The Western Bulldogs will be hoping history repeats itself on Thursday night when they take on Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium.

The match against the Hawks will take place 20 years to the day since their Round 11, 2005 meeting at the same venue.

On that Sunday afternoon the Dogs gained an early ascendency, with a strong first quarter landing them five goals to Hawthorn's two for an 18-point lead. That lead was extended to 25 at half time and 32 at the final change.

The margin blew out to 42 early in the final quarter before a late flurry of Hawthorn goals closed the final gap to 22 points. Despite that finish the result was never in doubt, with the Bulldogs' win was set up by midfielders Daniel Cross (29 disposals), Scott West (28) and Jordan McMahon (23). That was capped off by excellent work in front of the big sticks from Matthew Robbins (four goals) and Daniel Giansiracusa (three goals), along with Bob Murphy, Adam Cooney, Ryan Hargrave and Rohan Smith (two goals each).

The Western Bulldogs have played Hawthorn 171 times since the clubs joined the VFL 100 years ago, but there’s one thing the two clubs have never done: face off on a Thursday – until now.

The Dogs have played 13 matches on a Thursday, the first of those a famous victory over West Coast in Perth in the opening week of the 2016 finals campaign. Those 13 matches have involved eight different opponents (including Sydney five times) but this week’s encounter will be the Dogs’ first on a Thursday against the Hawks.

Since joining the VFL in the same year the Bulldogs and Hawks have had some memorable encounters, none more so than in September 2016. Having beaten the Eagles in that elimination final, the Bulldogs’ next challenge was to take on Hawthorn in a Friday night semi-final at the MCG.

It was a huge challenge. Not only were the Hawks the reigning premiers, they had won the last three AFL Grand Finals and were looking to make it four in a row. Add in the finals history between the two sides – four Hawthorn wins from four finals – and the challenge took on even greater proportions.

Hawthorn went into the match as favourites, and when Liam Shiels goaled at the 13-minute mark of the second quarter, the Hawks were 23 points clear and looked a near certainty to make it five from five against the Dogs in finals.

However, Marcus Bontempelli and his Bulldog teammates had other ideas. From midway through the term the Dogs took control for the first time in the match, and they closed out the first half with the last three goals, two of those to Clay Smith, to trail by just one point at the long break.

When play resumed the game became an arm wrestle for a period, with each side adding a goal in the first 15 minutes of the third quarter. Then came the moment. A pinpoint pass from Clay Smith hit Jake Stringer on the chest. Stringer’s shot at goal was accurate, and it gave the Bulldogs the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the match.

It was the narrowest lead possible but it was one the Dogs would not relinquish. Stringer’s goal triggered an avalanche. His was the first of eight goals in a row to the Dogs, four more before the three-quarter time siren, and another three to start the final term. Ten minutes into the last quarter, the Western Bulldogs were 43 points clear of the greatest AFL team of the last decade.

The Hawks rallied late, but the result was never in doubt. The Dogs coasted to a 23-point win, and went on to make history over the next two weeks, defeating the Giants and Sydney to end a 62-year premiership drought.

Seven years earlier, the Dogs had a night to remember against the Hawks. In Round 14 2009, they hosted the reigning premiers in what was expected to be a close tussle. By quarter time, that expectation had been well and truly blown away. The Dogs had piled on nine goals to the Hawks’ zero and led by 58 points.

The Bulldogs were not done yet, though, and they kept Hawthorn goalless again in the second term, adding four more majors of their own to head at half time by 84 points. The Bulldogs kept Hawthorn at bay in the second half, in the end winning by 88 points, their second biggest ever victory against the brown and gold, behind only a 112-point demolition of the Hawks in 1946.

To keep the star-studded Hawthorn forward line – which included Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead – goalless for an entire half was a phenomenal achievement. Leading the way in the Bulldogs’ defence was Brian Lake, who was in career-best form in 2009. On that night he repelled the Hawks with 10 marks and 21 disposals, and helped limit Franklin (who had kicked 102 goals to win the 2008 Coleman Medal) to a single behind.

In an ironic (and for Bulldogs’ fans somewhat cruel) twist, Lake would later join Hawthorn and play in the Hawks’ 2013-15 premiership threepeat. He is one of 28 footballers who have been both Bulldogs and Hawks. That list includes a number of former Hawks who became fine servants for the Dogs – among them Terry Wallace, Paul Hudson, Matt Suckling and two current Bulldogs: Taylor Duryea and Lachie Bramble.

The Bulldogs go into this Thursday night’s match knowing they have a history of impressive performances against Hawthorn, even when the Hawks have been the league’s dominant team. In five of Hawthorn’s premiership seasons – 1961, 1971, 1983, 1986, 1991 and 2008 – the Dogs defeated them during the home-and-away season.

With a win over the brown and gold at Marvel Stadium this week, the Bulldogs will be able to claim the title of inaugural ‘Thursday Night Champions’ against the Hawks.