CEO Justin Reeves has penned the following letter to members...

Dear members,

While we are in South Australia, our thoughts are always with Victoria. We check the infection numbers every day and to finally see them beginning to head downwards is such a promising sign. We are very hopeful that Victoria is now edging closer to a return to some sort of normality.  

We landed in South Australia on Monday, to scenes truly representative of the family club. Many of our players and staff were reunited with their children and partners, after up to six weeks apart. While this was a necessary sacrifice and one that afforded us the incredible privilege of playing the game we love, family is the most important part of all the people who make up our club and so to reunite families was a really special moment.

We have now set up camp in the Barossa Valley, a truly beautiful part of the world and our base for the next month. We will play the remainder of our games at Adelaide Oval, except for one trip to Queensland in Round 16. Earlier this week the Tasmanian government made the call to keep their borders shut to interstate travellers until December 1^st. I have no doubt that this was a difficult, but necessary, decision for the government to make, and one that our club fully supports given the extreme circumstances we find ourselves in. I very much look forward to the day we can get back to Tassie and we look forward to returning to UTAS in 2021 and beyond.

Read: Day re-signs

In a season with less positive news stories than we would have liked, it was fantastic to this week to hear that Will Day has agreed to an extended stay at the Hawks. I am sure, like me, you could not be more pleased. It was an easy decision for both parties and even though he has only played six games, he has quickly become an important player for us. Will is a young man who is well regarded among all at our football club and I cannot wait to watch him don the brown and gold for many years to come.

Will is a shining example of what young players can bring to our side and while we are devastated by James Sicily’s recent ACL injury, it does offer an opportunity for another of our young players to step up. James is a huge loss to our side, but I have no doubt he will do everything required to get his body right again. We will miss his fiery, competitive edge, but I know his passion will be as strong as ever when he gets back onto the field. In the meantime, we must continue to turn our troubles into opportunities and embrace the door that opens for our younger cohort, who are hungry to find their spot in the side.   

As we look ahead to the weekend, we set our sights on our match against Port Adelaide. A fierce opponent and a game that holds much significance for our club as we celebrate Sir Doug Nicholls Round and our captain’s 200^th AFL game.

Sir Doug Nicholls Round is an important part of the footy calendar and I am so pleased to see it on the fixture, despite the challenges of 2020. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players have contributed so much to our game and this round is an opportunity for us to celebrate this contribution and to educate and learn more about their culture. It is also an opportunity for us to think about the future we are building. Our Indigenous players at Hawthorn still face racism, regularly, and that is not ok. Through the combined strength of our people, our members and our influence as football club, we have an incredible opportunity to shape a future without racism and we will continue to do all we can to stamp racism out of both our game and society.

This weekend’s clash with Port also marks our Captain Ben Stratton’s 200^th AFL game. Since joining the club as a 20-year-old from WA, Stratts has proven himself to be versatile and valuable. As a captain, he always puts his teammates first and while quietly spoken publicly his voice carries much weight and respect on the field. 200 games is an outstanding achievement and as a life member of our club, Stratts will always be Hawthorn. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on this milestone and also thank him for the contribution he has made to our club.

Our football club’s contribution to the broader community is something I am really proud of. As the family club, it is important that we have a meaningful and lasting impact on the communities we are a part of. The breadth and outcomes of the programs run by the Hawks Community Foundation, is made possible with the support of our many community partners and donors. The Epic Good Foundation have been a major philanthropic partner of the club for six years and remain committed for a further four. This means that despite all the uncertainty in the world, the Epic Good Foundation’s funding of our Indigenous Programs ensures we can continue to have a sustainable impact in the areas of Indigenous engagement, employment, health and education. The Epic Good Foundation are also our match day partner for Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

In addition to The Epic Good Foundation, the support of many others, including the philanthropic support of Peter and Dawn McKenzie and their wider family, allows us to navigate the challenges of Covid-19, without needing to take a backward step in our commitment and investment into the community. The ongoing support of so many, ensures that our current community programs and partnerships in the areas of mental health, social inclusion and Indigenous engagement, will be able to continue not just this year, but for the long-term. This is an incredible result and one which I believe all involved with our club should be extremely proud of.

There is no doubt that season 2020 has provided challenges for our players, our people and our members. As I think back to six months ago, I can hardly believe where we find ourselves now. We simply would not be where we are without our members. We have always known that Hawthorn members are loyal, but the strength of this loyalty during the most difficult of times, has been humbling. I am in awe of how you have each stuck by the club in 2020. It is amazing to be a part of such a strong club.  

We have not performed to the standard we want or expect this season, but I am conscious of keeping an eye on the big picture. We are building towards our next premiership at Hawthorn and this is by no means a quick process. I remain excited by what lies ahead for our club. There is so much young talent waiting in the wings, and they are being mentored, and guided by our more experienced players. The football department headed up by Graham Wright and coach Alastair Clarkson are busy, scheming away, completely fixated on how our club pivots and takes the road to our next premiership. We are in good hands there.

The oddities of 2020 have provided us with a new opportunity to give young players their chance to show us what they’ve got, and they’re stepping up. This is so encouraging and offers us a glimpse into the future of Hawthorn, and it’s an exciting one.

Go Hawks!