TEN HAWTHORN players will travel to the United States later this month to spend part of the off-season break training at a performance centre in Texas.
After returning to September for the first time in six years, before falling narrowly short of a preliminary final last month, the Hawks' players will train at Exos Sports in Dallas.
The player-funded and player-driven camp involves two three-hour training sessions per day, combining gym work with running, focusing on a combination of speed, agility and endurance.
More than 15 Essendon players trained at the Phoenix, Arizona, branch of Exos last off-season in a highly publicised head start on the pre-season program in Tullamarine.
Hawthorn vice-captain Dylan Moore is part of the travelling party after collecting his first All-Australian blazer in 2024.
Star midfielder Jai Newcombe, ruckman Ned Reeves, versatile defender Jack Scrimshaw, wingman Massimo D'Ambrosio, forward Connor Macdonald and experienced duo Karl Amon and Jack Gunston are all locked in for the camp.
Reigning Peter Crimmins Medallist Will Day will also train at Exos after undergoing surgery late last month to repair the complex collarbone injury he suffered in round 23, which ultimately ruled him out of the elimination final and semi-final.
The 23-year-old won't start full contact training when Hawthorn reports back for pre-season on November 25 but will be back in the main group early in 2025.
Exos trains Major League Baseball and National Football League players across their respective off-seasons and has become a destination training base for athletes from all over the world.
Hawthorn recovered from 0-5 in 2024 to win its first final since the 2015 Grand Final win before falling just short by three points against Port Adelaide in the semi-final.
The Hawks will hold the 2024 Peter Crimmins Medal on Saturday night, where Moore, Newcombe, Amon, Scrimshaw, Macdonald and D'Ambrosio will fight out the best and fairest along with Jarman Impey, James Worpel and James Sicily in what looms as one of the most intriguing best and fairest counts of the year, given how many leading contenders there are.
