The infamous Line in the Sand game between Hawthorn and Essendon in Round 11, 2004 is very much an overhyped part of football history, according to Rohan Connolly.
He believes many are widely off the mark to consider that the match, which had a five-minute all-in melee during the third term, inspired the Hawks to future success.
After the 74-point defeat to the Bombers that day at the MCG the Hawks actually did not win for another two months and did not play finals until 2007.
The next season after The Line in the Sand match Alastair Clarkson took over and the Hawks finished 14th winning just five games and won nine games in 2006 finishing 11th.
“I reckon it’s the single-most overrated bit of footy history I’ve ever seen,” said Connolly on SEN radio.
“They were a bunch of weaklings for about a year and a half afterwards, they were crap until about 2007.
“No, it was before Clarkson’s reign – it’s such a convenient thing that Line in the Sand game.
“I didn’t want to go hard there but revisionism of history is one of my pet hates.
“Now I love Derm but it sort of suits Derm’s purposes to sort of have that be painted as the moment it all turned – it didn’t turn.”
While speaking on Open Mike former Hawks midfielder Richard Vandenberg, who was promoted to captain in Clarkson’s first year, revealed what happened in the lead up and during the Bombers clash.
“We just got in there at halftime and they were all in there, Dipper and Dermie,” Vandenberg said.
“Something wasn’t normal. A few things were said and it all changed.
“Dermie was whispering in a few ears and he might have snuck a word into mine. I can’t exactly recall what he said.
“He (Schwabb) was irate … it was basically ‘just make sure this guy (Mark Johnson) doesn’t get off the field’.
“Schwabby was a very fair coach and a very fair man. He said ‘Enough is enough, these guys are going to continue to bully you unless someone stands up. And the rest is history.”