2021 Hawthorn Football Club season explained

Club:Hawthorn Football Club
Season:2021
President:Jeff Kennett
Coach:Alastair Clarkson
Captain:Ben McEvoy
Home Ground:Melbourne Cricket Ground
University of Tasmania Stadium
Regularseason Comp:Record
Regularseason Result:7–13–2 (14th)
Finals Series:Finals Series
Club B&Amp;F:Best and Fairest
Best And Fairest:Tom Mitchell
Leading Goalscorer:Luke Breust (33)
Prevseason:2020
Nextseason:2022

The 2021 Hawthorn Football Club season was the club's 97th season in the Australian Football League and 120th overall, the 22nd season playing home games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 21st season playing home games at the University of Tasmania Stadium, the 17th season under head coach Alastair Clarkson,[1] and the 1st season with Ben McEvoy as captain.[2]

On 6 July 2021, Hawthorn announced that former premiership captain and current assistant coach Sam Mitchell would succeed Clarkson as coach when his contract expired following the 2022 season.[3] However, just a few weeks later the club announced that Clarkson would instead depart at the end of the 2021 season.[4] Clarkson will depart the club as the most decorated coach in club history, having coached the most games (home and away, finals, total), wins (home and away, finals, total), and premierships. Following the announcement, Hawthorn finished the season strongly with wins over premiership contenders, Brisbane, and the Western Bulldogs. They also defeated Collingwood, and draw with the two–time defending premiers Richmond.

Hawthorn improved on their 5–12 record from the previous season. Hawthorn finished in 14th place with a 7–13–2 record. For the first and only time under Alastair Clarkson, the club failed to qualify for finals for the third consecutive season. Luke Breust topped the club goalkicking for the third time, finishing the season with 33 goals. Tom Mitchell won his third Peter Crimmins Medal.

Club summary

The 2021 AFL season was the 125th season of the VFL/AFL competition since its inception in 1897; having entered the competition in 1925, it was the 97th season contested by the Hawthorn Football Club. Tasmania, iiNet, and Nissan continued as the club's three major sponsors, as they have done since 2006, 2013, and 2019 respectively,[5] [6] while Adidas continued to manufacture the club's on-and-off field apparel, as they have done since 2013.[7] Hawthorn continued its alignment with the Box Hill Hawks Football Club in the Victorian Football League, allowing Hawthorn-listed players to play with the Box Hill Hawks when not selected in AFL matches.

Senior personnel

Playing list changes

Trades

5 October 2020To Hawthorn
Kyle Hartigan
To Adelaide
4th round pick, 2021 AFL draft
12 October 2020To Hawthorn
Tom Phillips
To Collingwood
Pick 65, 2020 AFL draft
9 December 2020To Hawthorn
Pick 66, 2020 AFL draft
Pick 69, 2020 AFL draft
2nd round pick, 2021 AFL draft
To Collingwood
Pick 41, 2020 AFL draft
Pick 42, 2020 AFL draft
9 December 2020To Hawthorn
Pick 54, 2020 AFL draft
4th round pick, 2020 AFL draft (via Richmond)
To St Kilda
Pick 43, 2020 AFL draft
9 December 2020To Hawthorn
Pick 46, 2020 AFL draft
4th round pick, 2020 AFL draft (via Richmond)
To Melbourne
3rd round pick, 2021 AFL draft

Free agency

Departures

Draft

See also: 2020 AFL draft.

AFL draft

RoundOverall pickPlayerRecruited fromref
1 6
2 29
2 35
3 46

Mid-season rookie draft

The Mid-season draft will take place during Hawthorns bye week. Hawthorn will have two selections due to Jonathon Pattons retirement and James Sicily being placed on the long-term injury list.

