JORDAN LEWIS: timeline

Born: April 24, 1986, Height: 186cm, Weight: 86kg

2004 – Hawthorn selects 18-year-old Jordan Lewis from Warrnambool/Geelong Falcons with pick No.7 in the NAB AFL Draft. He arrives at the Hawks having been an All-Australian at under-18 level, after representing Vic Country in the championships. He leaves Geelong Falcons having finished runner-up in his final season with the TAC Cup side.  

An 18-year-old Lewis celebrates a goal for Vic Country in 2004

2005 – Lewis makes his AFL debut for Hawthorn in round three against Essendon at the MCG, wearing No.40. From there, he plays 19 games for the season, missing just round 12 with a calf injury. He receives a Rising Star nomination in round 11 for his 23-disposal performance against the Western Bulldogs at Docklands. He is named Hawthorn’s best first year player.

On debut against Essendon

2006 – Wearing the No.3 guernsey, made famous at Hawthorn by the legendary Leigh Matthews, Lewis plays 20 games in his second season. He misses two matches, after being an emergency in round eight and being sidelined in round 19 with a groin injury.  

2007 – Leads Hawthorn in disposals (594) and plays in all 24 matches, including Hawthorn’s elimination final win over Adelaide at Etihad Stadium and its semi-final loss against the Kangaroos at the MCG. Claims his first top 10 best and fairest placing, finishing fourth.

Lewis and Shane Crawford after a win against Melbourne in 2007

2008 – Plays in Hawthorn’s 26-point premiership win over Geelong at the MCG – the club’s first flag since 1991. Lewis misses the opening two rounds, due to suspension carried over from the previous season, when he struck Kangaroo great Brent Harvey in the finals. Upon his return in round three, he is reported again and subsequently rubbed out for one week, after striking Roo Daniel Pratt. He misses rounds nine and round 15 with thigh/quad injuries, but plays 20 matches for the season, amassing 501 disposals. He plays in Hawthorn’s three finals wins at the MCG against the Western Bulldogs (second qualifying final), St Kilda (second preliminary final) and Geelong (grand final).

Lewis climbs above Steve Johnson in the 2008 Grand Final

2009 – Misses the opening three matches, due to a shoulder injury, but bounces back to play the remaining 19 rounds for the season. He finishes 10^th in the best and fairest award.

2010 – Suffers a sickening hit, after being crunched by Bulldog Jarrod Harbrow during a collision in round three at Etihad Stadium. Lewis remarkably plays the next week and plays all 23 matches for the season, including Hawthorn’s second elimination final loss to Fremantle at Subiaco Oval. Finishes fifth in Hawthorn’s best and fairest award.

Celebrating a goal with Sam Mitchell

2011 – Named joint vice-captain, Lewis is the No.1 provider of goal assists to Coleman Medal winner Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin. He plays 22 matches, missing rounds 15 and 16, after being suspended for headbutting Essendon’s Angus Monfries. He is rested for round 24, before returning to play in Hawthorn’s three finals at the MCG – a loss against Geelong (second qualifying final), a win over the Sydney Swans (second semi-final) and a loss against Collingwood (first preliminary final). He comes sixth in Hawthorn’s best and fairest award.

2012 – With captain Luke Hodge playing just 10 matches for the season, due to calf and knee injuries, Lewis leads the side in his absence, along with fellow joint vice-captain Jarryd Roughead. He misses rounds 11 and 12 after being suspended for rough conduct on North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein. Playing 22 games for the season, Lewis kicks a personal high five goals against Collingwood in round 17 at the MCG. He finishes with a career-best 27 goals for the season. Lewis misses the first qualifying final win over Collingwood at the MCG, due to a hamstring injury, but returns to play in Hawthorn’s first preliminary final win over Adelaide Crows at the ‘G. He plays in Hawthorn’s grand final loss to Sydney Swans at the MCG. Lewis claims Hawthorn’s most consistent player award and comes equal sixth with Cyril Rioli in the club’s best and fairest award.

After a win at the MCG in 2012

2013 – Plays in his second premiership for Hawthorn, featuring in each victorious final at the MCG against Sydney Swans (first qualifying final), Geelong (first preliminary final) and Fremantle (grand final). He claims 26 disposals in Hawthorn’s 15-point win over the Dockers to be one of the club’s best in its 11^th premiership. Lewis misses just one match for the season, in round 22, due to a hip injury. He records the most inside 50s for Hawthorn for the season.

