Ageless AFL wonder Tom Hawkins boots eight in ‘scary’ 17-year first

The Cats are back after four straight wins but one of the club’s older statesmen has had the performance of his career over the Bombers.

Tom Hawkins had a career-high eight goals. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

At 34 years of age, Geelong superstar Tom Hawkins just seems to be getting better.

While he didn’t start the season at his best with five goals in his first four games, Hawkins had four against the Eagles and five against the Swans to bounce back.

But it’s been nothing compared to his career best eight as he led the Cats to thrash the Bombers 20.12 (132) to 16.8 (90).

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After winning last years’ Grand Final, there was plenty of speculation that Hawkins may go out with former captain Joel Selwood with a premiership, who is just two months his senior.

Hawkins was in tears, which his wife Emma told the Herald Sun in October didn’t stop for days.

He admitted he didn’t know if it was the end when the final siren blew on the 2022 decider but just a matter of weeks later, he signed on for another year.

He then went under the knife for a foot injury and was in a moon boot until December.

But while he admitted he was unsure how he was going to go, Hawkins has his career-best tally in his 334th game.

Huge day for Tom Hawkins. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Incredibly, it’s the third most games before a new career high in goals behind only Kevin Bartlett at 338 games and Brent Harvey at 412 games, Twitter stats guru Sir Swamp Thing revealed.

Career-high eight goals for Tom Hawkins! 👏

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— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) April 30, 2023

It led AFL legend and former Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy to rave at three-quarter time as the best is still not behind Hawkins, despite being 17 seasons into his career after debuting back in 2007.

“He keeps getting better and that’s the scary thing,” Healy said.

“I’m not sure when he’s going to peak but it’s got to be at some stage soon. This guy basically had his pre-season on the field and he wasn’t in great shape for the first three or four weeks but he’s exploded in the last few matches.

“Today in the first half, he continued to terrorise Essendon. Only got one goal in that last but if it breaks and breaks right open, who knows, it may well be double figures for the very first time. One of the great stories and great players of the modern era Tom Hawkins.”

Just like that, Tom Hawkins is up to 22 goals for the season. Pic: Michael Klein

Hawkins had six first half goals, adding another one each in the third and fourth quarters.

When he kicked his eighth, the talk was the Cats would try to get him to double figures for the first time, but he didn’t get a chance.

Full credit to Tom Hawkins. A lot of people (myself included) thought he may have gone a year too long. But he’s been great today. #AFLDonsCats

— Andrew Johnston (@ARJ7X) April 30, 2023

Tom Hawkins is on a different level today, and it seems like Essendon have never had an answer to it #AFLDonsCats

— Davis Harrigan (Digi) 🦁 (@DeadlineDavis) April 30, 2023

Asked how he felt after the game, Hawkins said: “I’m a bit worn out to be honest.

“It was pleasing in some respects but we still had some lapses through today. But out best football, as always, was pretty scintillating.

“It was a nice occasion to be able to play in the Country Round, being from the country myself and knowing what it’s like and how much football is a bit part of communities was really pleasing as well.”

Hawkins said while he didn’t set the world on fire in the opening rounds, he “wasn’t feeling too bad”.

“As you get to the end of your career, and I still think I have a lot of football left in front of me, I’m 34 and realistic and I‘m just trying to enjoy as much footy as I can,” he said.

Patrick Dangerfield also had a blinder, with a match-highs in inside 50s with 15 and metres gained in 685.

Coming after Carlton’s Charlie Curnow booted nine on Saturday night, it’s the first time two players have kicked more than eight goals in a round since Lance Franklin’s 13 and Jack Riewoldt’s eight in round 10 of 2012.

The win is also another win for Chris Scott over Brad Scott as the twin coaches went head to head once again.