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[Goldhawk]

AFL trying to force Hawks out of Tasmania, says Kennett
Mitch Cleary
Nov 19, 2018 8:00AM

Jeff Kennett has attacked the AFL Commission over what he says are plans to push Hawthorn from Tasmania
For the last decade or more Hawthorn has carried the responsibility for the AFL in Tasmania and we get no thanks for it. All we get is abuseJeff Kennett
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HAWTHORN president Jeff Kennett says the AFL is trying to push the Hawks out of Tasmania in favour of more games for North Melbourne.

With the Roos' Hobart commitment to increase from three to four games in 2019, Kennett believes they could play up to seven games split between the Tasmanian capital and Launceston in the future.

In a wide-ranging interview, Kennett also described the state of the Gold Coast Suns as "a tragedy" and "a reflection on the capacity of the board and the people they employ", and described the AFL Commission as "a boys' own club with a couple of females there".

While the Hawks' contract to play four games a season in Launceston expires at the end of 2021, Kennett said more Roos games, rather than a permanent move, appeared on the cards.

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"I don't think their constitution allows them to (move), but I do think that the AFL are working on increasing their games there," he told News Corporation.

"I think the AFL would like us out of there and they'd like to give North seven games — three up north and four down south.

"I don't think North's constitution will allow them to move permanently anywhere — James (former chairman James Brayshaw) changed it so that they have to get 75 per cent membership support, and I don't think that they'll get that for a transfer, but they might get it for seven games.

"You see the AFL is looking to try and reduce their costs of subsidising some of these other clubs."

Kennett hinted that the introduction of the North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos AFLW team, which will play one match in each of Hobart and Launceston, was a sign the Hawks were being pushed.

"There's no doubt the AFL are trying to push us out," Kennett said.

"They've given North another game. Well that's fine, I'm not opposed to them having another game, but it's a sign of the times.

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"North have an AFLW team which joins the league next year and they will play their games in Tassie and they've also positioned one of their games up at our stadium in Launceston — so this is all thin edge of the wedge, which is getting much thicker very quickly."

Hawthorn played its first home match in Launceston in 2001, with its four games per season model starting in 2006.

"That's what gives me the irrits about the AFL — for the last decade or more Hawthorn has carried the responsibility for the AFL in Tasmania and we get no thanks for it. All we get is abuse," Kennett said.

"We are not respected by the AFL, particularly by some of the individuals there."

When asked whether the future of Tasmanian football led to a one-team state, Kennett disagreed.

"No, because I don't think that is viable — and I know that is not a popular view down there.

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"It's a lovely dream, but I don't think it will be competitive or have sufficient support financially for a long enough period for it to be sustainable, unless like the Gold Coast or GWS, the AFL decide to put in $25 million a year.

"If Gill (AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan) made a decision – 'Righto, we're going to subsidise a Tasmanian team' – he could do it tomorrow, but then you'll have trouble, as you're having at the Gold Coast, in keeping good people there."

Federal opposition leader Bill Shorten pledged $25 million towards the exploration of a Tasmanian AFL team should Labor win next year's election.

Meanwhile, Kennett weighed in on the future of the Suns when asked about their status, having lost 16 of the final 17 games in 2018.

"That's a tragedy, I feel so sorry for those guys up there," he said.

"(But) sadly, and this is a general comment, it is a reflection on the capacity of the board and the people they employ. And if you believe something different, then don't have a board, just have the AFL run the bloody thing, which is really what has been happening at GWS and Gold Coast.

"I spoke to a board member at GWS and he said, 'We don't make a decision, the AFL make all the decisions for us'.

"But it won't happen at the moment because it’s a boys' own club with a couple of females there. There aren't enough clubs who are independent of the AFL financially to actually do what has to be done. And that has been the case for years."

 

[Ned Ryerson]

75% membership support to relocate Norf permanently? Shouldn't be hard to bribe those 300 people then.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Also - despite being supportive of our Tassie position because I like the economic advantages - if the AFL want us to move on then that's fine - on the proviso that they pay us the shortfall of what our new major sponsor pays us vs what the Tassie deal is worth to us. They can also pay us for every membership dollar lost in Tassie - or subtract it from our footy department tax.

