| Club: | Hawthorn Football Club |
| Season: | 1971 |
| President: | Phil J. Ryan |
| Coach: | John Kennedy, Sr. |
| Captain: | David Parkin |
| Home Ground: | Glenferrie Oval |
| Regularseason Comp: | VFL season |
| Regularseason Result: | 19–3 (1st) |
| Finals Series: | Finals series |
| Finals Result: | Premiers (Defeated 82–75) |
| Club B&Amp;F: | Best and Fairest |
| Best And Fairest: | Leigh Matthews |
| Leading Goalscorer: | Peter Hudson (150) |
| Highest Attendance: | 118,192 (Grand Final vs.) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 9,112 (Round 19 vs.) |
| Average Attendance: | 32,198 |
| Prevseason: | 1970 |
| Nextseason: | 1972 |
The 1971 season was the Hawthorn Football Club 47th season in the Victorian Football League and 70th overall. Hawthorn finished as the minor premiers for the first time since 1963. Hawthorn qualified for the finals for the first time since 1963. Hawthorn qualified for their third Grand Final and first since 1963. Hawthorn defeated in the Grand Final 82–75 to win their second VFL premiership and first since 1961. Peter Hudson kicked 150 goals equalling the record set by Bob Pratt in 1934.
| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance | Record | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | Away | Result | |||||||
| 1 | Saturday, 3 April (2:10 pm) | 10.12 (72) | 13.18 (96) | Won by 24 points | Windy Hill (A) | 19,214 | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | Saturday, 10 April (2:10 pm) | 14.13 (97) | 7.11 (53) | Won by 44 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 15,310 | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | Saturday, 17 April (2:10 pm) | 16.19 (115) | 16.11 (107) | Won by 8 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 14,094 | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | Saturday, 24 April (2:10 pm) | 10.9 (69) | 18.19 (127) | Won by 58 points | Moorabbin Oval (A) | 25,153 | 4–0 | ||
| 5 | Saturday, 1 May (2:10 pm) | 12.21 (93) | 6.9 (45) | Won by 48 points | VFL Park (H) | 16,205 | 5–0 | ||
| 6 | Saturday, 8 May (2:10 pm) | 18.5 (113) | 16.11 (107) | Lost by 6 points | Western Oval (A) | 19,205 | 5–1 | ||
| 7 | Saturday, 15 May (2:10 pm) | 21.19 (145) | 12.6 (78) | Won by 67 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 22,976 | 6–1 | ||
| 8 | Saturday, 22 May (2:10 pm) | 7.10 (52) | 22.15 (147) | Won by 95 points | VFL Park (A) | 14,843 | 7–1 | ||
| 9 | Saturday, 29 May (2:10 pm) | 4.12 (36) | 14.12 (96) | Won by 60 points | Princes Park (A) | 30,151 | 8–1 | ||
| 10 | Saturday, 5 June (2:10 pm) | 15.17 (107) | 7.13 (55) | Won by 52 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 28,451 | 9–1 | ||
| 11 | Monday, 14 June (2:10 pm) | 10.14 (74) | 14.10 (94) | Won by 20 points | Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) | 52,256 | 10–1 | ||
| 12 | Saturday, 19 June (2:10 pm) | 14.20 (104) | 11.5 (71) | Won by 33 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 12,219 | 11–1 | ||
| 13 | Saturday, 26 June (2:10 pm) | 7.16 (58) | 14.9 (93) | Won by 35 points | VFL Park (A) | 18,378 | 12–1 | ||
| 14 | Saturday, 3 July (2:10 pm) | 13.6 (84) | 15.13 (103) | Won by 19 points | Kardinia Park (A) | 14,733 | 13–1 | ||
| 15 | Saturday, 10 July (2:10 pm) | 20.5 (125) | 15.12 (102) | Won by 23 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 22,542 | 14–1 | ||
| 16 | Saturday, 17 July (2:10 pm) | 3.15 (33) | 11.16 (82) | Won by 49 points | Lake Oval (A) | 10,471 | 15–1 | ||
| 17 | Saturday, 24 July (2:10 pm) | 23.16 (154) | 4.15 (39) | Won by 115 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 21,979 | 16–1 | ||
| 18 | Saturday, 31 July (2:10 pm) | 16.12 (108) | 11.10 (76) | Lost by 32 points | Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) | 47,931 | 16–2 | ||
| 19 | Saturday, 7 August (2:10 pm) | 23.16 (154) | 9.8 (62) | Won by 92 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 9,122 | 17–2 | ||
| 20 | Saturday, 14 August (2:10 pm) | 11.15 (81) | 19.6 (120) | Lost by 39 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 22,781 | 17–3 | ||
| 21 | Saturday, 21 August (2:10 pm) | 15.15 (105) | 20.20 (140) | Won by 35 points | Victoria Park (A) | 41,312 | 18–3 | ||
| 22 | Saturday, 28 August (2:10 pm) | 18.16 (124) | 8.17 (65) | Won by 59 points | Glenferrie Oval (H) | 14,876 | 19–3 | ||
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| Rd | Date and local time | Opponent | Scores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold) | Venue | Attendance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | Away | Result | ||||||
| Second Semi-Final | Saturday, 11 September (2:30 pm) | 12.18 (90) | 12.16 (88) | Won by 2 points | Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) | 99,822 | ||
| Grand Final | Saturday, 25 September (2:50 pm) | 12.10 (82) | 11.9 (75) | Won by 7 points | Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) | 118,192 | ||