There's always something special about anything done for the first time, so Hawthorn's breakthrough premiership win of 1961 bears special significance at Glenferrie. This was the coming of age for Hawthorn, a club which, since its entry into the competition in 1925, had been the whipping boy for the more established sides. But it was through the hard years that the Hawks learnt how special winning was and when it was faced with a deficit against Footscray in this year's Grand Final you just knew that this side would fight back. Coached by John Kennedy who gave a rousing half time address, the Hawks rallied. Driven by John Peck in the ruck and Brendan Edwards in the centre, Hawthorn began to exert untold pressure on Footscray which, by halfway through the third term, was clearly beginning to wilt. With the scent of victory in the air there was no way this Hawthorn side was going to let go. It didn't and brought up its first ever premiership by forty three points.
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