Hawkins hailed from the industrialised, working class western suburbs of Melbourne, and although he was a North Melbourne supporter in his youth, competition zoning rules in effect prior to the adoption of a national draft, dictated that Hawkins' rights were 'zoned' to, given his suburb of residence was nearby Braybrook. He got his wish, making his VFL debut for Footscray in 1978 as a teenager.
Football career
Footscray
Hawkins made a name for himself over the ensuing years as one of the finest wingers the game has ever seen, so much so that at the team's home ground, the Western Oval, the outer wing of the ground was named the "Doug Hawkins Wing". Much has also been made about his rocky relationship with coach Mick Malthouse during the 1980s, but during Hawkins' Australian Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2004, Hawkins played this down. In 1994, Hawkins broke Ted Whitten's long-standing club record of 321 games for Footscray, and Whitten was on-hand to congratulate him.
Fitzroy
However, after playing 329 games and kicking 216 goals for the Bulldogs, Hawkins' contract was not renewed, and so he moved to the financially strapped Fitzroy Football Club for one last season in 1995. He played 21 games and kicked 11 goals for the club before announcing his retirement. His 350th and last game was also the 200th time he had finished on the losing side, becoming only the second player after Kevin Murray to reach that milestone.
During his playing career, Hawkins won the club best and fairest award in 1985, represented Victoria five times, and was named in the AFL Team of the Year in 1984 and 1986. Upon reaching 300 senior games, he was awarded AFL Life Membership in 1993. After retiring, Hawkins was awarded Father of the Year in 1998 and was one of the torch bearers for the 2000 Olympic Games. When the Bulldogs' Team of the Century was announced in 2002, Hawkins was named on the wing as vice-captain. In 2004, he was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was inducted into the Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame before being upgraded to Club Legend status in 2014.
Media career
Off the field, Hawkins was known as an old-fashioned Aussie larrikin, someone who himself acknowledged he was not one of the smartest people going around, but was always up for a laugh. As a panel member of the Nine Network's The Footy Show during the mid-1990s, he was often portrayed as the show's court jester. In 1998, Hawkins moved to the Seven Network and appeared on a Wednesday night rival to The Footy Show, Live and Kicking.
Hawkins is married to Raelene, who appeared on Fox Footy's Living with Footballers before it was axed at the end of 2004. They have three children – a son and two daughters. Doug currently resides near Bacchus Marsh and has served as a coach of the Bacchus Marsh Football Club.