RoundOverall pickPlayerRecruited fromref
1 2
2 17

Retirements and delistings

DatePlayer2021 teamReasonRef
14 September 2020Paul PuopoloRetired[12]
14 September 2020Ben StrattonRetired
23 September 2020Conor GlassRetired[13]
23 September 2020Ricky HendersonRetired[14]
7 October 2020Will GoldsDelisted[15]
7 October 2020Darren MinchingtonDelisted
7 October 2020Jackson RossDelisted
8 October 2020James FrawleySt KildaDelisted[16]
25 November 2020Harry JonesDelisted
25 November 2020Mathew WalkerDelisted

Home & Away season

RdDate and local timeOpponentScores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold)VenueRecordReport
HomeAwayResult
1Saturday, 20 March (7:25 pm)Essendon13.13 (91)14.8 (92)Won by 1 pointMarvel Stadium1–0Report
2Sunday, 28 March (1:10 pm)Richmond7.7 (49)11.12 (78)Lost by 29 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground1–1Report
3Monday, April 5 (3:20 pm)Geelong10.9 (69)9.10 (64)Lost by 5 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground1–2Report
4Sunday, 11 April (2:40 pm)Fremantle13.18 (96)12.9 (81)Lost by 15 pointsOptus Stadium1–3Report
5Sunday, 18 April (3:20 pm)Melbourne8.6 (54)15.14 (104)Lost by 50 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground1–4Report
6Sunday, 25 April (12:30 pm)Adelaide15.12 (102)16.3 (99)Won by 3 pointsUniversity of Tasmania Stadium2–4Report
7Saturday, 1 May (4:35 pm)St Kilda19.14 (128)9.5 (59)Lost by 69 pointsMarvel Stadium2–5Report
8Sunday, 9 May (1:10 pm)West Coast8.12 (60)14.14 (98)Lost by 38 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground2–6Report
9Saturday, 15 May (2:10 pm)North Melbourne12.8 (80)13.9 (87)Lost by 7 pointsUniversity of Tasmania Stadium2–7Report
10Saturday, 22 May (1:45 pm)Carlton13.8 (86)9.9 (63)Lost by 23 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground2–8Report
11Saturday, 29 May (7:40 pm)Gold Coast17.11 (113)11.10 (76)Lost by 37 pointsSydney Cricket Ground2–9Report
12Bye
13Friday, 11 June (7:50 pm)Sydney7.9 (51)14.5 (89)Won by 38 pointsSydney Cricket Ground3–9Report
14Sunday, 20 June (3:20 pm)Essendon10.13 (73)13.8 (86)Lost by 13 pointsUniversity of Tasmania Stadium3–10Report
15Sunday, 27 June (1:10 pm)Greater Western Sydney11.6 (72)13.13 (90)Won by 18 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground4–10Report
16Saturday, 3 July (7:40 pm)Port Adelaide7.11 (53)13.9 (87)Lost by 34 pointsMarvel Stadium4–11Report
17Saturday, 10 July (1:45 pm)Fremantle6.10 (46)16.12 (108)Lost by 62 pointsUniversity of Tasmania Stadium4–12Report
18Saturday, 17 July (7:25 pm)Melbourne11.13 (79)12.7 (79)DrawMelbourne Cricket Ground4–12–1Report
19Saturday, 31 July (7:40 pm)Adelaide16.6 (102)13.5 (83)Lost by 19 pointsMarvel Stadium4–13–1Report
20Sunday, 1 August (2:10 pm)Brisbane Lions14.8 (92)12.8 (80)Won by 12 pointsUniversity of Tasmania Stadium5–13–1Report
21Sunday, 8 August (2:10 pm)Collingwood15.7 (97)12.6 (78)Won by 19 pointsMelbourne Cricket Ground6–13–1Report
22Saturday, 14 August (1:45 pm)Western Bulldogs9.10 (64)5.7 (37)Won by 27 pointsUniversity of Tasmania Stadium7–13–1Report
23Saturday, 21 August (1:35 pm)Richmond12.11 (83)12.11 (83)DrawMelbourne Cricket Ground7–13–2Report

