Geelong champion Tom Hawkins reflects on the ‘heartbreaking’ death of his mother

For Tom Hawkins, the death of his mother was the most difficult period of his career. The Geelong games record holder and one of his great mates reflect on that tough time.

Tom Hawkins with two of his children. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos/Getty Images

It might not seem like it from the outside looking in, but the ever positive and enduring Tom Hawkins has faced many challenges over his club record-breaking 356-game career.

Form slumps, injuries issues. But the tragic death of his mother, Jennifer, to cancer in April 2015 stands out as the toughest hurdle he has had to overcome.

“When you lose a parent suddenly to illness, it’s tragic and heartbreaking for me and my family. I’m lucky I have a lot of family here and teammates that I’ve played with for a long time – I saw ‘Stevie’ (Steve Johnson) just before,” Hawkins said after game 35.

“I think if you want to play the game for a long time, you’ve got to be resilient, but you also need lots of support.

“That was the most significant period and challenge of my footy career, but there’s been other challenges – form and at the start, there’s form challenges at the end, there’s body challenges at times. I would love to take the passing of my mother back, but I have learnt some wonderful things through those challenges of form and injury and adversity.”

The death of a parent is difficult for anyone to deal with, but Hawkins’ connection with his mother was particularly special.

Tom Hawkins lost his mother in 2015. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos/Getty Images

“Your mum and dad have a have a huge impact and particularly in my family, in the Le Deux and Hawkins family, we’re really close and really, really tight and lean on each other a lot and socialise a lot. I love my family, and now I’ve got a family of my own, so it’s sad for a lot of reasons,” Hawkins said.

“I’d love for my children to be able to meet my mum, but that wasn’t to be.”

“We are always thinking about her, aren’t we? Grandma Jen,” he gestured to one of his daughters standing by his side.

His three-time premiership teammate and great friend Steve Johnson recalls that challenging period.

“That was a pretty difficult time for him because obviously players are close to their families but he had a really special relationship with his mum, they were very, very close, that was obvious to anyone who knew him,” Johnson said.

While Hawkins credited the club and his teammates for wrapping their arms around him during that time, Johnson believes the groundswell of support was down to who Hawkins is as a person.

“But he was the first person to get around other people and make them feel well and make them feel comfortable and always aware of other people’s feelings,” Johnson said.

“And that’s why he had such great support at the footy club, because he has been a much-loved player since the day he walked in the door.

“I think everyone that played with him who has passed on now reflects on their time with him fondly and I’m sure even the younger players at the footy club right now, who we had nothing to do with, would love him equally as well.”

Tom Hawkins and Steve Johnson celebrate a goal in 2014. Picture: AAP Image/Joe Castro

The 35-year-old’s caring and unselfish nature has been there for all to see on the football field as well.

There was roughly 50 friends, family and ex-players in the Hawkins fan club in the Joel Selwood Stand cheering on every mark, kick and handball as he duelled with imposing defender Sam Taylor.

“I think he’d probably go down as just about the most selfless player that’s ever played for Geelong. His contribution is right up there with anyone in terms of what they have done for the Geelong Footy Club. Games record holder but also to play the way he has, in terms of being a key forward, for 18 years,” Johnson said.

“Also the way he brings his teammates into the game but equally he is a great person to have around the locker room and a connector of people.

“You can see that last night, some ex-players coming to the game, his ex-coach in ‘Bomber’ Thompson and a lot of family and friends that he’s maintained great relationships with even though he has been a professional footballer, which sometimes can make it hard for you to keep close with some people. You can drift apart, but not with him, which is why he is such a great person.”

Players, officials and past teammates celebrate Tom Hawkins as he becomes Geelong's games-record holder.#AFLCatsGiantspic.twitter.com/Jrwg2h3uKN

— AFL (@AFL) May 25, 2024

Players, officials and past teammates celebrate Tom Hawkins as he becomes Geelong's games-record holder.#AFLCatsGiantspic.twitter.com/Jrwg2h3uKN

— AFL (@AFL) May 25, 2024

Players, officials and past teammates celebrate Tom Hawkins as he becomes Geelong's games-record holder.#AFLCatsGiantspic.twitter.com/Jrwg2h3uKN

— AFL (@AFL) May 25, 2024

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FORM TURNS

Hawkins’ struggles with form have been well documented, but the big man worked his backside off against one of the most difficult match-ups in the game for a key forward.

He was rewarded with two goals– double his return across his previous five matches – and also set up Jeremy Cameron’s only goal for the match, finishing with 12 disposals and six marks (four of those inside 50)

Taylor still won seven intercept possessions and three intercept marks for the match, but it was the lowest counts he has had for each of those indicators this season.

Tom Hawkins kicked two goals against the Giants. Picture: Martin Keep/AFL Photos/Getty Images

“I think there’s no better way if you haven’t been performing that well and clearly, as a group, we haven’t been performing well and individually and personally, I haven’t been performing at my best,” Hawkins said.

“I love playing on good players, I think there’s no better challenge in the game than Sam Taylor. I thought we both - he’s an aggressive player, the way that he tries to read the game and set the game.

“I thought there was there was times where he impacted it, and there was times when I was able to really challenge him. Was it even? I don’t really know. But it’s always a good challenge.”

It was an encouraging performance personally for Hawkins, but he was more concerned with the end result.

“Clearly when you fight your way back and play some really good footy in the second half it’s disappointing to go down,” Hawkins said.

“So some disappointing and some hard learnings, but I think the contrast between our good and our not so good is really, really clear. It’s really disappointing, we don’t like to lose and we certainly don’t like don’t like to lose at home.

“Fortunately in our game, you’ve got no time to sit back and be disappointed for too long, you know, keep moving forward. So that’s our challenge and we look forward to it.”

Originally published as Geelong champion Tom Hawkins reflects on the ‘heartbreaking’ death of his mother