Thousands of Hawthorn fans descended on the club's historic home base today to celebrate yesterday's memorable premiership triumph over the Cats.

Less than 24 hours after the Hawks stunned red-hot favourites Geelong by 26 points in front of more than 100,000 fans at the MCG, Glenferrie Oval became a river of brown and gold as supporters converged to bask in the glory of a somewhat unexpected flag.

---------------------------------------------------
Video:
Hawks swoop on premiership
---------------------------------------------------

Queues stretched outside the Linda Crescent venue as more than 10,000 fans poured in to steal a glimpse of their premiership heroes.

The club relocated its administration and training headquarters to Waverley Park a few years ago but is striving to maintain links with its spiritual home, a couple of torpedo kicks from busy Glenferrie Road.

As fans arrived in beautiful spring weather, the Hawthorn theme song blared from speakers in the car park adjacent to the ground.

Some supporters patiently waited for their turn to enter the venue, as former player and premiership hero Robert DiPierdomenico entertained fans.

"Who won yesterday?" Dipper enthusiastically asked the crowd.

As trains passed the ground in either direction, DiPierdomenico asked the crowd to wave, saying "it's another train going back to Geelong!".

DiPierdomenico became one of the heroes of the 1989 premiership team when he played on courageously despite a punctured lung, establishing himself in club and footy folklore.

Supporters of all ages reflected on the club's 10th premiership. A whole generation of fans grew up during a period when the club was regularly in the grand final. Others could remember Hawthorn's first flag in 1961.

Just 17 years ago, as the club's golden era was coming to an end, Hawthorn's last premiership was secured at Waverley Park. Few fans would have predicted what would happen to the club before they won their next one.

In 1996 the Hawks were on their knees but members stood firm and rejected a merger with Melbourne, preventing the formation of the Melbourne Demons, or the Dawks.

Since then, the Hawks have managed to tap into a new supporter base in Melbourne's south-eastern suburbs propelling the club has gone from strength to strength.

This year it has more than 40,000 members

SPONSORED LINKS