Why Hawks have Hudson’s father to thank for signing all-time great

Peter Hudson’s hero, John Coleman, once travelled to Tasmania to convince him to sign with Essendon. But as they celebrate their 100th birthday, the Hawks have his dad to thank for snaring the all-time great.

Tasmanian football legend Peter Hudson. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Tasmanian legend Peter Hudson rates never getting to watch “the full forward of full forwards” John Coleman play as his biggest football regret.

So it’s understandable when the then Essendon coach flew across the Bass Strait to convince him to sign with the Bombers, Hudson’s head was spinning.

But ahead of their 100th birthday celebrations against Richmond this Sunday, the Hawks have Hudson’s father Bob to thank for signing the most prolific goal kicker in VFL/AFL history.

Hudson won the goalkicking at a national carnival playing for Tasmania in 1966, and Coleman desperately wanted him to play for Hawthorn’s bitter arch rival.

It’s tough for a young forward to turn down, but after his father urged him to take time to process his options, the Hawks eventually won out.

“My father who passed away a few years ago, I’m always eternally grateful he had that calming influence on it,” Hudson told this masthead this week.

“Someone I never saw play was John Coleman, and that’s one of my biggest regrets. He was the full forward of all full forwards.

Peter Hudson (holding trophy far left) with fellow Hawthorn legends as the club celebrates its 100th birthday this week. Picture: Michael Klein

“He came down to see me in Tassie about going to Essendon, which was pretty special.

“Dad just said there’s no need to sign a form just yet, you’ve got plenty of time to think about it. He was the steadying influence in the whole thing, and history shows he was right.

“John came down with one of the Essendon committee members, and he pitched it pretty well to go there.

“All this happened with John before I had anything to do with Hawthorn. It was the fact they came down, we got on really well and when crunch time came, I decided they’re the team for me. It was as simple as that.

“Out of all the clubs I spoke to, Hawthorn had a terrific feeling about them. The people supporting the club, some of them were pillars of society and the coach (John Kennedy Snr) was just THE coach, history shows he’s arguably the best coach ever.

“The players were all young players, it felt like there was a real future there. The fact I went there in 1967 and we won the premiership in 1971, it was spot on.

“If it hadn’t have been for my father, it could easily have gone in a different direction.”

PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF FOR HAWKS

After signing with Hawthorn, the Hawks also had to dig deep to convince Hudson to leave Tasmania.

Hudson remembers phoning then Hawks secretary Ron Cook in 1966 of his intention to play another year in Tasmania. But he soon discovered how persistent he could be.

“I rang Ron when he was holidaying on the Mornington Peninsula. I said I’m going to have another year in Tassie and then I’ll come the next year,” Hudson recalled.

“That was in the morning. By the afternoon, he’s walking up our driveway at home in New Norfolk with a suit on.

Former Hawthorn player Peter Hudson.

“When I told him I wasn’t going to come, that didn’t stop him. I said to (now wife) Steph ‘I can’t shake this bloke, I’m going to have to go,’ and away we went. He was a real dynamo as a football administrator.”

Of course, that effort paid off many times over. The Australian Football Hall of Fame legend kicked 727 goals in 129 matches, including a joint league record 150 in Hawthorn’s premiership year of 1971.

Incredibly, his average of 5.64 goals per game is the best in VFL/AFL history. The man who failed to woo him, Coleman, is second with 5.48.

HUMBLE HUDSON’S TASMANIA PASSION

Hudson is one of the greats. But he exudes a humility which shows he’s still an average bloke from Tasmania, who just happened to be extremely above average at footy.

Appearing on Channel Seven’s The Front Bar this week, the hosts tried feverishly to get Hudson to say how many goals he kicked against Collingwood in 1973, when the Hawks lured him back after a long absence from a knee injury in round 21.

Then running a pub in Tasmania, Hudson told the club he couldn’t travel to Melbourne the day before the game as famous comedian Norman Gunston was performing at his pub.

After infamously arriving at Waverly by helicopter on game day, Hudson booted eight in his first match since injuring his knee in the first round the previous year.

It took some cajoling from the hosts for Hudson to say how many goals he kicked in the 18-point loss.

Hawthorn and Tasmanian great Peter Hudson. Picture Aaron Francis/Herald Sun

“I didn’t go on the show to be talked about with my statistics, or I achieved this or achieved that, I went on to be involved in the stories that mean so much to me,” Hudson said.

“My fondest memories of football, and appreciation of how good football has been for us as a family is the stories we told. They’re true stories and they’ve got a funny twist.”

One of the more famous yarns is of the Hawthorn church who had a sign out the front asking “What would you do if Jesus Christ came to Hawthorn?”

A quick-witted Hawks fan wrote underneath “move Peter Hudson to centre half forward.”

“I’ve told that story about the church at least 2000 times, it’s arguably my favourite story,” Hudson laughed.

“I usually say you can’t associate yourself with anyone higher than that.”

He also recalled when he booted 18 goals for Glenorchy against Hobart, not long after retiring from the VFL - but failed to get the three votes as best on ground.

They were given to prolific ball winner Danny ‘Cockroach’ Ling by votes judge Adrian Bowden - who were both in the crowd.

“Danny had about 45 kicks or something, Peter only had 18,” Bowden quipped.

“The situation with Danny and Adrian Bowden, that’s real Tassie stuff,” Hudson said.

“I like to think that people think I have an appreciation of the past, which of course is Tasmania.”

Glenorchy playing-coach Peter Hudson holding the 1975 premiership cup with Glenorchy captain Darryl Sutton.

WHY SON’S FLAG IS HIS FINEST MOMENT

Despite his long list of achievements, Hudson still rates the day his son Paul joined him as a Hawks premiership player as his best moment in football.

A half-forward, Paul kicked 479 goals in 245 games and finished fifth in the Brownlow Medal count when the Hawks lifted the cup in 1991.

Peter played senior football with his father as a youngster at Upper Derwent.

“Playing with my father gets more important every year, it means more as every year goes by,” Hudson said.

“It’s the same with Paul and I playing in those premierships. There’s very few fathers and sons who have played in premierships at the same club.

Paul Hudson with Mum Stephanie, girlfriend Jenny Gole and dad Peter after Hawthorn won the 1991 grand final. [Herald Sun 30/09/1991]

“Both Paul and I, and Steph, are very proud of that rare happening.

Hudson will be at the MCG when the Hawks celebrate their centenary before Sunday’s clash with the Tigers.

Hudson and other club legends caught up with current players during the week, and he remains a driving force behind helping back the club’s new training facility at Dingley.

The club is expected to move into the facility late this year.

Hawthorn's Paul Hudson with his father Peter Hudson.

“The club did this week really well. When you’ve got people like Michael Tuck and Jason Dunstall and all the other (Hawks legends) that were there, it gives a bit of significance that all this has happened in the last 100 years,” Hudson said.

“The other thing that speaks volumes is the 13 premierships since 1961, that’s an unbelievable record.”