Fixture Hawks after Tasmania? Sponsorship extended to 2025!

[Sixpence]

Yeah great, just hand the 4 points to the acclimatised QLD side we play against at our home game. This would be so idiotic from a football perspective. Imagine missing out on the 8 or top 4 by 4 points given away up there. Gee I hope this really doesn't happen regardless of the financial windfall that it may bring.

100% you mark those games down as losses.

It'd only be the one game against Bris or GC. Conversely, we should win the other against other sides. After a few years, even the QLD team game should be 50/50, as far as conditions go.

 

[Tomohawks]

It'd only be the one game against Bris or GC. Conversely, we should win the other against other sides. After a few years, even the QLD team game should be 50/50, as far as conditions go.

Disagree. Playing up there twice a year compared to training in it all year wouldn't make it a 50/50 game. Can you imagine GC giving up a home game against a Vic side to play them in Melbourne? I didn't think so. Another leg up for the Northern sides.

 

[Sixpence]

Disagree. Playing up there twice a year compared to training in it all year wouldn't make it a 50/50 game. Can you imagine GC giving up a home game against a Vic side to play them in Melbourne? I didn't think so. Another leg up for the Northern sides.

GC isn't Cairns. Massive difference in humidity. Don't think either team would be significantly more acclimatized.

 

[HoldingThe Ball]

I hear, with AFL tick of approval, we have asked for the following from 2026 from the Qld govt based on the Cairns initiative.

In other words, Men, two home games (one against Brisbane or GC) in Cairns plus one AFLW, plus a Men’s preseason game in Cairns, a preseason camp in the area and a clean stadium at which we can make plenty of cash.
We have also asked the AFL to change its Academy rules and asked for all of the northern Queensland area to be ours and the kids from this area to be HFC Academy players.

We have not heard from the Qld govt but “they are very
,very interested”.

How it impacts home games at the MCG, Marvel and Tassie is yet to be determined. The AFL have not considered that, or responded with an official answer.

Remember we lose 4 home games in Lonnie from 2025.

Effectively we are replacing Lonnie with Northern Qld (Cairns).

More detail to come.

What a load of tripe.

If anyone at Hawthorn is actually asking to swap the Launceston games for games in FNQ they should be taken outside and shot.

We should be demanding more MCG games, not playing in a sweaty red-hot climate where our players go from cold Melbourne to humid Cairns and back again - for 4 games??

We are cashed up, have a huge membership and should be playing more games in Vic.

So your 'whisper' is we 'might' play 'up to' 4 games in Cairns - but no-one has 'got back to Hawthorn' from The QLD govt, but you know for a fact they are 'very interested'..

Or heard back from the AFL. Or sorted out the mix of games at Melbourne stadiums.


Play 3 or 4 games up there and the members will riot and rightly so.

Completely idiotic suggestion, and I don't believe a word of it, to be honest.

 

[Mercy Seat]

What a load of tripe.

If anyone at Hawthorn is actually asking to swap the Launceston games for games in FNQ they should be taken outside and shot.

We should be demanding more MCG games, not playing in a sweaty red-hot climate where our players go from cold Melbourne to humid Cairns and back again - for 4 games??

We are cashed up, have a huge membership and should be playing more games in Vic.

So your 'whisper' is we 'might' play 'up to' 4 games in Cairns - but no-one has 'got back to Hawthorn' from The QLD govt, but you know for a fact they are 'very interested'..

Or heard back from the AFL. Or sorted out the mix of games at Melbourne stadiums.


Play 3 or 4 games up there and the members will riot and rightly so.

Completely idiotic suggestion, and I don't believe a word of it, to be honest.

He’s saying 2 games FNQ, not 4.

And if Tops is saying it, then it’s definitely on.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Can’t say I’m a massive fan of the Cairns move, but if we could get a 9-2 MCG / Cairns split, or 8 G games at worst, could live with it.

 

[flinchfree]

What a load of tripe.

