Geelong vs Hawthorn

Each week Michael Rogers gives us an exclusive look at the stats and facts that matter for the Cats.

Interested in the history of the Greatest Club of All? Head to 'Footy Histories' to purchase amazing books on the 1951/52 and 1963 Geelong Premiership sides.



From 1925 to 1954, Geelong won 32 of 43 matches vs Hawthorn for a match/win% of 74.42. (The highest against all opponents in the period.)

From 1955 to 1984, Geelong won 29 of 57 matches (1 drawn) for a match/win% of 51.75.

From 1985 to 2013, Geelong won 23 of 53 matches for a match/win% of 43.40%. (The lowest against all opponents in the period.)



Hawthorn are the only team ahead of Geelong in results of the last 50 matches and both Hawthorn and Fremantle are currently ahead of Geelong in results from the last 25.



From 1961 to 1970, Geelong won their most matches against triple 'wooden-spoon' winner, Fitzroy and premiership winner and runner-up,  Hawthorn - 15 wins  against each.

From 2004 to 2013, Geelong have won more matches against Hawthorn than any other opponent - 15 wins. Next most: 14 vs Port Adelaide.



Geelong's match/win percentage against Hawthorn at the MCG is the highest of all of Hawthorn's opponents. Next highest: Essendon 58.33%.



Hawthorn's 11 consecutive losses vs Geelong at the MCG 2009-13 is their most against a single opponent there. (They lost 10 consecutive against Melbourne at the MCG 1926-36.)

Geelong is one of two teams to play and defeat the same opponent in 3 consecutive matches to take win the Premiership. In 1956, Melbourne played Collingwood in 3 matches in succession - winning the last home and away match, the 2nd Semi-final, and the Grand Final. In 1963, Geelong played Hawthorn in 3 consecutive matches - winning the last home and away round to stay in the 'final 4', the 2nd Semi-final to advance to the Grand Final and then the last match of the year to take the flag.

Geelong won the 1963 Grand Final and the 1964 rematch vs Hawthorn by 49 points.



he average margin in the last 15 matches between Geelong and Hawthorn 2007-13 has be 4.8 points. No other sequence of 15 matches between two opponents has been as close.

In round 2 2010: Geelong 14.16-100 vs Hawthorn 13.13-91.

In round 13 1959: Geelong 14.16-100 vs Hawthorn 13.13-91.

Geelong's greatest 1/2 time lead in a match that they lost is 49 points in round 6 1989. Geelong 17.6-108 vs Hawthorn 9.5-59. Final score: 25.13.163 vs Hawthorn 26.15-171.

From round 9, 2003 to round 1 2009 in 10 consecutive matches against the Hawks, Geelong scored the same tally of goals but exactly twice as many behinds - 127.172-934 vs Hawthorn 127.86-848. (Since then in 11 matches the combined scores have been: Geelong 156.133-1,069 vs Hawthorn 141.140-986.)

Geelong's biggest score factor vs Hawthorn is 5.54: Geelong 18.25-133 vs Hawthorn 3.6-24, round 9 1933. Hawthorn's biggest score factor vs Geelong is 3.15: Hawthorn 25.23-173 vs Geelong 8.7-55, round 19 1975.

Geelong's highest score vs Hawthorn, 23.13-163 in round 6 1989 was a loss by eight points. It remains the highest losing score in the League's history.

The Cats' biggest loss ever was by 135 points to Hawthorn in round 21 1986: 13.12-90 vs Hawthorn 35.12-225. (Scores at 1/2 time were Geelong 10.5-65 vs Hawthorn 10.8-68.) The Hawk's score in this match is also the highest ever conceded by a Geelong side and Hawthorn's 25.7-157 is the most ever scored in any 2nd half. The three highest scores conceded by Geelong have been against Hawthorn with another two against Hawk's making up five of the 10 highest scores against the Cats.

The most Geelong have ever had scored against them in a 3rd quarter is 12.3-75 by Hawthorn in the round 21 1986 match and the most ever in a last quarter is 13.4-82 in the same match. (The 67 point margin in the last quarter is the Hawks highest for a last quarter against all opponents.)

Geelong have played 8 finals vs Hawthorn for 3 wins (average margin 33 points) and 5 losses (average margin 10 points.)



Geelong first won 80% of their matches in their 27th season, 1925. Hawthorn first won 80% in their 37th season, 1961.

Geelong had a win% over 50 in their first five seasons 1897-1901. Hawthorn had a win% over 50 in for the first time in their 19th season, 1943 and then not again until 1957.

Geelong have finished ahead of Hawthorn on the final season ladder 55 times in the 87 seasons that they have competed in together.