A significant milestone occurs this Thursday night when Hawthorn plays its 100^th game at Docklands Stadium.

The Hawks have an excellent record at the venue having won 58, lost 40 and drawn one of the 99 games there to date.

The Hawks won 10 consecutive Docklands games from 2011 to 2014 and were unbeaten in 12 matches (including a draw) from 2010 to 2014. The current team has currently put together the club’s second-best winning sequence at the ground of seven, having won every game at Marvel Stadium since the start of 2024.

Highlights at Docklands include winning three Elimination Finals, comprising a thrilling nine-point victory against Geelong in 2000 (highlighted by a brilliant Glen Bowyer goal); a comprehensive thrashing of Sydney in 2001; and the unforgettable clash with Adelaide in 2007, when Lance Franklin kicked the winning goal with just seconds remaining.

Franklin also featured in another memorable Docklands moment the following season when he brought up his 100^th goal for the season against Carlton in Round 22 2008. There have been many other milestones there, including Shane Crawford’s 200^th game in 2002 and Shaun Burgoyne’s 400^th AFL game in 2021, along with farewells to Luke Hodge in 2017 and Jarryd Roughead in 2019.

Other exciting victories at Docklands include Cyril Rioli kicking the winning goal against Essendon in Round 2 2014 and Tim O’Brien doing likewise in Round 1 2021. Just three years ago, in Round 11 2023, few gave the Hawks any chance when they trailed St Kilda by 14 points at the 19-minute mark of the last quarter, but goals to Connor Macdonald, Dylan Moore, Jacob Koschitzke and Luke Breust secured a stunning 10-point upset victory.

Hawthorn’s first game at Docklands was in Round 12 2000, a 59-point win against Fremantle – 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 26^th VFL-AFL venue for Hawthorn, with the past quarter century having seen a further nine added to take the total to 35, the most recent being Norwood Oval in 2023.

Hawthorn’s most common Docklands opponent has been Western Bulldogs with 18 clashes, closely followed by St Kilda (this week will be 17) and North Melbourne (16) while, at the other end of the spectrum, the Hawks have never played GWS Giants or Melbourne in an AFL game there and have only played Brisbane Lions, Gold Coast and Sydney once each.

Cameron Nairn is the first Hawthorn player this century to make his AFL debut wearing number 22. The most recent player to do so was Nathan Turvey in 1998. Five Hawks played AFL football in number 22 between Turvey and Nairn – Glen Bowyer, Ben Kane, Ben McGlynn, Travis Tuck and Luke Breust – but all made their debuts in other numbers before being promoted to 22.

Nairn is in good company in being recruited from SANFL club, Central District. Past Hawks with a Centrals background include the great John Platten, as well as Terry Moore, Luke McCabe and Stuart Dew.

Jarman Impey has twice got the 10 Coaches’ votes for Hawthorn and both times it has been against Adelaide at University of Tasmania Stadium, in Round 14 last season and last Thursday night.

Hawthorn and St Kilda have met 165 times with the Hawks winning 85 and the Saints 78, plus two draws. The Hawks’ second longest winning sequence against any club was 20 versus St Kilda from 1979 to 1989. This week, Hawthorn will be endeavouring to win three consecutive games against St Kilda for the first time since winning six in a row from 2011 to 2016.

Hawthorn’s record in Round 12 games is 42 wins and 56 losses from 98 games. 2024’s Round 12 win against Adelaide was the club’s first in the round since 2016, but the seven intervening seasons included three byes, so there were only four defeats in that time. Hawthorn lost to Collingwood in Round 12 last season.

10 years ago, in Round 12 2016, Hawthorn thrashed Essendon by 108 points at Docklands – 23.13.151 to 6.7.43. Luke Breust, Jack Gunston and Paul Puopolo all kicked four goals, while Jordan Lewis and Grant Birchall headed the best player lists.

20 years ago, in Round 12 2006, a record Launceston crowd of 20,971 saw Hawthorn, which had lost its previous six matches, record an upset 41-point win against Richmond – 16.9.105 to 8.16.64. In just his fourth game for the season, Lance Franklin kicked six goals, while Sam Mitchell, Tim Clarke and Clinton Young were also among the best for the Hawks.

30 years ago, in Round 12 1996, Hawthorn played its last ever game against Fitzroy, winning by 31 points at Waverley Park – 17.12.114 to 12.11.83. Nick Holland was a clear best-on-ground for the Hawks, pulling in 16 marks and kicking six goals. In total, Hawthorn played 116 games against Fitzroy for 63 wins, 52 defeats and one draw.

40 years ago, in Round 12 1986, a stunning 8.5 to 1.5 third quarter, not only erased a 14-point half-time deficit, but set the Hawks on track to a 23-point win against arch-rival Carlton – 19.19.133 to 16.14.110. The game had been shifted to the MCG on a Sunday, and a crowd of 57,634 saw Jason Dunstall kick six goals and Dermott Brereton four, while the best players were headed by captain Michael Tuck, Terry Wallace, John Platten and Richard Loveridge.

Peter Hudson holds the record for the highest number of goals by a Hawthorn player against St Kilda, kicking 12 at Glenferrie in Round 15 1971 in a match which was a preview of the season’s Grand Final. Jason Dunstall 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.