 

[Hawkk]

Also - despite being supportive of our Tassie position because I like the economic advantages - if the AFL want us to move on then that's fine - on the proviso that they pay us the shortfall of what our new major sponsor pays us vs what the Tassie deal is worth to us. They can also pay us for every membership dollar lost in Tassie - or subtract it from our footy department tax.

And hopefully we can negotiate a favourable MCG deal (say 7 / 4 MCG home and away games) and stop getting POS home games at the MCG (North, Dogs in late Sunday games, away games only against Richmond, Essendon etc)

I think we all need to come to the realisation that we are losing Tassie. We now need to posture for the best deal.

 

[flinchfree]

Again - Audi were a minor sponsor, close to our shortest tenured and since when has any club ever given a full dissection of the reasons why a sponsor has chosen not to recommit? Also - name me a club that gives out status updates about sponsorship negotiations when they are occurring? So many people get uppity about the club not being upfront about things that absolutely no clubs are upfront about. I am sure negotiations for a new sponsor are occurring - the absence of updates about it =/= nothing is happening. We have a well connected CEO and some well connected board members, one of which is a former commercial CEO whose sole responsibility is bringing in alternative revenue streams. Something's telling me that everyone isn't just napping under their desks like George Costanza just because Jeff sounds out some missives from time to time.

Eddie McGuire is equally as divisive and equally as vocal as Jeff - has that stopped Collingwood having commercial partnerships with companies such as CGU, Holden, Emirates, Subway, Nike and Optus?

Yep. Super minor.
Over 1 mil a year. You kicking in to cover?
Oh yeh, what about associated marketing and brand recognition working to further put our name as a certain echelon club? Nothing?

Here's what we said at the time about the Audi sponsorship:

"Hawthorn Football Club is delighted to announce Audi Australia will join the club as a Principal Partner from 2016.

The three-year deal will unite one of the world’s most prestigious and rapidly growing car manufacturers with one of Australia’s most successful sporting organisations.

As part of the new sponsorship agreement, the Audi logo will be displayed on the players’ shorts and coaches’ property (apparel and coaches’ box) from 2016. The club will also refurbish and rename its Grande Suite at the MCG the ‘Audi Suite’.

Hawthorn CEO Stuart Fox said the club was proud to partner with Audi and honoured to be associated with such an internationally respected automotive brand.

“We are thrilled to announce this exciting partnership between two iconic brands and we look forward to building a successful long-term relationship with Audi,” Mr Fox said.

“Audi’s philosophy, ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, (advancement through technology) signals the brand’s intent for innovation and progressiveness, which are highly appropriate for Hawthorn.

“The company’s goals of ‘financial strength’, ‘continuous growth’, ‘leaders in innovation’ and ‘employer of choice’ perfectly complement Hawthorn’s vision to be the destination club, and our ongoing pursuit of excellence, unity and success.”

“We believe the Hawthorn brand and greater Hawthorn member and supporter base can add exceptional value over the next three years to Audi’s strategic goal of premium market leadership,” Mr Fox said.

Audi Australia’s Managing Director Andrew Doyle confirmed the company’s excitement at forming this new partnership with the Hawks.

“This partnership represents a major sponsorship milestone for Audi Australia as it’s the first time we have aligned ourselves with a leading national sporting club, and it signals our arrival in the AFL,” Mr Doyle said.

“Hawthorn’s credentials and philosophy formed a major factor in our decision to sponsor the club.
“Supporting our drive to become Australia’s leading premium carmaker, we undertake major sponsorships with iconic brands to build awareness and generate customer loyalty, and this newest deal with the AFL’s Number 1 team was the ideal fit for Audi.

“It’s an association that also gives us the unique opportunity to present our brand to customers outside the showroom, and to really engage with Victorian and Tasmanian audiences through a mutual passion – Australia’s leading AFL team,” Mr Doyle added.

