 7 games from 2011 to 2018, matching the period from 1971 to 1978. After six consecutive defeats, Hawthorn returned to the Round 7 winner’s list last season with a 50-point victory against West Coast at Docklands. Overall, Hawthorn has played 101 games in Round 7 for 48 wins, 52 defeats and one draw.

10 years ago, in Round 7 2016, Hawthorn had a 46-point Friday night win against Richmond – 21.10.136 to 13.12.90. Luke Breust kicked six goals (for the second of five times in his career) and Jack Gunston four, while Jordan Lewis was also excellent with 28 disposals.

40 years ago, in Round 7 1986, Hawthorn defeated glamour team Sydney by 33 points, despite kicking an inaccurate 18.25.133 to 15.10.100. The two outstanding players for Hawthorn were Robert Dipierdomenico (who secured the three Brownlow votes in what became his medal-winning year) and Terry Wallace (39 disposals). Other good players were Rod Lester-Smith, Chris Langford, Gary Buckenara and Colin Robertson.

50 years ago, in Round 7 1976, Hawthorn made a slow start against Melbourne, but gradually gained the ascendancy, finishing with an 8.5 to 2.4 final term to win by 48 points – 21.19.145 to 14.13.97. Michael Moncrieff kicked nine goals and was joined in the best by Peter Knights, Geoff Ablett, Kelvin Moore, Barry Rowlings and Michael Tuck. 

90 years ago, in Round 7 1936, Hawthorn comprehensively defeated higher-placed Geelong at Glenferrie by 43 points – 12.19.91 to 7.6.48. Bert Mills was best-on-ground, with other prominent contributors including veteran Ted Pool, Dick Abikhair and Alf Hurley (4 goals).

100 years ago, in Round 7 1926, Hawthorn defeated Fitzroy at Brunswick Street by 15 points – 14.12.96 to 11.15.81. Bert Hyde kicked four goals and Clarrie Lethlean three, while Jim Jackson, Frank Murphy and Paddy Burke were among the best.

The Round 7 individual Hawthorn goal-kicking tally is the highest for any round. In Round 7 1992, Jason Dunstall kicked 17 goals against Richmond, falling just one short of Fred Fanning’s VFL-AFL record of 18, but bettering the previous Hawthorn record of 16 set by Peter Hudson in 1969. Jarryd Roughead’s six goals in his final game in 2019 is the record for Hawthorn against Gold Coast.