Dear Hawkers,

What a wonderful outcome to an intense game against Collingwood on Saturday.

Persistence, tenacity and sheer guts saw the team come from behind every quarter to seal the game by three points after the longest final quarter I can remember.

The first half was hardly exciting football, but I guess that was a sign of the pressure of the match.

Then the game opened up in the second half. It is amazing when we kick the ball forward and down the centre what a difference it makes to the game. And it was a great game to watch.

Some wonderful individual efforts, but we can only win a game if the best of the individuals play as a team. And play as a team they did, and the team won the game.

So we Hawkers continue to live the dream!

I think most of us had hoped for a top four finish this year. That was not to be, but after a weak start to the year, a strong middle, a dip in Rounds 18,19 and 20 and then three wins in rounds 20, 21 and 22 we finished the year in seventh position at the end of the home and away season.

We have officially qualified for finals football and travel next week to Perth to compete against Fremantle to keep the dream alive for a further week.

Alastair Clarkson said last week we at Hawthorn fear no team in the competition. And that is correct.

In the last few weeks we have beaten Collingwood, Western Bulldogs, drawn with St Kilda and lost to Geelong by two points. We are ready for the business end of the season, but we must take each week as it comes. There are no guarantees in this game.

We remain in the hunt.


To our Western Australian Members:

We thank-you very much indeed for your continuing support of the Hawthorn Football Club.

We realise you get to see few games, and when we do play in the West, access to the Subiaco ground is very difficult. In fact, we rarely get allocated much more than 300 seats. Ridiculous when you think we have 2,500 members in WA.

One day the WA Government will commit to a new ground, and I am quite confident, that in return for their funding of the new stadium, seats will not only be allocated to visiting teams members, but will also attract members of opposing teams to travel to WA for a weekend holiday and to watch the game.

In the same way that our partnership works in Tasmania, where thousands of our members travel to Tassie every year, creating employment and economic value in Tasmania.

But next weekend, the Elimination Final in Perth between Fremantle and Hawthorn, is not a game controlled by Fremantle. It is an AFL game, and that means all of our members if they wish can purchase tickets for the game.

And we need you there please. To lift our boys, to display the mighty brown and gold, and to voice your support in our drive to qualify to be a competitor in week two of the finals.

I have no doubt there will be many Hawkers travelling to the West from the East, and I look forward to being with you next Saturday.


To our Tasmanian Members:

Just an update, discussions on our sponsorship contract renewal continue, and when I have specific information you will be informed.

Saturday’s game against Collingwood was the official Tasmanian-sponsored game of the year.

An AFL record of 636 guests attended our luncheon. Your team of personnel from Tourism Tasmania, and our events team at Hawthorn did you proud.

Not only in preparing the room promoting Tasmania, in particular the Lumina Festival, but the food, the wines, and my favourite Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey made for a wonderful Tasmanian day.

Guests from industry, media, arts, politics, and even the odd sports fanatic were exposed to the best of Tasmania. In fact I do not know of a bigger event that Tassie hosts on the mainland, and the benefits will flow in the months and years ahead.

Minister Michelle O’Byrne as Minister for Tourism represented the Premier, and as always her speech and support of our partnership was fulsome.

However in front of 636 people, at the end of her speech Michelle admitted for the first time that I can remember, that she was a Collingwood supporter.

Eddie McGuire’s face lit up, he smiled from ear to ear.

Michelle, who is a regular attender at our games at Aurora Stadium, and who always finishes her speech with the rallying call ‘Go Hawks!’ indicated on Saturday that she would not be supporting the Tassie Hawks, but her beloved Collingwood.

Well that was when I knew we had something to prove. Mind you, it took the full four quarters to do so.

In the end it was the Tassie Hawks by three points.  Sorry Michelle, you would be better sticking with your partners, we at Hawthorn will never let you and Tasmania down! But no hard feelings.

So potentially four weeks of football left for the season, but we will have to be at our best.

I am sure all of you, our 54,000 plus members will continue to receive the best of value for your membership.

See you in Perth,

Jeff Kennett
President