Internationally, Audi sponsors a number of exceptional global sporting brands which include football clubs Real Madrid FC, FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

Throughout Australia, Audi has several partners in sport, contemporary art, theatre, film, lifestyle and motorsport through its significant sponsorship portfolio.

The company recently announced its Presenting Partnership status of the inaugural International Champions Cup Australia football tournament, which will see giants Real Madrid FC, AS Roma and Manchester City FC compete in a pre-season tournament at the MCG on 18, 21 and 24 July 2015."

Something tells me you have some sort of incentive to piss on the association, or is it just because it doesn't suit your narrative?

 

[flinchfree]

Notice Fox's referral to looking 'forward to building a successful long term relationship with Audi'.
Something went wrong, and it aint nothing.
We got no explanation, and again it aint nothing.
Whatever it is, is likely less problematic than how it reads without transparency.
Go ahead, all yours to gloss as nothing.

 

[Hawkk]

Hasn’t it been established that one of the board members was instrumental in bringing Audi on board but then threw the cot out when he was asked to resign over the CEO debacle

 

[flinchfree]

Hasn’t it been established that one of the board members was instrumental in bringing Audi on board but then threw the cot out when he was asked to resign over the CEO debacle

Please, tell us what's been established?

 

[Pessimistic]

Also - despite being supportive of our Tassie position because I like the economic advantages - if the AFL want us to move on then that's fine - on the proviso that they pay us the shortfall of what our new major sponsor pays us vs what the Tassie deal is worth to us. They can also pay us for every membership dollar lost in Tassie - or subtract it from our footy department tax.

Really hoping Jeff s stance is in order to get a better severance payment. Our tassie crowds are dwindling, Norths are growing

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Yep. Super minor.
Over 1 mil a year. You kicking in to cover?
Oh yeh, what about associated marketing and brand recognition working to further put our name as a certain echelon club? Nothing?

Here's what we said at the time about the Audi sponsorship:

"Hawthorn Football Club is delighted to announce Audi Australia will join the club as a Principal Partner from 2016.

The three-year deal will unite one of the world’s most prestigious and rapidly growing car manufacturers with one of Australia’s most successful sporting organisations.

As part of the new sponsorship agreement, the Audi logo will be displayed on the players’ shorts and coaches’ property (apparel and coaches’ box) from 2016. The club will also refurbish and rename its Grande Suite at the MCG the ‘Audi Suite’.

Hawthorn CEO Stuart Fox said the club was proud to partner with Audi and honoured to be associated with such an internationally respected automotive brand.

“We are thrilled to announce this exciting partnership between two iconic brands and we look forward to building a successful long-term relationship with Audi,” Mr Fox said.

“Audi’s philosophy, ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, (advancement through technology) signals the brand’s intent for innovation and progressiveness, which are highly appropriate for Hawthorn.

“The company’s goals of ‘financial strength’, ‘continuous growth’, ‘leaders in innovation’ and ‘employer of choice’ perfectly complement Hawthorn’s vision to be the destination club, and our ongoing pursuit of excellence, unity and success.”

“We believe the Hawthorn brand and greater Hawthorn member and supporter base can add exceptional value over the next three years to Audi’s strategic goal of premium market leadership,” Mr Fox said.

Audi Australia’s Managing Director Andrew Doyle confirmed the company’s excitement at forming this new partnership with the Hawks.

“This partnership represents a major sponsorship milestone for Audi Australia as it’s the first time we have aligned ourselves with a leading national sporting club, and it signals our arrival in the AFL,” Mr Doyle said.

“Hawthorn’s credentials and philosophy formed a major factor in our decision to sponsor the club.
“Supporting our drive to become Australia’s leading premium carmaker, we undertake major sponsorships with iconic brands to build awareness and generate customer loyalty, and this newest deal with the AFL’s Number 1 team was the ideal fit for Audi.

“It’s an association that also gives us the unique opportunity to present our brand to customers outside the showroom, and to really engage with Victorian and Tasmanian audiences through a mutual passion – Australia’s leading AFL team,” Mr Doyle added.

