Australian Football

Gol Gol

In less than four decades of existence the Hawks have put together a quite outstanding record, contesting no fewer than twenty-four grand finals, in eleven of which they triumphed. As Alcheringa the Hawks commenced in the Millewa Football League in 1980 and reached the first of those twenty-four grand finals in only their second season, losing to Werrimull by 43 points. Between 1982 and 1984 they claimed a hat trick of grand final victories, a feat they would again achieve just over two decades later. Alcheringa’s victims in the 1982-3-4 grand finals were, respectively, Cardross, Bambill and Bambill. In 1982 against Cardross the Hawks amassed the amazing tally for a grand final of 31.21 (207). The Lions meanwhile managed 14.8 (92).

In 1985, 1986 and 1987 Bambill achieved more than adequate revenge over the Hawks whom they defeated in the grand finals of those seasons by margins of 36, 10 and 72 points. Alcheringa was on the receiving end in its next two grand finals as well, losing to Nangiloc in both 1989 and 1990. These reversals were the prelude to another spell of dominance, however, as the Hawks went on to account for Bambill in the next two grand finals.

The 1999 season brought a name change to Gol Gol Hawks, and with it a first grand final appearance for seven years. However, Nangiloc proved to have the Hawks’ measure, winning by 25 points. It was a similar story a year later, albeit with Bambill inflicting the coup de grace on that occasion.

In the first decade of the twenty-first century the Hawks contested seven grand finals for four wins. Moreover one of the losses, in 2003 against Werrimull, was by the narrowest margin possible. Between 2004 and 2006 the club procured a hat trick of premierships for the second time in its history. The Hawks were heavily favoured to win the 2008 premiership after progressing straight to the grand final from the second semi, but an unexpected last quarter fade-out enabled Euston to achieve a historic and well deserved victory by 40 points.

The Hawks' most recent premiership was attained in 2010 when they accounted for Bambill in the grand final by 51 points, 14.15 (99) to 5.18 (48). There have also been three recent losing grand finals, in 2012 when Werrimull triumphed, in 2016 when Bambill successfully made it three flags in a row, and in 2017 when Nangiloc prevailed. In stark contrast, in 2018 the Hawks managed just three wins and a draw from their 15 home and away matches to finish above only Cardross on the six team premiership ladder. A year later they improved to the extent of reaching the grand final, but opponents Bambill proved to have their measure and emerged victorious by a five goal margin.