A Football Genius The Peter Hudson Story

Peter Hudson, AM is one of the greatest footballers in the history of Australian football. He was prolific goal-kicker who broke a string of records during his remarkable career at Hawthorn and in Tasmania, culminating in him being awarded Legend status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. No VFL/AFL player has averaged more goals per game than Hudson (5.64), and he is one of only two men – with Bob Pratt – to have kicked 150 goals in a season.

The highest-paid and most talked-about player of his era, Hudson’s career was dotted with sensational moments: an unprecedented recruiting chase in 1966-67, a drought-breaking century of goals in 1968, the dramatic pursuit of Pratt’s record in 1971, a career-defining knee injury at the peak of his powers in the first round of 1972, the ‘helicopter game’ in 1973, a successful coaching career in Tasmania during the 1970s, then a remarkable VFL comeback in 1977, are just some of the events that set Hudson’s story apart. Moreover, his son Paul later emulated his father by playing in the 1991 premiership with the Hawks, 20 years after Peter achieved the same feat. They were the first father-son duo to win premierships with Hawthorn.

The Peter Hudson story has never been fully told, and author Dan Eddy had exclusive access to the Hudson family’s archives, including never-before-seen photographs.