Internationally, Audi sponsors a number of exceptional global sporting brands which include football clubs Real Madrid FC, FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich.

Throughout Australia, Audi has several partners in sport, contemporary art, theatre, film, lifestyle and motorsport through its significant sponsorship portfolio.

The company recently announced its Presenting Partnership status of the inaugural International Champions Cup Australia football tournament, which will see giants Real Madrid FC, AS Roma and Manchester City FC compete in a pre-season tournament at the MCG on 18, 21 and 24 July 2015."

Something tells me you have some sort of incentive to piss on the association, or is it just because it doesn't suit your narrative?

Notice Fox's referral to looking 'forward to building a successful long term relationship with Audi'.
Something went wrong, and it aint nothing.
We got no explanation, and again it aint nothing.
Whatever it is, is likely less problematic than how it reads without transparency.
Go ahead, all yours to gloss as nothing.

No - it's because I am a rational person who has faith in the club to get things done without the tendency to go all chicken little when things happen.

And wow, you presented me with a gushing PR-filled release at the start of the sponsorship as some form of evidence that we should all be wearing black armbands at their loss? Come on flinch, you're better than that. What did you expect Fox to say "Oh well it's a 3 year deal so we will make the most of it while they are on board". Of course he would say it's hoped to be a long term deal.

Would have been great if Audi stayed on board. Won't damage the club now that they have moved on. It was long mooted it was going to happen after one of our directors who is linked with Audi was asked to move on by Jeff. We have enough commercial acumen on the current board to get a new sponsor in. I am sure a similarly gushing press release will come out when we sign them up.

I am not in the pro-Jeff at every turn camp, however I am also not in the 'everything he touches turns to lead' camp either. That said - the latter seem to get it wrong quite a bit. Remember when Jeff came back this time last year and it was going to be the end of Clarko and that Clarko would definitely leave at the end of his contract because he definitely doesn't get along with Jeff and Jeff will definitely drive him away etc etc. Yeah - didn't happen. I'm sure we'll get a new sponsor that will adorn the lower section of our shorts much like I was fairly sure Clarko would stick with us.

What we do have now is a CEO who isn't painfully bad at their job and forcing an exodus of senior managers. What we do have now is Clarko long-term and possibly with a succession plan with Mitch. What we do have now is Graham Wright embedded in our club with his new position which hopefully comes with more to do, more pay and less incentive to look elsewhere. What we do have now is a proud Hawthorn person as president who is willing to be vocal in his defence of the club. Is it always going to get the desired results? Well probably not - but I would rather put up a fight than just roll over and let the AFL have at it while saying nothing.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Hasn’t it been established that one of the board members was instrumental in bringing Audi on board but then threw the cot out when he was asked to resign over the CEO debacle

Not sure that it was established - but was definitely mooted on here when it happened.

 

[flinchfree]

No - it's because I am a rational person who has faith in the club to get things done without the tendency to go all chicken little when things happen.

And wow, you presented me with a gushing PR-filled release at the start of the sponsorship as some form of evidence that we should all be wearing black armbands at their loss? Come on flinch, you're better than that. What did you expect Fox to say "Oh well it's a 3 year deal so we will make the most of it while they are on board". Of course he would say it's hoped to be a long term deal.

Would have been great if Audi stayed on board. Won't damage the club now that they have moved on. It was long mooted it was going to happen after one of our directors who is linked with Audi was asked to move on by Jeff. We have enough commercial acumen on the current board to get a new sponsor in. I am sure a similarly gushing press release will come out when we sign them up.

I am not in the pro-Jeff at every turn camp, however I am also not in the 'everything he touches turns to lead' camp either. That said - the latter seem to get it wrong quite a bit. Remember when Jeff came back this time last year and it was going to be the end of Clarko and that Clarko would definitely leave at the end of his contract because he definitely doesn't get along with Jeff and Jeff will definitely drive him away etc etc. Yeah - didn't happen. I'm sure we'll get a new sponsor that will adorn the lower section of our shorts much like I was fairly sure Clarko would stick with us.

