Three times in the past 50 years Round 8 has signaled the start of significant Hawthorn revivals.

Hawks’ fans will be hoping that 2020 follows the pattern of 2010, 1996 and 1970, all seasons in which it was Round 8 when the Hawks began turning around poor early season form.

Hawthorn went into Round 8 2010 on a six-game losing streak, having not won since Round 1. The Hawks were taking on Richmond, which had made an even worse start to the season, being 0-7 with a percentage of 49.5, so it really was a must-win game.

A Sunday afternoon MCG crowd of 41,563 saw Hawthorn trail early, but then maintain a narrow lead for most of the day. When Cyril Rioli goaled in time-on of the last quarter, it made the margin 15 points and the Hawks seemed home. However, two quick goals to Richmond produced a most nervous finish. It took a desperate Sam Mitchell tackle to save the game, with Hawthorn winning 13.11.89 to 13.8.86.

The game marked the Hawthorn debuts of two players recruited from other clubs – Wayde Skipper (who proved a valuable player for the rest of 2010) and Shaun Burgoyne. Burgoyne, who wore a helmet that day, has gone onto a stellar Hawks’ career, playing 224 of a possible 241 games in the ten years from Round 8 2010 to Round 7 2020, including three Premierships.

The scrappy Round 8 win against Richmond kicked off a run of seven consecutive victories through to Round 14 and ultimately a home and away season which produced 12 wins and a draw and a spot in the 2010 Finals Series.

Four more rounds revealed in latest fixture release

Hawthorn went into Round 8 1996 having not won since Round 1 (and that win was against the terminal Fitzroy), only saved from a six-game losing streak by a Round 4 draw.

In Round 8 1996, Hawthorn beat Melbourne at Waverley by 51 points and, if the Brownlow votes are a guide, it was the ‘old firm’ which got Hawthorn home with the votes going to John Platten, Jason Dunstall and Chris Langford. However, in terms of disposals it was mature-aged recruit, Craig Treleven, who took the honours with 25.

At the time, the victory over fellow struggler Melbourne was not seen as a major triumph, but the game did mark one crucial turning point - Jason Dunstall hit top form. His eight against Melbourne was followed by other significant tallies – nine goals in Round 11, 14 in Round 19 and 10 in Round 22. Dunstall’s 102 goals for the 1996 season was a crucial factor in Hawthorn’s rise up the ladder, which from Round 8 onwards saw 10 wins and just five defeats and culminated in clinching a Finals’ spot in a dramatic Round 22 return game with Melbourne.

50 years ago, the 1970 season had seen Hawthorn have a particularly disappointing start, being last, winless and two games behind the second bottom team after seven rounds.  Prospects of a win did not appear great in Round 8 as the Hawks were taking on a South Melbourne team which, under the coaching of Norm Smith, were second on the ladder with a 6-1 record, and eyeing off a Finals birth for the first time since 1945.

After an even first term, the game was a rout, but not the way the ladder suggested. In the second quarter, Hawthorn added 9.7 to 2.3 and went onto record a 62-point win – 21.20.146 to 12.12.84 - helped in no small part by 13 goals from Peter Hudson.

As they did in 1996, Hawthorn won 10 of the last 15 games in 1970, in this case finishing out of the Final Four. However, the fact that the run of wins including victories over both eventual Grand Finalists, Carlton and Collingwood, augured well that the Hawks could be heading towards a successful year in 1971.

In the past three weeks, Hawthorn has recorded three consecutive scores below 50 for the first time since Rounds 3, 4 and 5 of 1960, Defeats in those three 1960 games saw the Hawks at 0-5 under new coach John Kennedy. Hawthorn then won 27 of its next 33 games, culminating in the club’s first Premiership at the end of 1961.

Hawthorn has won five of its last six games against Sydney at the SCG. Four of the wins were by narrow margins - seven (2012), five (2016), six (2017) and nine (2018).

Who could forget the exciting goals kicked by Brad Sewell (2012), Cyril Rioli (2016) and Jarryd Roughead (2017) to clinch victories, remarkably all three being preceded by goals from the maestro of the tight finish, Shaun Burgoyne. In 2018, goals from Harry Morrison, Ricky Henderson and Luke Breust took the margin from a deficit of nine to the nine-point win and clinched a top-four place.

Overall, Hawthorn has a 15-13 advantage in games against the Swans at the SCG and a 16-13 record at the ground, having also beaten North Melbourne there in 1979. The Hawks and Swans also played four times at Stadium Australia recording two wins each, the Hawthorn victories coming in 2013 and 2015, with Sydney prevailing in 2009 and 2014.

In total, Hawthorn has played South Melbourne / Sydney 167 times, recording 93 wins, 72 defeats and two draws. Hawthorn beat the Swans 13 consecutive times from 1971 to 1977, and 11 times from 1981 to 1986.

Hawthorn has won 10 of its last 13 matches in Round 8, with the oddity that all three losses were against Sydney - in 2014, 2015 and 2018. The last club, other than Sydney, to defeat the Hawks in Round 8 was Melbourne in 2006. Overall, in Round 8 Hawthorn has recorded 48 wins and 46 defeats (with a bye in 1992).

20 years ago, in Round 8, Hawthorn defeated the reigning Premiers the Kangaroos by 61 points – 18.20.128 to 9.13.67. The Hawks had 11 individual goalkickers headed by Trent Croad and Nathan Thompson who both kicked three goals. Mark Graham was best-on-ground with 12 marks and 30 disposals.

Peter Hudson holds the individual goals record for Hawthorn against the Swans, twice kicking 13, in both 1969 and 1970. Hudson also holds the Hawthorn record for most goals in Round 8, for the 13 goals against South Melbourne in 1970.