Gracious Hawks

[Matty10]

Walking home after the festivities at Albert Park with my wife and child (all decked out in red and white), I noticed Hawthorn great Peter Hudson in his car while he was stopped at the traffic lights. Unprompted, he rolled down his window, smiled and said 'well done' while I sheepishly replied, 'go swans - thank you.'

It made me reflect on the comments made by all the Hawks after the game (including Clarkson and Hodge) and how gracious they were in defeat. Classy effort by the Hawks - they could have made it all about them (missed opportunities, etc), but they didn't.

[BeeEmmAre]

Every Hawk supporter I ran into last night, and there were a few, were the same. A fair bit of respect gained from me.

[wolftone57]

I know a lot of Hawk supporters, my nephew and nieces being a good example. They are all very humble, as the saying goes 'from humble beginnings to glory you appreciate it more'. The Hawks had very humble beginnings and had to earn and learn greatness just like our club. Almost every Hawk supporter I know is aware of their history and how hard they fought just as ours are aware of ours and just how hard we have battled especially since we came to the Harbour City (almost folding). I respect them greatly unlike Pies, Carlton or Essendon supporters.

[cruiser]

The problem isnt Hawthorn supporters, it's the Melbourne football media.

[swansrule100]

Good to hear my experience was abuse and telling me the swans cheated and they stormed out of the ground

[Melbourne_Blood]

Gracious Hawks

Good to hear my experience was abuse and telling me the swans cheated and they stormed out of the ground

I found quite a lot to be very ungracious, arrogant and rude. Though there were some exceptions, on the whole I didn't find them to be gracious losers at all.

[Northern_Swan]

I had a hawks fan tap me on the shoulder as I was walking to southern cross station to get the bus back to tullamarine, and chatted to him almost from fed square and found him most gracious and complimentary of our boys and our supporters.

Unfortunately, like any walk of life, a few bad apples have probably tainted it for some, but I found the hawks fans to be a good bunch before, during and after the game.

[Matty10]

I found quite a lot to be very ungracious, arrogant and rude. Though there were some exceptions, on the whole I didn't find them to be gracious losers at all.

My original post was about the people involved in the Hawthorn Football Club, not the fans specifically. Hawks fans have had such a long period of success since the mid-70s to look back on that many probably feel that success is their birthright - I have been to plenty of games where their fans have driven me mad.

However, in the post G.F. wash-up the people involved in the club that I have heard speak have been very gracious and complimentary of the Swans. I think back to 2001 when Essendon lost and instead of being gracious in defeat they just apologised for their own performance (as if that was the only thing that caused their loss). Even worse was the ungracious nature of Port Adelaide in 2004 (when they won).

It is in the emotionally strained moments of winning and losing that the true nature of a club comes to the fore. I thought the Hawks were a model of dignity and respect (much like the Swans and Eagles in 05 & 06).

[Dogzbody]

I was thinking about this today. I thought Clarko et all were incredibly gracious yesterday. They are definitely a long way from the "unsociable" tag they had a few years back. Cant speak for the fans, haven't run into any

[Vonsteinman]

Completely agree that HFC has been very sportsmanlike. Not just in defeat but in the lead up.

There are good and bad amongst all supporters. The worst supporter I saw yesterday was actually a Swan - sitting next to us. I made sure the people around us knew that he was not someone I knew. Abusive, provocative and downright rude to the fans around us, especially after getting a few beers in. He was lucky someone didn't snot him.

[Cant turn right]

I have met and talked to heaps of Hawks fans in the last 48 hours, travelling to Melbourne, going to the game and going out afterwards. Not one was rude and each was welcoming and gracious.

[Yuri H]

I'll give y'all a report when my Hawks-supporting house painter shows up tomorrow morning ...

[Nico]

I found quite a lot to be very ungracious, arrogant and rude. Though there were some exceptions, on the whole I didn't find them to be gracious losers at all.

Always been the same. They are the worst abusive rabble going around. Without a doubt the worst behaved supporters in all my 50 odd years of watching footy. Want to be in the face of other supporters. Gee I loved the forlorn look on their faces when they left the ground. On radio today they still wanted to bang on about the umpires after getting 21 to 10 frees on the day. I suspect an obvious absence of the poos and wees gear for a while.

[goswannies]

Leaving the ground and around the city the next day I found pretty much all the Hawks supporters to be gracious in defeat. There's only one I've found to be arrogant & antagonistic. I work with them and I look forward to seeing them at work this week. I shall try to be humble in victory (albeit adorned in a Swans Premiers polo! - & hopefully someone calls me so my Swans ringtone goes off )

[bondy]

I ended up going to Crown to play poker after the game and winning a bunch of cash off two Hawks supporters. They had had a skinful, but were gracious in defeat (on both occasions).