THE MAGINNESS DYNASTY AT
FINN (’ 19 ) IS THE LATEST MAGINNESS TO PLAY FOR HAWTHORN
HAWTHORN CONTINUES
When Finn Maginness (‘ 19 ) ran onto Adelaide Oval for Hawthorn ’ s clash with the Western Bulldogs in AFL round 17 , 2020 , he was following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather , grandfather , father and two uncles , all of whom have played with the Hawks .
Finn had been Captain of Football at Scotch in 2019 and also played for the Sandringham Dragons . He showed promise then , and during pre-season games in 2020 , and in his debut game he picked up 10 disposals . Although not selected in the Hawks ’ senior team for the remaining games of the season , Finn had shown his potential as a senior AFL player .
With Finn ’ s first game , the Maginness family became only the second family to have three generations playing senior football at Hawthorn – the Kennedy family was the first . Finn Maginness ’ grandfather , Norm , played 64 games with Hawthorn from 1953-58 ( including playing in the Hawks ’ first-ever finals appearance in 1957 ). Finn ’ s father , Scott (’ 84 ) was Vice Captain of Scotch and like Finn , Captain of Football , and he played 131 games with the Hawks between 1988 and 1996 , including as a member of the 1988 and 1989 premiership teams .
Other Maginness family members also played with Hawthorn without making the senior side . Norm ’ s father , Don , played in the reserves in 1927 , and Scott ’ s brothers , Glenn (’ 79 ) and Paul (’ 88 ) played in the Hawks ’ reserves and under 19s .
Hawthorn was only in its third season in the VFL and struggling when Don Maginness was invited to play with the club . He impressed with his form in the seconds , but his work in the railways prevented him from devoting the time and energy to developing a football career .
Recruited from Ashburton in 1953 , Finn ’ grandfather , Norm , became a regular in the Hawks ’ senior team during 1954 , playing at full-back . He became part of history when he played in Hawthorn ’ s first-ever finals appearance in 1957 , when they defeated Carlton , only to go down to the eventual premiers , Melbourne , in the preliminary final . In 1958 he played in the club ’ s inaugural reserves premiership . Retiring from VFL football , Norm played with VFA clubs Mordialloc and later Waverley .
Scott joined Hawthorn under the father-son rule in 1985 , playing his first game with the under 19s in that year , and graduating to the reserves before the end of the season . Scott then served a lengthy apprenticeship in the Hawks ’ reserves , until making his senior debut in 1988 , in an 85-point thrashing of Richmond . Much success followed . Playing as a defender , like his father , Scott went on to play 131 games for the Hawks , and was a premiership player in 1988 and 1989 .
Though the Hawks won the 1989 flag , Scott had the daunting task of playing on Geelong ’ s dynamic Gary Ablett senior , who kicked nine goals in a losing side and won the Norm Smith Medal for best player in the grand final .
Scott had an excellent season in 1994 , coming third in the Hawks ’ club championship . As an experienced premiership player , in the following two seasons he took on a leadership role with the young players , and in 1996 he was awarded life membership . He retired at the end of that season .
In 2004 , Norm Maginness donated one of his guernseys to the Hawks ’ Museum . Making the presentation , Norm said he had five grandchildren , and smiled as he speculated whether another Maginness might one day play for Hawthorn . To Norm ’ s great pride , that dream has now been fulfilled , and father , grandfather , the rest of the Maginness clan and the Scotch Family will watch with interest as Finn ’ s AFL career unfolds .
Great Scot thanks the Hawthorn Football Club , and in particular its Archivist , Peter Haby , for material which was used in compiling this article .
www . scotch . vic . edu . au Great Scot 67