Both previous instances were in 1978. In Round 2 of that year, the Hawks fell two places, despite beating South Melbourne by 28 points at the Lakeside Oval, and then in Round 21 a 2 point win at Kardinia Park saw them fall from first to second.
It could be considered a good omen that when it counted most, after the Finals, Hawthorn was on top of the ladder in 1978!
Going backwards on the ladder, despite winning, is more common when it comes to other positions on the ladder. The most occurrence was in Round 5, 2006 when, despite a one point win over Essendon, the Hawks fell from 4th to 5th.
Round 4 is the only round in which Alistair Clarkson has an undefeated record. Since he took over as coach the Hawks have beaten the Brisbane Lions at the MCG in 2005, Carlton at Docklands in 2006 and Geelong at Aurora Stadium last season.
Overall, since 1925, Hawthorn has had 35 wins, 45 losses, 2 draws and one bye in Round 4.
2008 is the 12th occasion in Hawthorn’s VFL-AFL history when victory has been achieved in the first three games of the season. Nine of the twelve trifectas were between 1971 and 1987, while the others, apart from this year, were in 1964 and 2001.
Of the previous 11 times when the Hawks have won the first three games, the team has won six and lost five of its Round 4 games.
This week Chance Bateman and Campbell Brown become the 119th and 120th players to reach the 100 game milestone at Hawthorn.
As has been well documented Bateman is the first indigenous player to reach 100 games at the club. It has been a long journey, as thus far he has played 99 of a possible 182 games since his debut against the Brisbane Lions at the MCG in Round 3, 2000.
Brown has appeared in 100 out of the club’s 126 games since his debut against Adelaide at Football Park in Round 11, 2002. He played his first 23 games consecutively before injury in another game against Adelaide, this time at the MCG, prematurely ended his 2003 season. However, his courageous mark, before his departure from the field, inspired the Hawks to a 4 point win. Given that it was the trigger for a 9-3 record in the last 12 rounds, after entering that Round 11 game at 3-7, it was regarded as the play of the year.
Two Hawks reach 50 consecutive games milestones this week. Robert Campbell and Brad Sewell have appeared in every game since Round 1, 2006. Their joint sequence of 49 is currently the longest at the club after Luke Hodge’s run of 54 ended when he missed Round 1 through suspension. The two have a long way to go to reach Andy Collins’ club record 189 consecutive games from Round 19, 1988 to Round 22, 1996.
Last Saturday’s crowd of 39,816 was the largest for a game between Hawthorn and North Melbourne at Docklands.
It was the fourth highest home and away attendance between the two clubs at any venue, only exceeded by three MCG crowds – 47,705 (1993), 44,627 (1990) and 41,295 (2001). It just exceeded a couple of Waverley crowds – 39,097 (1978) and 38,953 (1997) and the 39,084 who attended the Queen’s Birthday Monday draw at the MCG in 1985.
One nervous reader has asked whether has ever been an occasion when the Hawks have failed to make the finals after being on top of the ladder at some stage of the season. The answer is yes, and twice – in 1969 and 1972. In the former year, the Hawks were on top as late as Round 8 with a 7-1 record, but their percentage of just 100.8 hinted at what might lie in store.
Victory last Saturday means Hawthorn has never lost on 5 April, although oddly, the Hawks had not played on the date for 28 years. The previous wins were in 1969, 1975 and 1980.
Hawthorn and Adelaide have met 25 times since the Crows entered the League in 1991, with the Hawks winning 10 times.
In 12 home games, Hawthorn holds a 7-5 advantage, made up of a 4-3 record at Waverley, 2-1 at the MCG and 1-1 in Launceston.
The two teams previous games at Aurora Stadium include the first ever AFL match at the venue in Round 6, 2001 which Hawthorn won by 13 points and a 10 point loss in Round 15, 2005.
That first AFL game in Launceston saw Hawthorn 16.8.104 defeat Adelaide 12.19.91.
The leading Hawthorn goalkickers were John Barker 3, Daniel Chick 2, Shane Crawford 2, Trent Croad 2 and Ben Dixon 2. Leading the disposals tally were Daniel Harford and Tony Woods with 26, followed by Glen Bowyer and Joel Smith with 23.
This year will be the first since 2001 in which Hawthorn and Adelaide have been fixtured to meet twice in the home and away season.
It is also the earliest in the season the two clubs have met since a Round 2 clash at Waverley in 1999 where the Crows, as reigning premiers, prevailed by 4 points in a low-scoring Saturday night affair.
The Hawks have played 16 games at Aurora Stadium, for an overall record of 10 wins and 6 losses, including defeat in the two most recent games - in Round 17 last year versus the Kangaroos and in Round 20 against Port Adelaide.
The individual goal-kicking record for Round 4 is the 9 goals booted by Michael Moncrieff at Waverley Park against South Melbourne in 1979.
Against Adelaide, Jason Dunstall had an excellent record. He kicked 9 on three separate occasions - in 1993 and 1994 (both at Football Park) and in 1996 (at Waverley). He also kicked an 8 and a 7 against the Crows. Nick Holland’s best ever goal-kicking performance was against Adelaide – he kicked 7 in Round 21, 2000.
The best by a current player against Adelaide is also 7 – the unforgettable 7 booted by Lance Franklin’s in last year’s Elimination Final.
