The 2017 season was the Hawthorn Football Club's 93rd season in the Australian Football League and 116th overall, the 18th season playing home games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the 17th season playing home games at the newly named University of Tasmania Stadium, the 13th season under head coach Alastair Clarkson, and the 1st season with Jarryd Roughead as club captain. This was the first time since 2013 that Hawthorn didn't enter the season as the defending premiers.
Hawthorn started the season 0–4 for the first time since 1998. Hawthorn failed to match their 17–5 record from 2016, finishing in 12th with a record. With Hawthorn's 7 point loss to in round 22, they were eliminated from finals contention for this first time since 2009. This was also the first time since 2005, Hawthorn were defeated by Carlton. This was also the first time under Clarkson that no player kicked 50 goals for the season.
Club summary The 2017 AFL season is the 121st season of the VFL/AFL competition since its inception in 1897; having entered the competition in 1925, it was the 93rd season contested by the Hawthorn Football Club. Tasmania and iiNet continued as the club's two major sponsors, as they had done since 2006 and 2013 respectively, while Adidas continued to manufacture the club's on-and-off field apparel, as they had done since 2013. Hawthorn continued its alignment with the Box Hill Hawks Football Club in the Victorian Football League, allowing Hawthorn-listed players to play with the Box Hill Hawks when not selected in AFL matches.
Senior personnel Alastair Clarkson continued as the club's head coach for the thirteenth consecutive season. In a surprise announcement, Jarryd Roughead replaced Luke Hodge as the club's captain on 20 January 2017 after the latter had led the club since 2011.
It was announced in December 2016 that Stuart Fox would leave his position as the club's Chief Executive Officer to take up the same position with the Melbourne Cricket Club at the end of February 2017. On 1 May, Tracey Gaudry was appointed the club's new CEO.
Playing list changes The following lists all player changes between the conclusion of the 2016 season and the beginning of the 2017 season.
Trades 13 October 2016 To Pick 23, 2016 AFL draft To Bradley Hill 14 October 2016 To Pick 52, 2016 AFL draftPick 70, 2016 AFL draftPick 88, 2016 AFL draft To Sam MitchellPick 54, 2016 AFL draftPick 72, 2016 AFL draft 14 October 2016 To Tom MitchellPick 57, 2016 AFL draft To Pick 14, 2016 AFL draftPick 52, 2016 AFL draft 14 October 2016 To Pick 10, 2016 AFL draftPick 68, 2016 AFL draft To Pick 23, 2016 AFL draftPick 36, 2016 AFL draft1st round pick, 2017 AFL draft 18 October 2016 To Pick 48, 2016 AFL draftPick 66, 2016 AFL draft To Jordan LewisPick 57, 2016 AFL draftPick 68, 2016 AFL draft 20 October 2016 To 2nd round pick, 2017 AFL draft (via ) To Pick 48, 2016 AFL draftPick 66, 2016 AFL draftPick 70, 2016 AFL draft 20 October 2016 To Jaeger O'Meara To Pick 10, 2016 AFL draft2nd round pick, 2017 AFL draft
Free agency
Additions Date Player Type2016 teamDealCompensationRef9 October 2016Ty VickerySigned 2-year deal2nd round pick, 2016 AFL draft30 October 2016Conor NashN/AMeath GAAN/AN/A8 November 2016Ricky HendersonN/ANone
Draft
AFL draft
Round Overall pick Player Recruited from ref574Harry MorrisonMurray Bushrangers576Mitchell LewisCalder Cannons
Rookie draft Round Overall pick Player Recruited from ref114Oliver HanrahanSt Kevin's College231Jack FitzpatrickHawthorn346James CousinsMurray Bushrangers
Retirements and delistings
Date Player 2017 team Reason Ref15 March 2016Shem-Kalvin TatupuRetired28 October 2016Matt SpangherDelisted28 October 2016Angus LitherlandDelisted28 October 2016Zac WebsterDelisted28 October 2016Lachlan LangfordDelisted28 October 2016Alex WoodwardDelisted28 October 2016Jermaine Miller-LewisDelisted
2017 player squad
Season summary Pre-season matches The club played three practice matches as part of the 2017 JLT Community Series, and will be played under modified pre-season rules, including nine-point goals.
Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold) Venue Report Home Away Result 1 Friday, 17 February (7:40 pm) 0.15.8 (98) 1.13.7 (94) Won by 4 points University of Tasmania Stadium (H) Report 2 Sunday, 26 February (2:05 pm) 0.14.11 (95) 0.11.8 (74) Lost by 21 points Arden Street (A) Report 3 Sunday, 12 March (12:40 pm) 0.14.12 (96) 1.8.11 (68) Lost by 28 points Hickinbotham Oval (A) Report Source
Premiership season Fixture summary
The full fixture was announced on 27 October 2016. The Melbourne Cricket Ground once again acted as Hawthorn's primary home ground, hosting six of the club's eleven home games, with four home games played at their secondary home ground, University of Tasmania Stadium, in Launceston, and one home game played at Etihad Stadium against the Western Bulldogs in round 23. The club's opponents for the four games in Launceston were , , and in rounds six, eight, 16 and 21 respectively, while the club played , , , and twice during the regular season.
The Hawks began the 2017 season with a 25-point loss to , which welcomed six of its banned players back from a season-long suspension which had spanned the entire 2016 season, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round one; due to the weighted rule, it was the only time the clubs met during the regular season. The club's first home game came the following round, when it hosted 2016 finalists at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round two. It travelled to Adelaide twice for matches against and Adelaide (for a second time) in rounds 11 and 14 respectively, while it also travelled to the Gold Coast, Sydney and Perth once each, in rounds three, ten and eighteen respectively. Additionally, it played three Friday night matches (two against and one against the Western Bulldogs) and two Thursday night matches (both at the Adelaide Oval) during the regular season, while ten of the club's 21 matches were broadcast on free-to-air.
Based on its finishing position from 2016, Hawthorn's fixture was rated the second-most difficult (only behind ) by The Age; it was the fifth consecutive season in which it has been dealt either the most or second-most difficult fixture of any club.
Fixture Rd Date and local time Opponent Scores (Hawthorn's scores indicated in bold) Venue Record Report Home Away Result 1 Saturday, 25 March (7:25 pm) 17.14 (116) 12.19 (91) Lost by 25 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 0–1 Report 2 Saturday, April 1 (1:45 pm) 13.11 (89) 16.17 (113) Lost by 24 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 0–2 Report 3 Sunday, April 9 (4:40 pm) 21.13 (139) 7.11 (53) Lost by 86 points Metricon Stadium (A) 0–3 Report 4 Monday, April 17 (3:20 pm) 6.12 (48) 20.14 (134) Lost by 86 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 0–4 Report 5 Sunday, 23 April (4:40 pm) 19.11 (125) 11.8 (74) Won by 51 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 1–4 Report 6 Saturday, April 29 (1:45 pm) 8.7 (55) 19.16 (130) Lost by 75 points University of Tasmania Stadium (H) 1–5 Report 7 Sunday, 7 May (3:20 pm) 14.7 (91) 14.10 (94) Won by 3 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 2–5 Report 8 Saturday, 13 May (1:45 pm) 17.11 (113) 11.9 (75) Won by 38 points University of Tasmania Stadium (H) 3–5 Report 9 Saturday, 20 May (7:25 pm) 13.12 (90) 11.6 (72) Lost by 18 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 3–6 Report 10 Friday, 26 May (7:50 pm) 11.9 (75) 12.9 (81) Won by 6 points Sydney Cricket Ground (A) 4–6 Report 11 Thursday, 1 June (7:20 pm) 13.20 (98) 7.5 (47) Lost by 51 points Adelaide Oval (A) 4–7 Report 12 Saturday, 10 June (1:45 pm) 12.7 (79) 13.17 (95) Lost by 16 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 4–8 Report 13 Bye 14 Thursday, 22 June (7:20 pm) 12.10 (82) 14.12 (96) Won by 14 points Adelaide Oval (A) 5–8 Report 15 Sunday, 2 July (3:20 pm) 18.10 (118) 14.10 (94) Won by 24 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 6–8 Report 16 Saturday, 8 July (1:45 pm) 14.13 (97) 15.7 (97) Draw University of Tasmania Stadium (H) 6–8–1 Report 17 Saturday, 15 July (1:45 pm) 13.10 (88) 12.13 (85) Lost by 3 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 6–9–1 Report 18 Saturday, 22 July (5:40 pm) 7.6 (48) 15.10 (100) Won by 52 points Domain Stadium (A) 7–9–1 Report 19 Friday, 28 July (7:50 pm) 10.12 (72) 9.12 (66) Won by 6 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (H) 8–9–1 Report 20 Sunday, 6 August (3:20 pm) 13.15 (93) 9.10 (64) Lost by 29 points Melbourne Cricket Ground (A) 8–10–1 Report 21 Sunday, 13 August (3:20 pm) 18.8 (116) 14.5 (89) Won by 27 points University of Tasmania Stadium (H) 9–10–1 Report 22 Saturday, 19 August (7:25 pm) 12.5 (77) 10.10 (70) Lost by 7 points Etihad Stadium (A) 9–11–1 Report 23 Friday, 25 August (7:50 pm) 15.9 (99) 13.12 (90) Won by 9 points Etihad Stadium (H) 10–11–1 Report Source
Ladder
Awards, records and milestones
Awards Peter Crimmins Medal: Tom Mitchell All-Australian team: Tom Mitchell 22 Under 22 team: Ryan Burton, James Sicily
Records Round 7: Alastair Clarkson won his 182nd game as coach, which is the most of any Hawthorn coach. Ben McEvoy had 53 hitouts, which is the most recorded by a Hawthorn player Round 9: Tom Mitchell had 50 disposals, which is the most recorded by a Hawthorn player. Round 18: Alastair Clarkson coached his 300th game, which is the most of any Hawthorn coach.