Celebrating the 2013 Premiership

2014 – Arguably his greatest season, Lewis plays his 200^th AFL match against St Kilda in round seven at the MCG. The Hawks smash the Saints by 145 points. He accumulates a career-best 44 disposals against Fremantle in round 21 at Subiaco Oval – and notches up 688 touches for the season, also a personal high. He is named on the interchange in the All-Australian team and receives 15 votes in the Brownlow Medal – his best yet in a season. He misses just one match, due to a groin injury in round 11. Lewis plays in his third premiership for Hawthorn, after finals wins at the MCG against Geelong (second qualifying final), Port Adelaide (second preliminary final) and the Sydney Swans (grand final). Lewis has a game-high 37 disposals to be one of Hawthorn’s best in its 63-point grand final win at the MCG. Lewis has the most handballs for Hawthorn during the season, with his average disposals per match jumping up from 21.8 to 27.8. He caps off a magnificent season, winning Hawthorn’s best and fairest award, the Peter Crimmins Medal.

Lewis is chaired off the ground after his 200th game against St Kilda in 2014

2015 – Becomes a four-time premiership player for Hawthorn. After the Hawks lose their second qualifying final to West Coast Eagles at Subiaco, they rebound to produce wins at the MCG over Adelaide Crows (second semi-final), Fremantle (first preliminary final) and West Coast (grand final). The Hawks defeat West Coast by 46 points. Just six days beforehand, Lewis and wife Lucy welcome Freddie Ross Lewis into the world. Freddie joins Lewis on the podium after he receives his fourth premiership medallion. Plays 23 games for the season, but is out for rounds six and seven due to suspension, after striking North Melbourne’s Todd Goldstein. He is sidelined in round nine because of a shoulder injury. Lewis undergoes wrist surgery at season’s end.

Lewis collects his Premiership medallion with son Freddie

2016 – After playing 264 games (including 23 finals) for Hawthorn from 2005-16, Lewis plays his final game for the club. He averages 26.4 disposals in his last year in the brown and gold. He plays all 24 matches for the season, including Hawthorn’s finals losses to Geelong (second qualifying final) and Western Bulldogs (second semi-final), both at the MCG. After finishing second in Hawthorn’s best and fairest award, Lewis is traded to Melbourne. The Demons receive Lewis, picks No.57 and No.68, and trade selections No.47 and No.53 to Hawthorn. He signs on for three seasons.

Lewy the Dee. Lewis completed a shock move to Melbourne in late 2016

2017 – In his first year with Melbourne, Lewis is named as part of the club’s leadership group. He plays 19 matches, but is suspended for three matches, from rounds three to five, after striking Carlton’s Patrick Cripps. He averages 26.3 disposals in his first season with Melbourne, and finishes equal third in the club best and fairest award, with Nathan Jones. In October, Lewis and wife Lucy become parents to twin boys, Ollie and Hughie.

Lewis celebrates a goal in the 2017 BCNA Match

2018 – Lewis is named joint vice-captain, along with Max Gawn, to Melbourne co-captains Nathan Jones and Jack Viney. He suffers a calf injury just before the start of the home and away season, but returns for Melbourne’s season opener against Geelong at the MCG. Sustains a broken hand against his former team Hawthorn in round four at the ‘G, but incredibly misses just one match – his only absence so far, this year – and returns for Melbourne’s round six win over Essendon at Etihad Stadium. In round 19, against the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval, Lewis is set to become the 85^th person, from 12,660 VFL/AFL players, to play 300 VFL/AFL games. He will become just the second player to achieve 300 VFL/AFL games at Melbourne, behind the great David Neitz, who played all 306 games in the red and blue. The only other person to have played 300 VFL/AFL games, including matches at Melbourne, is Scott Thompson, who made 39 appearances with the Demons from 2001-04, before playing 269 games with the Crows from 2005-17. For the record, Lewis will equal John ‘Sam’ Newman, Kelvin Moore, Garry Foulds, Barry Breen, Francis Bourke, Kane Cornes, Mick Martyn, Rohan Smith and Gavin Wanganeen on 300 VFL/AFL games this weekend. The 32-year-old remains a key part of Melbourne’s 2018 campaign, with his leadership and experience pivotal to the team.

Lewis broke through for his 300th game in 2018