What we do have now is a CEO who isn't painfully bad at their job and forcing an exodus of senior managers. What we do have now is Clarko long-term and possibly with a succession plan with Mitch. What we do have now is Graham Wright embedded in our club with his new position which hopefully comes with more to do, more pay and less incentive to look elsewhere. What we do have now is a proud Hawthorn person as president who is willing to be vocal in his defence of the club. Is it always going to get the desired results? Well probably not - but I would rather put up a fight than just roll over and let the AFL have at it while saying nothing.

Who the heck is going henny penny?
It gets yacked on and on and on and on and on how great Jeff is and what he's doing.
WHAT IS HEEEEEEE doing?
Except for bitching.
It's just tiring man to read the same shite over and over again.

I made a list of what was and wasn't happening.
As one of my points, I listed that a major sponsor had gone.
It's true. Hawthorn listed Audi, Tassie and iiNet as MAJOR sponsors - not me.

I don't think it will be any great chip to anything we bloody do going forward, but when I'm listing what has and hasn't happened on Jeff's watch, the sponsorship is undoubtedly fair to include.

You've made a list of what you like going on, I'll mull on that further as something that should be noted as part of the whole story.

 

[The_Axeman]

I was told sometime ago that Audi head office were looking to reduce sponsorship deals/marketing overhead etc and that the the deal with Hawthorn was a casualty of that.

 

[flinchfree]

I was told sometime ago that Audi head office were looking to reduce sponsorship deals/marketing overhead etc and that the the deal with Hawthorn was a casualty of that.

Thanks Axe, interesting tack by Audi to take after just 2 years ago going the exact other direction and the decision making it took...

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Thanks Axe, interesting tack by Audi to take after just 2 years ago going the exact other direction and the decision making it took...

May have something to do with the onerous fines their parent company incurred. Just spitballing.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Who the heck is going henny penny?
It gets yacked on and on and on and on and on how great Jeff is and what he's doing.
WHAT IS HEEEEEEE doing?
Except for bitching.
It's just tiring man to read the same shite over and over again.

I made a list of what was and wasn't happening.
As one of my points, I listed that a major sponsor had gone.
It's true. Hawthorn listed Audi, Tassie and iiNet as MAJOR sponsors - not me.

I don't think it will be any great chip to anything we bloody do going forward, but when I'm listing what has and hasn't happened on Jeff's watch, the sponsorship is undoubtedly fair to include.

You've made a list of what you like going on, I'll mull on that further as something that should be noted as part of the whole story.

If we don't announce a new sponsor by the start of the 2019 season then I will pay that, and I will be equally concerned and disappointed. Being that this is 4-5 months away I am happy to be patient.

I am also happy to be patient for the AGM for a Dingley update. Council approvals, government funding and the like take time - so I can forgive the club for not having a stready stream of information when there might not be any information to give.

Some of the rhetoric from Jeff might be empty - but at least there is rhetoric.

In terms of what Jeff has accomplished - I think he deserves at least some credit for bringing on an excellent CEO candidate - for regenerating the board with some very good appointments in Sali, Shearer and Vandenberg. He also deserves some credit for the restructure that got Burt into a more suitable role and allowed for Wright to be given more oversight and responsibility within the club. After the brain drain we have suffered - keeping Wright is imperative. He deserves at least some credit for re-signing Clarko, even if it is just acknowledging that he didn't drive the guy away like many accused him of likely doing. He deserves some credit for the rebranding of our VWFL side to Hawthorn (rather than Box Hill) and for the side being taken more seriously internally (our results in 2017 v 2018 would demonstrate this). Jeff is incredibly passionate about our VWFL side and has probably publicised them more than anyone. It's obvious he takes our AFLW inclusion very seriously and I think our VWFL side's rapid improvement means the AFL can't ignore us on this front. Will it gain us entry earlier, who can say - however I think our position is far, far stronger than it was under Gaudry/Garvey.

Overall the direction of the club has been far more reassuring than it was at the end of last year - and at the loss of one sponsor I think the wins outweigh that loss.