If anyone at Hawthorn is actually asking to swap the Launceston games for games in FNQ they should be taken outside and shot.

We should be demanding more MCG games, not playing in a sweaty red-hot climate where our players go from cold Melbourne to humid Cairns and back again - for 4 games??

We are cashed up, have a huge membership and should be playing more games in Vic.

So your 'whisper' is we 'might' play 'up to' 4 games in Cairns - but no-one has 'got back to Hawthorn' from The QLD govt, but you know for a fact they are 'very interested'..

Or heard back from the AFL. Or sorted out the mix of games at Melbourne stadiums.


Play 3 or 4 games up there and the members will riot and rightly so.

Completely idiotic suggestion, and I don't believe a word of it, to be honest.

Not a super thoughtful reply above.......

Just for the purposes of the thought exercise - and if I've read the AFL tables correctly - the Lions are 11 wins & 4 losses against us up at their ground, while the Suns have run up 5 wins and 2 losses at Carrara.
Conversely, Suns are 1 - 10 against us at any other ground while Brissy are 6 - 18 anywhere but Brisbane.

It's pretty clear the advantage a real home ground makes for both those Clubs, but I'm not convinced it travels simply by being in the same State.
I wouldn't hate 2 games in far North Queensland, in fact considering the stagnation of our support in Tassie and the opportunity to further illustrate our brand in fresh territory and all the marketing opportunities that would accompany it......well, damn, reckon it would be pretty fab.

 

[Topiary]

Yeah great, just hand the 4 points to the acclimatised QLD side we play against at our home game. This would be so idiotic from a football perspective. Imagine missing out on the 8 or top 4 by 4 points given away up there. Gee I hope this really doesn't happen regardless of the financial windfall that it may bring.

It is not done yet.

 

[Nugett]

Disagree. Playing up there twice a year compared to training in it all year wouldn't make it a 50/50 game. Can you imagine GC giving up a home game against a Vic side to play them in Melbourne? I didn't think so. Another leg up for the Northern sides.

Gold Coast do give up a home game(s) to play in Darwin, which is a lot more humid than Gold Coast.

If it allows us to develop talent up there, through having an academy, that then gives us a leg up to compete with the Northern academies.

If the team is good enough they will win anywhere, so to say it’s a guaranteed loss is a bit of an overreaction.

I see more pro’s than cons, as it could set us up, in getting future talent, where we don’t have to bottom out to get talent, as we will be developing it.

 

[Tomohawks]

GC isn't Cairns. Massive difference in humidity. Don't think either team would be significantly more acclimatized.

I acknowledge that but they g

Gold Coast do give up a home game(s) to play in Darwin, which is a lot more humid than Gold Coast.

If it allows us to develop talent up there, through having an academy, that then gives us a leg up to compete with the Northern academies.

If the team is good enough they will win anywhere, so to say it’s a guaranteed loss is a bit of an overreaction.

I see more pro’s than cons, as it could set us up, in getting future talent, where we don’t have to bottom out to get talent, as we will be developing it.

Yeah against sides that are even less conditioned for those conditions. Win for them. Who's come out of Cairns? I see far more cons than pros if we go up there.

 

[I got the outside word]

Tops has said two home games in Cairns but only one has to be against Brisbane OR Gold Coast. The other game could be against anyone.

The question I have is, if we are using North QLD as an academy zone do we still follow the NGA rules where we can’t match bids before 40?

 

[dermott]

I hear, with AFL tick of approval, we have asked for the following from 2026 from the Qld govt based on the Cairns initiative.

In other words, Men, two home games (one against Brisbane or GC) in Cairns plus one AFLW, plus a Men’s preseason game in Cairns, a preseason camp in the area and a clean stadium at which we can make plenty of cash.
We have also asked the AFL to change its Academy rules and asked for all of the northern Queensland area to be ours and the kids from this area to be HFC Academy players.

We have not heard from the Qld govt but “they are very
,very interested”.