Milestones Round 1: Ricky Henderson – Hawthorn debut Tom Mitchell – Hawthorn debut Jaeger O'Meara – Hawthorn debut Ty Vickery – Hawthorn debut Round 2: Teia Miles – AFL debut Josh Gibson – 150th game for Hawthorn Tom Mitchell – 1st goal for Hawthorn Ty Vickery – 1st goal for Hawthorn Round 3: Jaeger O'Meara – 1st goal for Hawthorn Round 4: Ben McEvoy – 150th AFL game Will Langford – 50th AFL game Round 5: Jarryd Roughead – 500th AFL goal Liam Shiels – 50th AFL goal Round 7: Billy Hartung – 50th AFL game Round 8: Liam Shiels – 150th AFL game Ricky Henderson – 1st goal for Hawthorn Round 10: Luke Breust – 150th AFL game Brendan Whitecross – 100th AFL game James Cousins – AFL debut Dallas Willsmore – AFL debut James Cousins – 1st AFL goal Round 14: Ricky Henderson – 100th AFL game Round 15: Ricky Henderson – 50th AFL goal Round 16: Isaac Smith – 150th AFL game Round 17: Luke Hodge – 300th AFL game Round 18: Alastair Clarkson – 300th AFL game as coach Conor Glass – AFL debut Round 19: Shaun Burgoyne – 100th goal for Hawthorn Round 20: Jarryd Roughead – 250th AFL game Teia Miles – 1st AFL goal Round 21: Luke Breust – 300th AFL goal Round 22: Taylor Duryea – 100th AFL game Round 23: Jaeger O'Meara – 50th AFL game
Brownlow Medal
Results Round 1 vote 2 votes 3 votes 1 Zach Merrett () Orazio Fantasia () Dyson Heppell () 2 Tom Lynch () Sam Jacobs () Rory Sloane () 3 Brandon Matera () Aaron Hall () Gary Ablett Jr. () 4 Zach Tuohy () Mitch Duncan () Steven Motlop () 5 Liam Shiels () Tom Mitchell () Ben McEvoy () 6 Nick Riewoldt () Sebastian Ross () Jack Steven () 7 Tom Mitchell () Ben McEvoy () Jack Viney () 8 Ryan Burton () Stefan Martin () Tom Mitchell () 9 Taylor Adams () Scott Pendlebury () Tom Mitchell () 10 Dan Hannebery () Lance Franklin () Shaun Burgoyne () 11 Ollie Wines () Charlie Dixon () Brad Ebert () 12 Jack Gunston () Steven May () Gary Ablett Jr. () 13 Bye 14 Tom Mitchell () Shaun Burgoyne () Ricky Henderson () 15 Ryan Burton () Jordan De Goey () Tom Mitchell () 16 Jonathon Patton () Josh Kelly () Tom Mitchell () 17 Liam Shiels () Tom Mitchell () Patrick Dangerfield () 18 Liam Shiels () Jack Gunston () Tom Mitchell () 19 Luke Parker () Liam Shiels () Jarryd Roughead () 20 James Sicily () Dion Prestia () Josh Caddy () 21 Tom Mitchell () Isaac Smith () Jack Gunston () 22 Sam Docherty () Marc Murphy () Tom Mitchell () 23 Jaeger O'Meara () Jack Macrae () Jarryd Roughead ()
Brownlow Medal tally