Can you believe it - August, and only five games until the end of the home and away season!
Time flies so quickly, or is it just a function of age?
On Friday the team headed to Perth for our encounter with Fremantle. It was always going to be tough, given they have had the wood on us over the last three encounters.
Hodgey was a late withdrawal which only added to the tension.
But the coaches and the team had done their work prior to the first siren being sounded when the team jumped from the box.
In what was an important first quarter, we established a convincing lead of six goals.
Given the weather that was not only predicted, but arrived, all we had to do from then on was to match Fremantle. In real terms, we did better than that and finished the evening with an impressive win.
Acting Captain Jordan Lewis led by example and was well supported by Guerra, Mitchell, Sewell, Hale and a very focused team. The teamwork was obvious - ‘team’ being more important than individual effort.
The weather could not have been more challenging, with at times vision very limited, but it affected both teams equally. What was wonderful to see was so many of our Western Australian members out in force to support the team. The brown and gold splashes around the ground were obvious to see. Thank you guys, you gave our players great heart.
When we travel to the west once or twice a year, it makes you better appreciate the physical toll on the two Western Australian teams who have to travel to the east every second week. It is one hell of an ask.
Let’s hope when the new stadium is built in Perth, the Premier of Western Australia Colin Barnett will insist that 10,000 seats in the 60,000 seat stadium will be reserved and available for opposition members and supporters in WA, and allow opposition clubs to bring their members from the east to attend the game and spend a few days in the wonderful west.
So another four points to our credit, and on Sunday we head to Launceston for our last game of the season at Aurora Stadium. With our opposition being North Melbourne - it will again be a tough encounter, but you would expect nothing less at this time of the season.
Before the game the new stand will be officially opened, providing for an extra 2,200 seats at the ground. As part of our commitment to Tassie, we at Hawthorn have provided $300,000 to the construction costs. That is $100,000 more than the AFL has provided.
In fact, the AFL, while mouthing support of AFL football in Tasmania, have delivered very little in terms of concrete support for the expansion of the game in Tassie. If it were not for the hard work of many associated with Hawthorn over the last 10 years I doubt whether any AFL team would be playing in Tassie next year.
Only because of our investment over that 10 years and the very close relationship we have developed with Tasmanians has proved so successful, that the AFL has encouraged but not financially contributed to North Melbourne playing games in Hobart.
We welcome the Kangaroos to Tassie from next year, but they will have to develop their own programs throughout the community to be successful. It has taken Hawthorn 10 years of consistent investment and effort to enjoy the support we do today in Tasmania.
We have done that without any support from the AFL. In fact quite the reverse, the AFL actively worked to remove us from Tassie, desert our members and all that we had done over 10 years in order that North Melbourne could be the AFL team that represented Tasmanian interests.
We fought that concept strongly, because we genuinely enjoy our relationship with Tasmania, and have now secured a further five year agreement with the Tasmanian Government and community. The next five years are pregnant with opportunity, and believe you me, Hawthorn will work hard to deliver for both parties; Tasmania and Hawthorn.
So I hope to see all of our Tassie members at the game. I know many from the mainland have booked to travel and support our team. It will be a wonderful few days.
Well done guys for Saturday, but that is already history, now to make history next Sunday.
Stay well, see you in Tassie, and go Hawks!
Jeff Kennett
President