How it impacts home games at the MCG, Marvel and Tassie is yet to be determined. The AFL have not considered that, or responded with an official answer.

Remember we lose 4 home games in Lonnie from 2025.

Effectively we are replacing Lonnie with Northern Qld (Cairns).

More detail to come.

Replacing the Tas Government sponsorship will not be easy. If the club can sign up a similar deal with the Queensland Government, secure North Qld as an academy zone and play two games up there it would be a financial no brainer. We are in a national competition and Victorian clubs and supporters need to be less parochial and more strategic in their thinking.

 

[suburb whispers]

I hear, with AFL tick of approval, we have asked for the following from 2026 from the Qld govt based on the Cairns initiative.

In other words, Men, two home games (one against Brisbane or GC) in Cairns plus one AFLW, plus a Men’s preseason game in Cairns, a preseason camp in the area and a clean stadium at which we can make plenty of cash.
We have also asked the AFL to change its Academy rules and asked for all of the northern Queensland area to be ours and the kids from this area to be HFC Academy players.

We have not heard from the Qld govt but “they are very
,very interested”.

How it impacts home games at the MCG, Marvel and Tassie is yet to be determined. The AFL have not considered that, or responded with an official answer.

Remember we lose 4 home games in Lonnie from 2025.

Effectively we are replacing Lonnie with Northern Qld (Cairns).

More detail to come.

The club still want a presence in Tasmania after the Devils come in.
Still looking at 2 games a year down there, with an annual ‘Hawks vs Devils Derby’ alternating between Hobart and Launceston.

 

[mustang]

Our affiliation with North QLD and Cairns is interesting. All but confirmed to have home games there?

Will be good to have more games in QLD hopefully we play as many games a year as we do in Tassie now, then play GC or Bris at there home grounds each year.

 

[Hawked Wings]

If people think the AFL are going to give us 4 extra mcg games when we leave Tassie then they are dreaming. Most likely option is 2 in Cairns, 1 at the g or most likely Marvel and 1 at Launie playing Tassie

 

[Mercy Seat]

If people think the AFL are going to give us 4 extra mcg games when we leave Tassie then they are dreaming. Most likely option is 2 in Cairns, 1 at the g or most likely Marvel and 1 at Launie playing Tassie

If the Pies can push the afl and mcc to have their own change rooms and members seats even for away games, we can push hard on this. Might not get 4 but we it’s important to have a home ground and an identity around that. Being raffled between 4-5 venues would be awful.

 

[Topiary]

If people think the AFL are going to give us 4 extra mcg games when we leave Tassie then they are dreaming. Most likely option is 2 in Cairns, 1 at the g or most likely Marvel and 1 at Launie playing Tassie

The MCG is full. Don’t think we will get 4 might be 2. That is problematic. Might only get one. Both StKilda, Essendon and to a degree Carlton want more games at the MCG.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

GC isn't Cairns. Massive difference in humidity. Don't think either team would be significantly more acclimatized.

No, people from SEQ would be significantly more comfortable in Cairns versus someone coming from Melbourne.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

What a load of tripe.

If anyone at Hawthorn is actually asking to swap the Launceston games for games in FNQ they should be taken outside and shot.

We should be demanding more MCG games, not playing in a sweaty red-hot climate where our players go from cold Melbourne to humid Cairns and back again - for 4 games??

We are cashed up, have a huge membership and should be playing more games in Vic.

So your 'whisper' is we 'might' play 'up to' 4 games in Cairns - but no-one has 'got back to Hawthorn' from The QLD govt, but you know for a fact they are 'very interested'..

Or heard back from the AFL. Or sorted out the mix of games at Melbourne stadiums.


Play 3 or 4 games up there and the members will riot and rightly so.

Completely idiotic suggestion, and I don't believe a word of it, to be honest.

Learn how to read and pull your head in you absolute little pissant. Tops has far more respect and runs on the board than you’ll ever have on here.

