A team full of Hodge's Hawks and Lethal's Lions

Last Saturday, Hawthorn became the first team in twelve years to complete a premiership hat-trick when it defeated the West Coast Eagles by 46 points in the AFL grand final.

Their third consecutive premiership, and 13th overall, comes after they won the 2013 and 2014 flags at the expense of Fremantle and the Sydney Swans respectively.

The Hawthorn class of 2013-15 has now joined Carlton (1906-08), Collingwood (1927-30), Melbourne (twice, 1939-41 and 1955-57) and the Brisbane Lions (2001-03) in achieving the rare premiership hat-trick, with only Collingwood being able to win four in a row.

Not only that, they also became the most successful side since the VFL was renamed the AFL in 1990, with this being their fifth flag in the last quarter of the century, also taking into account previous flags won in 1991, 2008, 2013 and 2014.

17 different players took part in each of their last three flags: Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis, Josh Gibson, Shaun Burgoyne, Bradley Hill, Grant Birchall, Isaac Smith, Brian Lake, Jack Gunston, David Hale, Luke Breust, Ben Stratton, Liam Shiels, Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli.

Of that group, six (Hodge, Mitchell, Roughead, Lewis, Birchall and Rioli) also played in their 2008 side, thus making them four-time Hawthorn premiership players, while Shaun Burgoyne is a four-time premiership player in his own right after featuring in the Port Adelaide side that won in 2004.

That year, the Power stopped the Brisbane Lions from equalling Collingwood’s record of winning four consecutive flags, set in 1927-30. Prior to that, the Lions became the only non-Victorian club to date to achieve the premiership hat-trick.

Michael Voss, Chris Johnson, Craig McRae, Luke Power, Marcus Ashcroft, Alastair Lynch, Martin Pike, Mal Michael, Jonathan Brown, Simon Black, Justin Leppitsch, Clark Keating, Shaun Hart, Darryl White and Nigel Lappin all took part in each of those three flags, while Pike also won with the Kangaroos in 1999.

They defeated Essendon by 26 points in the 2001 grand final to prevent the Bombers from not only defending their premiership, but also becoming the most successful club outright (the Bombers were going for a record-breaking 17th flag).

They then defeated Collingwood in the 2002 (by nine points) and 2003 (by 50) deciders to become the first club since Melbourne in 1955-57 to win three consecutive flags.

That saw them become, initially, the most successful club of the 21st century; they were then joined by the Geelong Cats, who won their three flags in 2007, 2009 and 2011, and then the Hawks who were victorious in 2008, 2013 and 2014.

Both the Lions and Cats held the mantle as the joint-most successful club of the 21st century until Hawthorn’s third consecutive flag this year, and their fourth in eight years, saw them assume that mantle.

Here, I have assembled a composite team comprising the best players from each of the Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn, and here was the criteria that had to be met:

* Each player selected must have played in each of their club’s hat-trick of premierships (Brisbane Lions 2001-02-03, and Hawthorn 2013-14-15).
* Norm Smith Medallists were automatically selected in the side, and where possible, Brownlow and Coleman Medallists.
* Michael Voss and Luke Hodge are the co-captains, while Sam Mitchell, the 2008 Hawthorn premiership captain, is the vice-captain.
* Alastair Clarkson is the coach, with Gary O’Donnell and Brett Ratten serving as his assistants, while Leigh Matthews is the director of coaching.

The back six is as strong as a back six you could possibly ask for. 2013 Norm Smith Medallist Brian Lake marshalls a strong defensive back half, along with Chris Johnson, Mal Michael, Luke Power, Justin Leppitsch and Marcus Ashcroft.

Sam Mitchell and Jason Akermanis start on the wings, with Michael Voss, the captain, in the centre. Jonathan Brown, Jarryd Roughead and Alastair Lynch stand out in an all-star forward six, with Cyril Rioli and Martin Pike in the pockets.

Clark Keating, who I started in the ruck ahead of recent Hawks retiree David Hale, Simon Black and Luke Hodge all start at the centre square, while it is an all-Hawthorn interchange with Paul Puopolo, Grant Birchall, Jordan Lewis and Shaun Burgoyne all warming the bench.

Unfortunately, the likes of Josh Gibson, Jack Gunston and Luke Breust missed out for the Hawks, while Nigel Lappin and Darryl White were among those unlucky to miss out for the Lions.

And so, here’s the team:

Backs: Chris Johnson, Brian Lake, Mal Michael
Half-backs: Luke Power, Justin Leppitsch, Marcus Ashcroft
Centre: Sam Mitchell (vc), Michael Voss (c), Jason Akermanis
Half-forwards: Shaun Hart, Jonathan Brown, Jarryd Roughead
Forwards: Cyril Rioli, Alastair Lynch, Martin Pike
Followers: Clark Keating, Simon Black, Luke Hodge (c)
Interchange: Paul Puopolo, Grant Birchall, Jordan Lewis, Shaun Burgoyne
Emergencies: Everyone else

Coach: Alastair Clarkson
Assistant coaches: Gary O’Donnell and Brett Ratten
Director of coaching: Leigh Matthews

Breaking down the team
* Player representation: Brisbane Lions 12, Hawthorn 10
* Five Norm Smith Medallists: Shaun Hart (2001), Simon Black (2003), Luke Hodge (2008 and 2014), Brian Lake (2013) and Cyril Rioli (2015)
* Two Brownlow Medallists: Jason Akermanis (2001) and Simon Black (2002)
* Eight four-time premiership players: Luke Hodge, Jarryd Roughead, Sam Mitchell, Jordan Lewis, Cyril Rioli, Grant Birchall, Shaun Burgoyne and Martin Pike.
* Two Coleman Medallists: Jonathan Brown (2007) and Jarryd Roughead (2013)
* Alastair Clarkson is the coach, while Leigh Matthews is the coaching director.
* Gary O’Donnell (Brisbane Lions) and Brett Ratten (Hawthorn) are the two assistant coaches, having contributed to their club’s respective hat-trick of flags.
* Luke Hodge and Michael Voss are the co-captains, with Sam Mitchell the vice-captain.

Is there anyone that you think I may have left out that I shouldn’t have? It was unfortunate that I could not fit everyone into the team, while also trying to balance it out so that there were an equal number of players from both sides.