HAWKER, Glenn

Glenn Hawker was recruited from Kaniva in 1978. He was a classy, hard running player with the ability to win plenty of the ball. His coolness under pressure and his accuracy with either foot made him a key player for the Club.

As a young footballer he had been selected in the Under 17 Victorian national championship team in 1977. The team included five more future Essendon players: Peter Light, Roger Merrett, Michael Sheldon, Justin Madden and Craig Barbary.

Thin framed and shaggy haired, "The Hawk" was a clever player who could produce a match-winning performance on his day. He won the Reserves Best and Fairest award in 1978, then the Reserves Most Consistent Player in 1979 and 1980, but it took him until 1981 to win a regular place in the senior team and he played every game that year.

Hawker won the Essendon Best and Fairest award in 1986. He also scored most Brownlow Medal votes in 1986 with 15 votes, and was equal third top vote scorer in 1985. He played on the half-forward flank in the 1984 premiership team and on the wing in the 1985 premiership team. He was also a member of the 1981 and 1984 night premiership teams.

He represented Victoria in 1982, 1983 and 1986 and was awarded the Most Improved Player in 1981. He also won the Best Teamman award in 1986, and was chosen in that year's Inside Football team of the year.

He was traded to Carlton in 1989 for National Draft selection numbers 12 and 26 which Essendon used to draft Brad Fox (who subsequently played 12 senior games) and David Regan (who wasn’t selected at senior level). Despite a modest career of only 27 games at Carlton, he was selected by them as a 'test case' for the Blueseum during the official radio launch on July 4, 2006.

Hawker retired at the end of the 1991 season.