Ladder

Statistics

No. Name
1 Harry Morrison15(1)7223112410767340714
2Mitchell Lewis1422914291516728291310
3Tom Mitchell22857543214339810502429
4Jarman Impey132028818110770330164
5James Worpel20108426232194548201527
6James Sicily00000000000
7Ben McEvoy (c)22128275135140111783702814
8Sam Frost2200333194139112443731
9Shaun Burgoyne18(3)11217133844631055
10Jaeger O'Meara1859473232241749101631
11Conor Nash8(1)21110515926230310
12Will Day500995544258057
13Oliver Hanrahan13(2)8614171703113074
14Jack Scrimshaw20(1)4241224916312729083
15Blake Hardwick20024183121061084102210
16Lachlan Bramble1013183119644420073
17Daniel Howe20(1)853732491241094001817
18Jonathon Ceglar12221806711353262491016
19Jack Gunston10076112000
20Chad Wingard16121135719915858610198
21Tom Phillips2213540624116593470236
22Luke Breust193311238121117476201213
23Tim O'Brien19(1)125219147729032121816
24James Cousins10(1)25187101862737086
26Liam Shiels2154444244200939901631
27Michael Hartley311563917145013
28Kyle Hartigan190020110695661621528
29Changkuoth Jiath1602324172152932601822
30Damon Greaves7(2)107448261612062
31Keegan Brooksby00000000000
32Finn Maginness2(1)001551015011
33Harry Pepper00000000000
34Jacob Koschitzke202719163986577371137
35Josh Morris5(4)0164215030
36Dylan Moore20271130716014776580279
37Ned Reeves51048192982013155
38Denver Grainger-Barras5003725121711032
39Emerson Jeka42226131374010
40Seamus Mitchell00000000000
41Connor Downie2(1)00126620000
42Tyler Brockman11(1)1049852462723026
43Jack Saunders00000000000
44Jai Newcombe7(2)116232301739048
45Jackson Callow00000000000

Awards, records and milestones

Awards

AFL awards

Club awards

Club records

Milestones

Round 1

Round 2

Round 4

Round 6

Round 7

Round 8

Round 10

Round 11

Round 13

Round 14

Round 15

Round 16

Round 17

Round 20

Round 21

Round 22

Round 23

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hawks appoint Clarkson as coach. 8 September 2004. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 September 2020.
  2. Web site: Zita . David . Hawthorn announce Ben McEvoy as new captain, intent on ‘making amends’ for ‘disappointing’ 2020 . Fox Sports Australia . 31 January 2021 . 29 January 2021.
  3. Web site: Hawthorn announces future coaching plans . 16 August 2021 . 6 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Clarkson to step down as senior coach at end of 2021 . 16 August 2021 . 30 July 2021.
  5. Web site: Tasmania. Hawthorn Football Club official website. 20 September 2020. 7 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190307225111/https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/club/corporate/partners/tasmania. dead.
  6. Web site: iiNet. Hawthorn Football Club official website. 20 September 2020. 7 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190307225128/https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/club/corporate/partners/iinet. dead.
  7. Web site: A unique partnership announcement. 27 February 2018. hawthornfc.com.au. 20 September 2020.
  8. Web site: Larkin. Steve. 23 September 2020. Crows lure Scott Burns as AFL assistant. 28 September 2020. 7news.
  9. Web site: Zita. David. 9 October 2020. Highly-rated Hawks assistant Adem Yze confirms move to Dees. 10 October 2020. 7news.
  10. Web site: Colangelo. Anthony. 17 October 2020. Tigers assistant McCrae to join Hawthorn. 5 October 2002. The Age.
  11. Web site: 30 October 2020. Hawks winger joins Geelong, Blues land Williams. 5 October 2020. The Age.
  12. Web site: Veteran Hawthorn pair to hang up the boots after glittering AFL careers. Zita. David. 14 September 2020. Fox Sports. 21 September 2020.
  13. Web site: Hawks' Glass to head home to Ireland, Demons delist three players. 23 September 2020. 23 September 2020.
  14. Web site: Hawthorn farewell Ricky Henderson as crunch list calls loom. Zita. David. 23 September 2020. Fox Sports. 28 September 2020.
  15. Web site: Hawks cut forward AGAIN as three are axed. Whiting. Michael. 7 October 2020. AFL.com.au. 10 October 2020.
  16. Web site: Hawthorn has lost a fourth veteran from ageing list with James Frawley retiring. Gould. Russell. 8 October 2020. news.com.au. 10 October 2020.