Jason Dunstall
A Hawthorn sharpshooter whose goal-kicking accuracy and 1,254 career majors made him one of Australian rules football's most formidable full-forwards.
Born 1964 (age 62)·Australian rules footballer·Birthday: August 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Jason Dunstall grew up in Queensland, a state not known for producing Australian rules football talent, which made his journey to the Victorian Football League all the more remarkable. Recruited by Hawthorn in 1984, he quickly became the focal point of one of the era's most dominant teams. With a low center of gravity and uncanny anticipation, Dunstall was a nightmare for defenders, combining brute strength with surgical precision near the goalposts. His career unfolded during Hawthorn's golden age, and his scoring prowess was instrumental in securing four premierships for the club. Beyond the statistics, Dunstall was a thinking player's forward, known for his unflappable demeanor and team-first attitude, which cemented his legacy not just as a great kick, but as a cornerstone of a dynasty.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Jason was born in 1964, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jason Was Born
The biggest hits of 1964
#1 Movie
Mary Poppins
Best Picture
My Fair Lady
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Jason's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1964Born
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1969Started school
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1977Became a teenager
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Could drive
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1982Could vote
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1985Turned 21
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1994Turned 30
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 40
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 50
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 60
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 62 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Kicked 1,254 career goals in the AFL/VFL, placing him among the top five goal-kickers in league history.
- Won four AFL premierships with the Hawthorn Football Club (1986, 1988, 1989, 1991).
- Served as captain of the Hawthorn Football Club from 1995 to 1998.
- Inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
- Holds the Hawthorn club record for most goals kicked in a single game (17 goals against Richmond in 1992).
Did You Know?
He was originally a talented rugby union player before switching to Australian rules football.
Dunstall is a qualified pilot.
He served as the CEO of the Brisbane Bears for a period after his playing career.
His nickname is 'The Horse'.
“I played full-forward; my job was to kick goals.”
