For an incredible third year in a row they’re a happy team at Hawthorn, as the mighty fighting Hawks pulled off the rarest of feats in footy: a Premiership three-peat. Hawthorn’s historic third successive Premiership victory marks their current side as one of the greatest of the modern era, and draws fitting comparisons with the champion Hawks outfits of the heady 1980s era. Now firmly accustomed to being the hunted, the Hawks proved their champion qualities once again as they duly fought off all challengers in 2015.

After an up-and-down start to the season which saw four narrow losses in the first eight rounds, the Hawks found their groove mid-season, peeling off eight successive victories, and going on to win twelve of their last fourteen home and away games to secure a top four berth. Alistair Clarkson’s men took the hard road to the Grand Final after a tough Qualifying Final loss to the West Coast Eagles, but successive wins against Adelaide and Minor Premiers Fremantle in Perth put them into the decider, where the Hawks’ big game experience was again at the fore as they vanquished the West Coast Eagles to secure a glorious three-peat and thirteenth Premiership flag for the Hawthorn Football Club.