The year is 2003 – Tom Hawkins is over three years away from making his AFL debut and Ben Graham is roaming the forward line, still yet to try his hand at American football.

Gary Ablett is just beginning his career, and Brenton Sanderson is a Geelong player, not in the Adelaide or Collingwood coaches’ boxes.

That’s how far we have to go back to find a Geelong team averaging less points per game than the current side.

Geelong’s low scoring output doesn’t directly translate into poor performance however, with the Cats’ opponents scoring restricted to a level unseen in Geelong since 1966.

What it does mean however, is less scoring opportunities.

In spite of this, Tom Hawkins is currently on track to have one of his best statistical seasons in his 12-year career.

You probably didn’t realise it, but this year the key cog in the Cats’ forward 50 is averaging the most kicks, marks, disposals and goal assists in his 12-year-career, while also averaging above his career mark for goals per game.

His statistic of 1.27 goal assists per game is 47 per cent higher than ever before in his career.

He has kicked exactly three goals for five consecutive weeks, which according to Twitter user @sirswampthing, is just the fifth time this has happened.

Hawkins is hitting higher up the ground and roaming into territory he has rarely strayed before, yet still managing to make his mark on the scoreboard with 25 goals in 11 games.

Cats defender Jed Bews said as much after our win over North Melbourne while chatting to K rock Football.

“I saw him in defence at times – I thought he was bloody lost. I was surprised to see him down there,” he said.

“He’s awesome, when he’s up in coming he just creates that contest.”

While Hawkins has been hunting the ball, dishing it off for goal assists and hitting the scoreboard himself, the forward line has been in a state of flux.

Daniel Menzel became a deep forward threat, Esava Ratugolea came of age and then both went down with injury.

Wylie Buzza was trialled in tandem with Hawkins against the Gold Coast and North Melbourne, while our clash with Richmond saw a mosquito fleet of small, pressure forwards take the field.

The one constant throughout this change has been Tom Hawkins kicking goals, with the big forward slotting 21 majors in his last seven outings.

This includes three goals against Essendon in what was the Cats’ worst performance for the year, with Geelong managing just 50 points for the afternoon.

Despite the Cats struggles in front of the sticks this year, Tom Hawkins has played his part and then some.

The Geelong spearhead is continuing to evolve and improve his game after 222 games in the league.