So far in 2008, the Hawks have won three out of three ‘away’ interstate games. In the process, they have ended losing sequences of two against Fremantle at Subiaco, seven versus Brisbane at the Gabba and eight against Adelaide at Football Park.
The one remaining ‘away’ interstate game in 2008 is against West Coast in Round 21, a fixture that last produced a Hawthorn win in 1999. Since then, the two clubs have met four times in Perth, all resulting in comfortable home team wins.
Hawthorn does not play Port Adelaide or Sydney away in 2008. The Hawks won the most recent encounter away to Port last season, while the most recent win in Sydney was in 2003, since which Hawthorn has lost on three visits.
In 1994, Hawthorn played all four of the non-Victorian teams in the 15-team competition and beat (eventual Premiers) West Coast in Perth by 71 points, Adelaide in Adelaide by 97 points, Sydney at the SCG by 58 points and Brisbane at the Gabba by 11 points.
Before this season, Hawthorn had lost top spot on the ladder, despite winning, just twice in its VFL-AFL history. This year it has happened three times, in Rounds 3, 5 and 12.
On Saturday night Brent Renouf became the 853rd player to represent Hawthorn in the VFL-AFL. In doing so he became just the fourth Queenslander to represent the club, following in the illustrious footsteps of Jason Dunstall, Stephen Lawrence and Michael Osborne.
An interesting coincidence is that both Osborne and Renouf made their debuts against Adelaide at Football Park. Osborne did so in far less happy circumstances, debuting in Round 21, 2001, a game in which the Hawk lost by 38 points having failed to score in the opening term.
Renouf’s birthday of 3 May is one of the most popular in modern Hawthorn history. Until the 1970s, nobody born on that date had represented the club, but since then there has been Bernie Jones, Brad Scott, Joel Smith, Peter Everitt and now Renouf. Thus far, Renouf is the only one of the five not to have also represented a club other than Hawthorn.
 | Listen in to this week's upcoming Hawks Interactive to hear from the Club's latest debutant Brent Renouf. Leave your questions for Brent on the Hawks Interactive Facebook group discussion board. |
The Hawks suffered their 99th loss by 6 points or fewer against Port Adelaide in Round 20 last season. At that time, the club’s number of wins by a goal or less stood at 92. The 3 point win over Adelaide in the Elimination Final and the 4 point win last Saturday night have taken the wins tally to 94. Could the narrow wins reach 100 before the narrow losses?
Hawthorn has not beaten this week’s opponent, North Melbourne, twice in the one season since 1992. It is not for want of opportunity, as 2008 is actually the seventh consecutive season in which the Hawks have played North at least twice. In 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007 the results were split, while the Kangaroos won both matches in 2004 and 2005. North also, of course, also won the Semi Final the sides played last season.
Having come from behind to beat North by 16 points in Round 3, the Hawks have a great opportunity to do the double in 2008.
The recent glut of meetings, plus the fact that the two clubs have met 15 times in Finals, means that the 160 games against North is the highest number Hawthorn has played against any club. The next highest figure is 154 games against Carlton.
The overall record between the Hawthorn and the Kangaroos is 86 to 72 (with 2 draws) in the Hawks’ favour, with the lead exactly accounted for by the Hawks’ 14 consecutive wins over North from 1985 to 1993.
Hawthorn and North last met in Round 13 ten years ago. That 1998 game at Waverley saw Hawthorn score a thrilling 2 point win - 17.12.114 to 17.10.112. It was particularly enjoyable, as it was the Hawks only win out of ten games between Rounds 8 and 17 of the 1998 season, and it was also the only win over North between 1994 and 1999.
Nick Holland and Aaron Lord each kicked 4 goals to be among the best players, a list which also included Paul Salmon, Shane Crawford, Brendan Krummel and Richard Taylor. Memorable moments included Jason Dunstall’s 1250th career goal, Ben Dixon recovering from a heavy knock to put Hawthorn in front in the final term and a Jonathan Hay smother late in the game to prevent a likely North goal.
The omens are good for this Saturday, as two of the past three matches that Hawthorn has played on 21 June resulted in wins over North Melbourne – by 25 points in 1975 and 60 points in 1986. The Hawks have not lost on 21 June since 1958, however, it should be noted that this year is the first brown and gold appearance on the date since 1986.
Hawthorn has played 83 matches in Round 13 for 36 wins, 46 defeats and one draw (in 1926). It has been a mixed round in recent seasons with a brace of wins in 2002-03, losses from 2004 to 2006, and then a memorable 8 point win over Collingwood at Docklands in Round 13 last season.
The record individual goal tally for Hawthorn against North is 10 held jointly by Alec Albiston (Round 1, 1940) and Jason Dunstall (Round 22, 1988). The Round 13 individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn is 9, held jointly by Peter Hudson (1971) and Jason Dunstall (1988), followed by three bags of 8 - Peter Knights (1972), Mike Moncrieff (1980) and Simon Minton-Connell (1995).
