Since joining Victoria’s State League in 2001, The Hawks (then known as Melbourne Central) have enjoyed a reputation as one of the most successful clubs in the competition’s history, winning the top-flight Championship division four times.
The club finished runner-up in Championship in its maiden State League season in 2001, but went one better the following year in 2002, winning the club’s first Championship premiership.
It 2003 our Division 1 team also made its first finals appearance, with both Championship and Division 1 reaching the preliminary final, before the Championship team raised the cup again in 2004, while Division 1 reached the grand final.
2005 began a run of three consecutive grand final losses for Championship. However they finally broke through again in 2008 to claim a third premiership.
It was a pair of preliminary final losses again for Championship and Division 1 in 2009, followed by a runner-up result for Championship in 2010.
The 2011 season saw the first finals appearance for our 19/U team, which finished runner-up, while another Championship premiership made it four titles in 11 seasons for our top team.
Hawks Division 1 finally ended its long wait for a premiership in 2012, followed by a semi-final appearance in 2013.
In 2014 it was the 19/U team’s turn for success, with a breakthrough title.
The 2015 to 2017 seasons were a period of redevelopment for our club, with a number of our players gaining selection at the elite level with Melbourne Vixens and Collingwood Magpies, while our VNL sides made great strides, with a renewed focus on culture and commitment.
In 2018 the club rebranded as Hawks Netball and now proudly plays under the Hawthorn Football Club banner. And the club experienced the ultimate success in its first year in the brown, gold and blue, winning a Division 1 premiership after hanging on to defeat Geelong Cougars by a single goal in the grand final, while the Hawks’ Championship team reached its first finals series since 2011.
After making Division 1 finals in 2019 and enduring two Covid-cancelled seasons in 2020 and 2021, Hawks again hoisted the Division 1 cup in 2022, sneaking past the previously undefeated North East Blaze in the semi-finals, before coming from behind in the final quarter to beat Geelong Cougars in the grand final.
In 2023 Hawks featured two teams in finals for the first time since 2018, with Division 1 reaching a preliminary final, and our 19/U team reaching the semi-finals for the first time since its 2014 premiership.
Under the new two-team VNL structure in 2024, Hawks had the most successful season in its history, winning the inaugural 23 & Under premiership and reaching the preliminary final in the Championship division, while our 19 & Under development team also reached finals in the new 19/U Super Netball Series at Waverley Netball Centre.
