This Saturday, for just the second time in the club’s history, Hawthorn will be aiming to move into a Finals position on the ladder in the final round of the home and away season. 

The only previous instance was in 1996 when Hawthorn’s one point win in the ‘merger’ match, coupled with Richmond’s loss the following day, enabled the Hawks replace the Tigers in 8th position.



Heartache has been a more common emotion than joy in Hawthorn’s final round history, when a position in the Finals was in dispute.

Nine times, prior to 2009, the Hawks have entered the final round involved in a battle for a spot in the Finals.  In only two instances, 1996 and 2000, did the Hawks qualify for the Finals.  Even in 1996 and 2000, the wins were not enough by themselves to guarantee a Finals spot - the Hawks had to wait for other matches later in the weekend to know for sure that they were in.  In both instances, it was Richmond losing which ultimately delivered September action for Hawthorn.



In 1960, 1964, 1969, 1981 and 2002 Hawthorn won in the final round but, due to not winning by a big enough margin, or because other results went the wrong way, was denied a place in the Finals.  In 1943 and 1972 Hawthorn lost, when a win would have been enough to make it. 


1972 is the only season when the reverse of 1996 occurred -getting knocked out of a Finals’ position in the final round.  In that post-premiership season, Hawthorn began Round 22 in 5th place in the Five (which was introduced that season), level on points with 4th placed St Kilda and 6th placed Essendon.

The Hawks lost to St Kilda by 19 points at Glenferrie - 15.12.102 to 18.13.121 - in front of 22,923.  Michael Moncrieff kicked 5 goals (giving him 32 in the last five games of the season), while Leigh Matthews and Mike Porter each booted 3.  Despite the loss, Hawthorn would have remained in the Five, but for Essendon coming from behind to beat 3rd placed Collingwood by 5 points and thus push the Hawks down to 6th.



In total, Hawthorn has made the VFL-AFL Finals in 27 seasons, which means that in 25 of those seasons, the Hawks had wrapped up a Finals’ spot much earlier than the final home and away round.  This fact means that when the Hawks make it, they are serious contenders; best evidenced by the remarkable strike rate of 10 Premierships, and 15 Grand Finals, from those 27 appearances. 



This Saturday will be the 150th meeting between Hawthorn and Essendon.  Of the 149 games the two clubs have contested, Hawthorn has won 56 and lost 93.

Prior to the 44 point loss at Docklands in Round 7 this season, Hawthorn had won six in a row versus Essendon.  The winning run started in Round 20, 2005 with a 13 point win, continued with wins by 1 and 18 points in 2006, by 35 and 63 points in 2007, and by 51 points in Round 11 last season.  This recent run of six wins equalled the club record of six wins in a row versus Essendon set in 1987-89.



Essendon has Hawthorn’s second most regular opponent in the final round of the home and away season, moving to 12 in 2009, only one behind the most frequent which is Geelong.  The two clubs were drawn in the final round a lot in both the 1930s and 1970s, with the most recent encounter in Round 24, 1991 when the Hawks won by 80 points.  Overall though, Essendon has the better of these meetings by 7-4.  However, one of the four Hawthorn wins was especially sweet - in the final round of 1933 Hawthorn consigned Essendon to its most recent wooden spoon.

Going into their match at Glenferrie in the final round of the 1933 season, Hawthorn and Essendon were level on two wins each, but the Dons were comfortably ahead on percentage. 

Hawthorn was weakened by the absence of Bert Hyde with a broken arm, while all   Hawthorn players wore black armbands in memory of Norm Collins (31 games - including 7 earlier in 1933) who had died in tragic circumstances during the week.  Two members of the 18, Norm Hillard and George Dower, were selected to make their debuts.
 
Scores were level at quarter time and Hawthorn held narrow leads of 4 and 8 points at the next two changes. Stan Spinks had to leave the field injured at three quarter time.  He was replaced by debutant 19th man Jack White who, in turn, dislocated his shoulder after just a few minutes on the ground, but courageously played out the game.  Essendon rallied in the final term and hit the lead late in the game. 

A particularly biased match report describes the situation as follows:  “Essendon’s brief lead was thoroughly deserved and was caused mainly by Reynolds’ brilliancy on the wing.  Bravo goaled for Hawthorn.”  The same writer ascribed Hawthorn’s win to “rugged tactics and aerial superiority”. A more balanced report praised Hawthorn for fighting back gamely and commended Steve Bravo for “prodigious marks and accurate goalkicking”.  Bravo’s goal saw Hawthorn win 10.9 to 8.16.  First-gamer Dower and second-gamer Fred Sayers also received plaudits, while the older brigade was led by Lonsdale, Loveless, Pool and Murphy.



In returning to the Hawthorn team after three years, Max Bailey brought back memories of two Hawthorn greats, Robert Dipierdomenico and James Morrissey.  Both of these players played one game in their debut seasons, 1975 and 1984 respectively, and then spent another two complete seasons on the sidelines, before returning to the senior team.  Between them, they went on to be members of eight Premiership teams.



Bailey’s appearance against Richmond last Saturday night was also the first time number 1 has appeared for Hawthorn since Peter Everitt’s final game for the club in Round 17, 2006.



The seven debutants Hawthorn has played in 2009 is the most in a post-Premiership season at the club since 1972.  Let’s hope some of the 2009 crop can match the achievements of the 1972 debutants, which included four future premiership players - Michael Tuck, John Hendrie, Kelvin Matthews and Alan Goad.

The 38 players Hawthorn has used so far in 2009 is the equal most the club has needed in the past three decades.  The club also used 38 in 2005 and 2006, but one has to go back to the 39 used in 1980 to find a higher figure. 

Lance Franklin’s suspension will leave just Sam Mitchell and Chance Bateman as players to appear in every game in 2009.  The most recent occasions when there were just two ever-presents was 2005 when only Peter Everitt and Richie Vandenberg played every game.  There have been six seasons when Hawthorn had just one ever-present, the most recent being 1995.



Round 22 was first contested in 1970 and, in the 39 seasons since, Hawthorn has won 25 and lost 14.  In recent years the round has been notable for big margins, in wins in 2006 and 2008, and losses in 2004, 2005 and 2007.



Both Peter Hudson and Jason Dunstall regularly kicked large tallies of goals in Round 22.  Hudson kicked 11 in 1970, 10 in 1971 and 7 in 1977, while Dunstall contributed 10 in 1988, 11 in 1989, 12 in 1992 (not the final round), 10 in 1993 and 10 in 1996.  His 10 in 1996 is the last occasion that a Hawthorn player has reached 10 in any round.  The 13 season gap without a 10 is the third longest in the club’s history, only exceeded by the 23 year period from 1945 to 1967 and the 15 years from 1925 to 1939.

Leading individual goals records by Hawthorn players against Essendon are 12 by Jason Dunstall in 1992, 11 by Leigh Matthews in 1973 and 10 by Michael Moncrieff in 1972.
It is 13 years since a Hawthorn player kicked 10 goals in a game, but the last three bags of 9 have been against Essendon, by Jason Dunstall in 1998 and Lance Franklin in 2007 and 2008.