Paul’s elder sibling Greg participated in 137 matches for the club from 1985 to 1993, while his son Calsher made a noteworthy debut last Sunday.
The last two Hawthorn players to have both a brother and a son represent the club were Harold Albiston, with his renowned brother Alec and son David, and Maurie Considine, whose brothers Bernie and Frank, and son Paul, all played for the club.
Paul and Calsher Dear have now joined the Hawthorn father-son combined games played list, ranking ninth with 124 games between them. Notably, the Kennedy and Maginness families, spanning three generations, feature twice in the top eight, alongside the esteemed names of Tuck, Langford, Hudson, and Greene.
The Dear family’s first career goals follow a pleasing pattern: Uncle Greg scored his inaugural goal for Hawthorn in his third game; father Paul netted his first goal in his second game; and now Calsher has outdone them both by scoring his first goal in his debut match, additionally adding a crucial second major later in the game. Significantly, all three family members scored their debut goals in winning teams.
Calsher Dear’s inclusion in last Sunday’s game meant that four of the 23 players hailed from Beaumaris FC, including Jack Gunston, Jack Scrimshaw, and Cam Mackenzie. Dear enjoys sharing with teammates, a sentiment reflected in his shared birthday of August 4 with Dylan Moore and Bailey Macdonald.
This Saturday, the Hawks embark on another season at University of Tasmania Stadium, aiming to uphold the club’s impressive record. Since their last losing Launceston season in 2005, they’ve had 13 winning seasons out of 14, including last season’s 3-1 record, with one draw. Overall, Hawthorn boasts 57 wins, one draw, and just 20 defeats in 78 games at University of Tasmania Stadium.
Connor Macdonald will mark his 50th game this week, an impressive feat having missed only four games since his debut in Round 1, 2022. The only Hawk to reach 50 games from debut without missing a single Hawthorn game was David O’Halloran, who played 74 consecutive games from Round 1, 1976, until an injury in the 1978 Second Semi Final.
Hawthorn has won only one of its last seven games against St Kilda, but the victory was a memorable come-from-behind 10-point triumph at Docklands in Round 11 last season. Overall, the Hawks have won 83 out of 163 encounters against the Saints, with two draws.
Looking back in history, 30 years ago, in Round 9, 1994, Hawthorn secured a stunning 97-point victory over Adelaide at Football Park, with John Platten delivering an exceptional performance. Meanwhile, 40 years ago, in Round 9, 1984, Hawthorn defeated North Melbourne by 57 points, with John Kennedy Jnr. starring with a career-high seven goals.
Fifty years ago, in Round 9, 1974, Hawthorn faced St Kilda and clinched a comfortable 47-point victory. Notably, former captain and current assistant coach David Parkin made his debut in 1974.
Peter Hudson holds the record for the highest number of goals by a Hawthorn player against St Kilda, scoring 12 at Glenferrie in Round 15, 1971.