The press has already reported this year that powerbrokers in Cairns are trying to make this happen. Our AFLW side has also just announced a 3 year partnership to do pre-season camps and a home game up there. But, yes, Tops is just clearly making all this up.

 

[wahawk]

God no

Why ?
Cause you live in Melb & think all games should be there ?

Do you not look at the proposal of the academy & think of those benefits ?
Do you not look at the ‘clean’ stadium & think of the benefits ?

I think you’ll find in a couple of years time all Vic clubs will be playing ‘home’ games interstate against interstate teams to reduce/even up the travel that interstate teams (especially wa & Qld teams) face every single year.

 

[Hawk the Talk]

What a load of tripe.

If anyone at Hawthorn is actually asking to swap the Launceston games for games in FNQ they should be taken outside and shot.

We should be demanding more MCG games, not playing in a sweaty red-hot climate where our players go from cold Melbourne to humid Cairns and back again - for 4 games??

We are cashed up, have a huge membership and should be playing more games in Vic.

So your 'whisper' is we 'might' play 'up to' 4 games in Cairns - but no-one has 'got back to Hawthorn' from The QLD govt, but you know for a fact they are 'very interested'..

Or heard back from the AFL. Or sorted out the mix of games at Melbourne stadiums.


Play 3 or 4 games up there and the members will riot and rightly so.

Completely idiotic suggestion, and I don't believe a word of it, to be honest.

Hopefully for your sake the mods will delete this as it doesn’t belong here.

The Queensland government and the AFL are pushing hard to get someone to play at least 2 games a year in Cairns and Hawthorn is at the top of the list and it is most likely happening once the Tassie deal finishes. I dare say as a part of the deal we would be pushing to have access to all North Queensland talent.

 

[HawthornHawk]

Hopefully for your sake the mods will delete this as it doesn’t belong here.

The Queensland government and the AFL are pushing hard to get someone to play at least 2 games a year in Cairns and Hawthorn is at the top of the list and it is most likely happening once the Tassie deal finishes. I dare say as a part of the deal we would be pushing to have access to all North Queensland talent.

Sounds like the club really took missing out on Jack Bowes to heart

 

[OnTheRocks]

What a load of tripe.

If anyone at Hawthorn is actually asking to swap the Launceston games for games in FNQ they should be taken outside and shot.

We should be demanding more MCG games, not playing in a sweaty red-hot climate where our players go from cold Melbourne to humid Cairns and back again - for 4 games??

We are cashed up, have a huge membership and should be playing more games in Vic.

So your 'whisper' is we 'might' play 'up to' 4 games in Cairns - but no-one has 'got back to Hawthorn' from The QLD govt, but you know for a fact they are 'very interested'..

Or heard back from the AFL. Or sorted out the mix of games at Melbourne stadiums.


Play 3 or 4 games up there and the members will riot and rightly so.

Completely idiotic suggestion, and I don't believe a word of it, to be honest.

Awesome melt
Can't wait for some games up in Cairns, poker at the casino, bit of footy, eat a few mud crabs & prawns. Jump in the pool to wash the sweat off, down a few coldies.
Plenty of supporters up here in Qld would love to see them play live more often, come on up & for you I'll even ..

 

[Topiary]

The MCG is full. Don’t think we will get 4 might be 2. That is problematic. Might only get one. Both StKilda, Essendon and to a degree Carlton want more games at the MCG.

The club still want a presence in Tasmania after the Devils come in.
Still looking at 2 games a year down there, with an annual ‘Hawks vs Devils Derby’ alternating between Hobart and Launceston.

Yes it does, but the AFL have not committed to it yet.

 

[Topiary]

Sounds like the club really took missing out on Jack Bowes to heart

What it didn’t like is missing out on the first round draft pick. As I reported at the time it came to this conclusion over a weekend and was not professional about it. Fortunately the HFC is far better at it now, much more strategic and has a plan.