Hawthorn

[edit] Early years

The origins of the Hawthorn Football club are obscure and subject to much debate. Very few records were kept and the early history subject to interpretation and embellishment.

The official club history books and many supporters strongly believe that the club's origins date back to its founding in 1873 at a meeting at the Hawthorne Hotel[citation needed]. Although a Hawthorn Football Club did indeed form at this time and the region has since continuously been represented by a football team, it is unclear if it is related to the Hawthorn which competes at AFL level today. It is more likely that today's club is actually the third club to carry the name "Hawthorn Football Club". The Daily Telegraph Saturday May 12 1883:- "The Hawthorn Club having disbanded, all engagements for the ensuing season have been cancelled.". In 1889, the Riversdale Football Club (formed in 1880) is reported to have changed its name to the Hawthorn Football Club [1]. This club also ceased in 1890. No Hawthorn club existed in 1890 - 92.

A new representative club, called the "Hawthorn Football Club" was formed in 1893, which competed in the Victorian Junior Football Association until 1898. Without a ground to play on the club was disbanded in 1899.

In April 1902, Alf Kosky formed a club from the various district club under the banner of Hawthorn Football Club to compete in the Metropolitan Junior Football Association. The club merged with Boroondara in 1905, and in 1912, Hawthorn merged with successful junior club the Hawthorn Rovers to form the Hawthorn City Football Club to become part of a successful council push to have a club in the prestigious VFA.

[edit] Entry to the VFL

The club was relatively late in joining the Victorian Football League (VFL), the predecessor of the AFL. It did so in 1925 as the "Hawthorn Football Club", at the same time as Footscray and North Melbourne, all three coming from the Victorian Football Association (VFA).

The Mayblooms, as they were known then became the perennial whipping boys of the competition. They had an almost casual attitude towards playing football and were not able to even pay their players the match payment then allowed by the Coulter Law. Despite the presence of a number of truly classy players such as Bert Hyde, Bert Mills, Stan Spinks, Alec Albiston and Col Austen, Hawthorn in the first seventeen years never won more than seven games in season. The club's nickname changed from the Mayblooms or Mayflowers to Hawks in 1943, a promising season in which the club missed the finals only by percentage. However, Hawthorn immediately returned to the bottom of the ladder, consistently competing with St. Kilda for the wooden spoon.