Hawthorn will be aiming for their fifth consecutive win this Sunday, a feat they haven’t achieved since 2018 when they won six straight games from Round 18 to Round 23. Additionally, the Hawks are striving to secure three consecutive victories against West Coast, a streak they haven’t matched since winning five in a row from 2012 to 2015.
This season, three players in the Hawthorn locker room have reached significant milestones in their careers. Jarman Impey reached 100 games in Round 3 wearing number 4, James Worpel hit 100 games in Round 9 after playing 11 games in number 38 and the remainder in number 5, and James Sicily reached 100 games in Round 12, having played 44 games in number 21 before switching to number 6. Connor Macdonald has also reached a milestone, becoming just the fourth player to reach 50 games in number 31 for Hawthorn.
The crowd of 92,311 in Round 14 marked the second largest attendance at a Hawthorn home and away game, only surpassed by the 92,935 who attended a game against Collingwood in 1981. Both games resulted in similar winning margins for Hawthorn, 46 points in 1981 and 48 points in 2024. Hawthorn has had less success in home and away games with crowds between 80,000 and 90,000, holding a 1-4 record in such matches.
This season has seen Hawthorn achieve multiple 70,000-plus home and away game attendances, the eighth time in the club’s history they’ve accomplished this, following seasons in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018.
On June 30th, the Hawks have experienced contrasting results in past games, including a 105-point loss to Collingwood in 1979 and a 104-point win against St Kilda in 1984. Hawthorn and West Coast have faced off 56 times, with the Hawks winning 26 and losing 30. They have won the last two encounters, by 25 points at the MCG in 2022 and by 116 points at University of Tasmania Stadium last season.
Hawthorn’s record in Round 16 games is one of the club’s best, with 51 wins, 47 losses, and one draw from 99 games. The team has had significant winning streaks in Round 16, including nine consecutive wins from 1956 to 1964, eight from 1968 to 1975, and six from 1989 to 1994. However, the Hawks have lost their last four Round 16 games, with their most recent win being a thrilling four-point victory over Collingwood in 2019.
Looking back, 30 years ago in Round 16, 1994, Hawthorn thrashed St Kilda by 64 points, with standout performances from Jason Dunstall, Ben Allan, and Shane Crawford. Forty years ago, in Round 16, 1984, the Hawks defeated Richmond by 88 points, with notable contributions from Peter Curran, John Kennedy, and Dermott Brereton. Fifty years ago, in Round 16, 1974, Hawthorn secured a 21-point win against Footscray, thanks to the efforts of Leigh Matthews, Peter Crimmins, and Charlie Grummisch. Sixty years ago, in Round 16, 1964, the Hawks edged out Fitzroy by nine points, with John Peck and several other players putting in strong performances.
Jarryd Roughead set a new club record with eight goals against West Coast in 2014, surpassing Jason Dunstall’s seven goals against the Eagles in 1988 and 1989. Peter Hudson, Jason Dunstall, and Dermott Brereton share the Round 16 individual goal-kicking record for Hawthorn, each having kicked 11 goals in 1970, 1989, and 1990, respectively.