Announcing his retirement on Tuesday morning, Tom Hawkins is set to hang up the boots after an illustrious and loyal career at Geelong.
The New South Wales-born footballer has had a decorated career spanning 18 seasons, with 796 goals to his name. Hawkins broke the all-time Geelong games record, overtaking long-time teammate Joel Selwood earlier this year, and has the potential to become just the 12th player to kick 800 goals, if he can return from his foot injury suffered in Round 15.
A three-time premiership Cat, Coleman medallist and five-time All-Australian (including once as captain), we've reflected on the long career of Tom Hawkins, and determined his top performances.
3. Round 18 vs Melbourne (2018)
Trailing by 23 points at three-quarter-time, Hawkins played the quarter of a lifetime to will Geelong back into the game against Melbourne.
Kicking four last quarter goals, and seven for the match, Hawkins kicked truly every time he had possession in the final term.
In the dying seconds of the game, he took a contested mark in the middle of the ground, and had the composure to give the handball-receive to a hard-running Mitch Duncan who hit Zac Tuohy up for a mark.
Tuohy would kick straight after the siren, rewarding Hawkins and Geelong with a comeback win for the ages.
