FOR YEARS, Alastair Clarkson and his "unsociable" Hawks have been almost invincible, driving opposition supporters to despair with their relentless winning ways.
While it may not be the MCG on that one day in September (or October), Clarkson will travel to Perth for a very important personal milestone.
On Saturday night at Domain Stadium, Clarkson will coach his 300th AFL game against Fremantle.
• Clarko's eight biggest coaching calls
Clarkson took over Hawthorn at the end of the 2004 season, when the Hawks finished second-last. In just his fourth season in charge, the former schoolteacher had turned the struggling side into AFL premiers.
They went on to forge one of the most successful eras in modern football, with four premierships (including an extremely rare three-peat from 2013-2015) from five Grand Finals.
His 300th match will also break John Kennedy snr's record for the most coached games at Hawthorn.
Perhaps most indicative of the esteem the competition holds Clarkson in, five of his former assistant coaches – Damien Hardwick, Leon Cameron, Adam Simpson, Luke Beveridge and Brendon Bolton as well as former Hawks football boss Chris Fagan – now lead their own teams.
.jpg)
Why the mini milestone matters
Clarkson will be the 21st coach to reach the 300-mark, with only eight (including Clarkson) having coached 300 at the one club.
On the back of his extraordinary success in continually reinventing the Hawks, he currently has an overall winning rate of 62 per cent.
That's the fifth best winning percentage of those who have coached 300 games, behind only Dick Reynolds (67 per cent), Jock McHale (65 per cent) Frank "Checker" Hughes (65 per cent) and Tom Hafey (64 per cent).
And Clarko's win rate gets even better when it matters, rising to 67 per cent during finals.
Fast fact: Clarkson is one of 20 men to coach in four Grand Finals or more.
Luke Hodge just played his 300th game and Clarkson is about to coach that amount. Picture: AFL Photos
Who's next best?
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick and North Melbourne's Brad Scott are next in line behind Clarkson. But as they are both 126 games behind the Hawks' boss, Clarko's milestone is in no danger of being passed for a long while yet.
| Coach | Club | Games coached at one club |
|---|---|---|
| Damien Hardwick | Richmond | 173 |
| Brad Scott | North Melbourne | 173 |
| John Longmire | Sydney | 165 |
| Chris Scott | Geelong | 158 |
| Nathan Buckley | Collingwood | 130 |
The Chaser: Compare the pair - Josh Kennedy v Josh Kennedy
Same name, similar career path and in an odd coincidence, verging on the same milestone.
Josh P. Kennedy (Sydney) and Josh J. Kennedy (West Coast) are closing in on playing 200 games.
Both have thrived after moving clubs – JJK was famously part of the deal to get Chris Judd to Carlton, while JPK moved north from Hawthorn in a quest to get more senior games.
Josh J. Kennedy has only just returned to the Eagles' line-up after recovering from a calf and Achilles injury, and if all goes to plan, the 29-year-old will play his 200th game against Collingwood on Sunday.
The Swans' Kennedy will play game 199 against St Kilda on Saturday night.
Both have had highly decorated careers so far – one has won a premiership with Sydney, while the other has won the last two Coleman Medals with West Coast.
Josh P. Kennedy has been awarded a staggering 96 Brownlow Medal votes across nine seasons, while Josh J. Kennedy has 46 over 11 seasons.
Text: Sarah Black | Designs: Kahla Emonson | Stats: Cameron Sinclair
Want more?
• The Chase: more mini milestones
• Round 17's Team of the Week: Did we get it right?
• Schick AFL Player Ratings: Who's your club's leader?
