Doug Hawkins

Douglas James Hawkins (born 5 May 1960) is a former Australian rules footballer who represented Footscray and Fitzroy in the Australian Football League (AFL). He also enjoyed a brief career in media and ran for the Senate, as a member of Palmer United Party, in the 2013 Australian federal election.[1]

Doug Hawkins
Personal information
Date of birth (1960-05-05) 5 May 1960
Original team(s) Braybrook (WRFL)
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 79 kg (174 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1978–1994 Footscray 329 (216)
1995 Fitzroy 021 0(11)
Total 350 (227)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
Victoria ? (?)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1995.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early career

Hawkins hailed from the industrialised, working class western suburbs of Melbourne, and although he was a North Melbourne supporter in his youth, competition zoning rules in effect prior to the adoption of a national draft, dictated that Hawkins' rights were 'zoned' to Footscray, given his suburb of residence was nearby Braybrook. He got his wish, making his VFL debut for Footscray in 1978 as a teenager.

Football career

Footscray

Hawkins made a name for himself over the ensuing years as one of the finest wingers the game has ever seen, so much so that at the team's home ground, the Western Oval, the outer wing of the ground was named the "Doug Hawkins Wing". Much has also been made about his rocky relationship with coach Mick Malthouse during the 1980s, but during Hawkins' Australian Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2004, Hawkins played this down. In 1994, Hawkins broke Ted Whitten's long-standing club record of 321 games for Footscray, and Whitten was on-hand to congratulate him.

Fitzroy

However, after playing 329 games and kicking 216 goals for the Bulldogs, Hawkins' contract was not renewed, and so he moved to the financially strapped Fitzroy Football Club for one last season in 1995. He played 21 games and kicked 11 goals for the club before announcing his retirement. His 350th and last game was also the 200th time he had finished on the losing side, becoming only the second player after Kevin Murray to reach that milestone.

Statistics
[2]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1978 Footscray 7181171578424165N/A0.60.48.74.713.43.6N/A
1979 Footscray 722171327910638564N/A0.80.612.74.817.52.9N/A
1980 Footscray 712571388121938N/A0.40.611.56.818.33.2N/A
1981 Footscray 721121121918940873N/A0.60.510.49.019.43.5N/A
1982 Footscray 7165519813233048N/A0.30.312.48.320.63.0N/A
1983 Footscray 7196625417943374N/A0.30.313.49.422.83.9N/A
1984 Footscray 72291329015644699N/A0.40.613.27.120.34.5N/A
1985 Footscray 72478349182531172N/A0.30.314.57.622.17.2N/A
1986 Footscray 716241989829692N/A0.10.312.46.118.55.8N/A
1987 Footscray 71262144902347280.50.212.07.519.56.00.7
1988 Footscray 7207319816135990220.40.29.98.118.04.51.1
1989 Footscray 72084266206472127330.40.213.310.323.66.41.7
1990 Footscray 7212812248145393101161.30.611.86.918.74.80.8
1991 Footscray 7223833248119367116201.71.511.35.416.75.30.9
1992 Footscray 7234222254155409123261.81.011.06.717.85.31.1
1993 Footscray 72061120015635688210.30.610.07.817.84.41.1
1994 Footscray 721781438823153230.30.46.84.211.02.51.1
1995 Fitzroy 32111318016234268320.50.18.67.716.33.21.5
Career 350 227 172 3963 2489 6452 1563 201 0.6 0.5 11.3 7.1 18.4 4.5 1.1

Accolades and Honours

During his playing career, Hawkins won the club best and fairest award in 1985, represented Victoria five times, and was named in the AFL Team of the Year in 1984 and 1986. Upon reaching 300 senior games, he was awarded AFL Life Membership in 1993.[3] After retiring, Hawkins was awarded Father of the Year in 1998 and was one of the torch bearers for the 2000 Olympic Games.[4] When the Bulldogs' Team of the Century was announced in 2002, Hawkins was named on the wing as vice-captain. In 2004, he was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was inducted into the Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame before being upgraded to Club Legend status in 2014.[5]

Media career

Off the field, Hawkins was known as an old-fashioned Aussie larrikin, someone who himself acknowledged he was not one of the smartest people going around, but was always up for a laugh. As a panel member of the Nine Network's The Footy Show during the mid-1990s, he was often portrayed as the show's court jester.[6] In 1998, Hawkins moved to the Seven Network and appeared on a Wednesday night rival to The Footy Show, Live and Kicking.

Politics

Hawkins stood as a candidate for a Victorian Senate seat in the 2013 Australian Federal Election as a member of Palmer United Party.[1]

Personal life

Hawkins is married to Raelene, who appeared on Fox Footy's Living with Footballers before it was axed at the end of 2004. They have three children – a son and two daughters. Doug currently resides near Bacchus Marsh and has served as a coach of the Bacchus Marsh Football Club.

References
  1. "AFL Legend Doug Hawkins stands for Palmer United Party". The Age. 11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
  2. Doug Hawkins' player profile at AFL Tables
  3. 2013, p. 1067
  4. "Doug Hawkins-Sports Personalities-Performers". Retrieved 3 October 2016.
  5. "Doug Hawkins made a Legend, three inducted to Hall of Fame". westernbulldogs.com.au. 12 March 2014.
  6. Lane, Patrick (12 June 2013). "Doug Hawkins tired of court jester label".

Bibliography
  • Lovett, Michael, ed. (2013). AFL Record Season Guide 2013. Docklands, VIC: AFL Media. ISSN 1839-8383.
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