 

[flinchfree]

If we don't announce a new sponsor by the start of the 2019 season then I will pay that, and I will be equally concerned and disappointed. Being that this is 4-5 months away I am happy to be patient.

I am also happy to be patient for the AGM for a Dingley update. Council approvals, government funding and the like take time - so I can forgive the club for not having a stready stream of information when there might not be any information to give.

Some of the rhetoric from Jeff might be empty - but at least there is rhetoric.

In terms of what Jeff has accomplished - I think he deserves at least some credit for bringing on an excellent CEO candidate - for regenerating the board with some very good appointments in Sali, Shearer and Vandenberg. He also deserves some credit for the restructure that got Burt into a more suitable role and allowed for Wright to be given more oversight and responsibility within the club. After the brain drain we have suffered - keeping Wright is imperative. He deserves at least some credit for re-signing Clarko, even if it is just acknowledging that he didn't drive the guy away like many accused him of likely doing. He deserves some credit for the rebranding of our VWFL side to Hawthorn (rather than Box Hill) and for the side being taken more seriously internally (our results in 2017 v 2018 would demonstrate this). Jeff is incredibly passionate about our VWFL side and has probably publicised them more than anyone. It's obvious he takes our AFLW inclusion very seriously and I think our VWFL side's rapid improvement means the AFL can't ignore us on this front. Will it gain us entry earlier, who can say - however I think our position is far, far stronger than it was under Gaudry/Garvey.

Overall the direction of the club has been far more reassuring than it was at the end of last year - and at the loss of one sponsor I think the wins outweigh that loss.

I want you writing my Obit.
You're going to make me sound twice the man I ever was.

 

[Davo23]

I was told sometime ago that Audi head office were looking to reduce sponsorship deals/marketing overhead etc and that the the deal with Hawthorn was a casualty of that.

Also, Audi is an international company, and I would not expect a long term deal for a localised football team like ours.

It was nice while it lasted!

 

[Changa10]

Really hoping Jeff s stance is in order to get a better severance payment. Our tassie crowds are dwindling, Norths are growing

Our crowds are dwindling because we continue to get the same old bottom of the table crap sides in Launceston, but we continue to still get better crowds than North down here.

I suspect, and I have no evidence other than less traffic on the road to and from games, that Hobart based supporters no longer want to drive up and back (6 hours minimum in the car) to watch the same bottom teams each year. I know, I know, we are also going to watch the mighty Hawks, but playing some teams that are half decent would give us all some extra incentive.

Hobart also has the majority of Tasmania's population so that puts North in an advantage position to start, as less people need to travel to Hobart.

On the North crowds, not sure you are correct here.

29 July 18 - North v West Coast (eventual Premiers) - Crowd 11,176
19 May 18 - North v GWS Giants (2018 Finalists) - Crowd 7,194 (Down 1,500 on previous year)
14 April 18 - North v Carlton (Big following down here) - Crowd 14,266
Total - 32,636

29 July 17 - North v Melbourne - Crowd 13,939
6 May 17 - North v Adelaide (GF participant) - Crowd 10,064
8 April 17 - North v GWS Giants - Crowd 8,758
Total - 32,761

North have also had Richmond twice (2015/16) who probably have one of the biggest followings down here with Crowds of 17,544 (Record AFL attendance at the venue) and 17,844.

In 2017, Hawks had;

A struggling St Kilda and attracted 15,571 on April 29.
A struggling Brisbane 10,553
GWS Giants - 12,156 (Could have been a few more as we were in Fiji!) Comfortably more than North attracted to this same game.
North Melbourne - 14,509

It will be interesting to see how many we get to the Carlton game next year. I suspect, like the North V Carlton game, Hawks supporters will be out-numbered by Blues fans!

 

[HODGEYROAD]

Our crowds are dwindling because we continue to get the same old bottom of the table crap sides in Launceston, but we continue to still get better crowds than North down here.

