Which teams the AFL star goalkickers regularly dominate

Tom Hawkins was back giving Essendon fans nightmares on Saturday night as he again booted a bag against the Dons. Which other teams get destroyed consistently by the big forwards?

Tom Hawkins of the Cats kicks for goal during the round 18 AFL match between Geelong Cats and Essendon Bombers at GMHBA Stadium, on July 15, 2023, in Geelong, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

Essendon fans still couldn’t wake up from the long-running nightmare on Saturday night.

Champion Geelong goalkicker Tom Hawkins again tore the Bombers to pieces, taking chest mark after chest mark, to boot 5.3 in the 77-point thumping.

Bombers fans have reason to wake up in a sweat at the thought of Hawkins dominating them every time – because he does.

No player has kicked more goals against a single opponent since 2019 than the Cats spearhead, who has snagged 29 majors in his last six games against Essendon.

Tom Hawkins was just too big and strong for Essendon – again. Picture: Michael Klein.

That half dozen domination includes two bags of four goals, one of six, a career-high haul of eight and now Saturday’s handful.

The Bombers have battled for a hulking defensive option to slow down Hawkins in recent years but the big Cat himself couldn’t put a finger on why he dominates the red sash so easily.

“I hope it continues but it’s nothing in particular, the ball has fallen my way on the last couple of occasions,” he said.

He said he tried not to take a cocky mindset into games against the Bombers, despite the glowing track record.

“I have tended to move away from that when I was in the early parts of my career,” he said.

“I wanted to take the same sort of level approach into each week. I will certainly draw on experiences both good and bad. The last game (against a certain team) I will watch the way we entered (the forward line) or how players set up.

“I try and keep things pretty level most of the time.”

Hawkins may have the Dons as his bunny – he has now booted 56 goals in 18 games against Essendon across his career and Geelong has won 16 of those matches – but he is not alone in giving opposition fans nightmares.

Another haul and another win for Hawkins against Essendon. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Since the start of 2019, Jack Riewoldt has bagged the second-most goals against any opponent, booting 27 in nine games against Brisbane.

Gold Coast has copped a multiple hauls from Jeremy (25 goals in six games) and Charlie Cameron (25 in eight).

Perhaps the best strike rate against any club belongs to man who now plays in defence.

Thanks to two six goal hauls and a perfect 10 on Good Friday in 2020, Josh Bruce has booted 24 goals in just four games against North Melbourne.

To rub salt in the Essendon wound, of current players, Lance Franklin has the most goals against any opponent, having sent through 79 in just 20 games against the Bombers over the journey.

Jeremy Cameron most often dominates the Gold Coast, having booted 66 majors in 17 games against the Suns.

Buddy loves it against the Bombers. Picture: Phil Hillyard

In career-best form, Joe Daniher’s move to Brisbane has been a masterstroke but he may have left some goals on the table.

Of any sides he has played against, Daniher’s best record is actually against the Lions from his Essendon days, having kicked 17 goals in five matches against Brisbane before he moved north.

Similarly, Charlie Cameron haunts his old club, boasting his best record against the Crows, with 16 goals in five matches.

The nightmare may continue to roll on for Essendon fans – if ladder positions were to hold to what they are now, Geelong and Hawkins would loom in an elimination final.

Originally published as Which teams the AFL star goalkickers regularly dominate