Tom Hawkins Wins Mohr Medal
This article was originally published on the NSW Australian Football History Society’s website.
Gun Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins has won this year’s Mohr Medal for the leading goalkicker from NSW in the AFL in 2022.
Following a haul of four goals in the 85-point win over West Coast in the final round of the season, Hawkins finished with 59 goals for the season; equal third in the Coleman Medal with team-mate Jeremy Cameron behind winner Carlton forward Charlie Curnow who booted 64 goals for the season.
This is the fourth occasion that Hawkins has won the Mohr Medal, named after star St Kilda full forward Bill Mohr (recruited from Wagga Tigers) and booted 735 goals between 1929-41 including 101 in 1936 to win the VFL leading goalkicker award.
He won the award in 2019 with 56 goals when he finished 6th in the Coleman Medal behind Jeremy Cameron (76 goals) then playing for the GWS Giants, then in 2020 when he topped the AFL goalkicking with 49 goals, and again last season when he booted 54 goals to finish runner-up to Harry McKay (Carlton) on 58 goals for the Coleman Medal.
Tom Hawkins has now kicked a total of 724 goals in his career to date of 324 games since commencing with Geelong in 2007. He was drafted at pick #41 under the father-son rule at the 2006 national draft from Finley in the Murray Football League. His father “Jumping” Jack Hawkins played 182 games for the Cats from 1973-81 in the VFL.
To date Tom has played in two premiership teams in 2009 and 2011, and with the Cats on top of the table at the end of the home-and-away season, he has a major opportunity to annexe another flag.
MOHR MEDAL
GOALS AFTER ROUND 23
59 Tom Hawkins (Finley) – Geelong (4 goals)
47 Taylor Walker (Norths – Broken Hill) – Adelaide (1 goal)
46 Isaac Heeney (Cardiff) – Sydney Swans (2 goals)
45 Todd Marshall (Deniliquin) – Port Adelaide (4 goals)
40 Luke Breust (Temora) – Hawthorn
28 Lachie Schultz (Moama) – Fremantle (1 goal)