I suspect, and I have no evidence other than less traffic on the road to and from games, that Hobart based supporters no longer want to drive up and back (6 hours minimum in the car) to watch the same bottom teams each year. I know, I know, we are also going to watch the mighty Hawks, but playing some teams that are half decent would give us all some extra incentive.

Hobart also has the majority of Tasmania's population so that puts North in an advantage position to start, as less people need to travel to Hobart.

On the North crowds, not sure you are correct here.

29 July 18 - North v West Coast (eventual Premiers) - Crowd 11,176
19 May 18 - North v GWS Giants (2018 Finalists) - Crowd 7,194 (Down 1,500 on previous year)
14 April 18 - North v Carlton (Big following down here) - Crowd 14,266
Total - 32,636

29 July 17 - North v Melbourne - Crowd 13,939
6 May 17 - North v Adelaide (GF participant) - Crowd 10,064
8 April 17 - North v GWS Giants - Crowd 8,758
Total - 32,761

North have also had Richmond twice (2015/16) who probably have one of the biggest followings down here with Crowds of 17,544 (Record AFL attendance at the venue) and 17,844.

In 2017, Hawks had;

A struggling St Kilda and attracted 15,571 on April 29.
A struggling Brisbane 10,553
GWS Giants - 12,156 (Could have been a few more as we were in Fiji!) Comfortably more than North attracted to this same game.
North Melbourne - 14,509

It will be interesting to see how many we get to the Carlton game next year. I suspect, like the North V Carlton game, Hawks supporters will be out-numbered

by Blues fans!

You missed probably the best ever game down in Launceston that day, I was glad I travelled down from Melbourne for it.

 

[Buttonsticher]

Really appreciate what Tassie has done for the club but on a purely selfish note I wouldn't mind if we pulled out provided we got adequate compo. As well as some cash would like to see all our Tassie games be replaced by home MCG games, no Marvel/Telstra/Etihad/Steamer Stadium games or at least no home games there and free pies for Hawks members.

 

[wahawk]

Yeh, you're right.
Life with a wife and 2 kids in high school have left me short on motivation to source my inferences.

Answers.
1. Obvious. Search for employed individuals by HFC at time of Jeff's hiring and those currently on payroll. If you choose to not view them as valuable...well, it takes too much breath to educate some.
2. Obvious. The only CLEAR and DEFINEABLE movement messaged to us thus far at Dingley way is some rolled out brown and gold Hessian. Glorious be.
3. Your ******* with me, right? Do I need to do anything more than point to Jeff's giant flap trap he yawned gapingly again today?
4. You're not too dopey to understand this point, surely?
5. So bloody clear Jeff won't stop yapping about, that he doesn't know or understand what Tassie is after but if they would please let us know we can get on with it.
6. Audi gone. No explanation. No replacement. So clear, only you could not glean it's meaning.
7. Oh yes, you've added nothing to my suggestion of detailing what Jeff's presidency has brought to the club apart from some chest beating and the appearance of change for changes sake.

Nice job drongo.

Are you calling me drongo ?

 

[Brant]

Also - despite being supportive of our Tassie position because I like the economic advantages - if the AFL want us to move on then that's fine - on the proviso that they pay us the shortfall of what our new major sponsor pays us vs what the Tassie deal is worth to us. They can also pay us for every membership dollar lost in Tassie - or subtract it from our footy department tax.

Or we could just get more pokies?

 

[Mitchell54]

Also - despite being supportive of our Tassie position because I like the economic advantages - if the AFL want us to move on then that's fine - on the proviso that they pay us the shortfall of what our new major sponsor pays us vs what the Tassie deal is worth to us. They can also pay us for every membership dollar lost in Tassie - or subtract it from our footy department tax.

Not the difference. Just pay out the whole tassie deal.

A deal is a deal and the AFL either needs to wait to the end of that deal or pay us out.

 

[Pessimistic]

Jeff is out of step with the membership on his ultra passionate support for tassie.

I think you’d find a large majority would support the reduction to 3 games per year, or at least playing one of them as the away team

Less would want a permanent stop to tassie, although a large inducement, including guarantees about mcg games might be attractive too