Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett has reaffirmed the club’s desire to play games in Tasmania in 2020.
“Hawthorn want to play there, we have a high membership there, we contribute a great deal to the state, we’ve been there 20 years,” Kennett told SEN on Thursday.
“We believe we should be, and we’ve argued with the AFL that we want to play games there this season.
“We’re absolutely committed.”
Read: What might the fixture look like for the rest of 2020?
The Hawthorn president says he hopes Tasmanians can enjoy the morale boost that comes with watching your team play.
“Once we can start playing our sport again, many Australians will (breathe) a sigh of relief,“ Kennett said.
“That is why we want to play in Tasmania, because Tasmanians [are] entitled to that morale boost.”
While Tasmanian borders are currently closed to interstate visitors, the club’s plan to play in Tasmania could still be realised in the latter part of the season if restrictions continue to ease.
CEO Justin Reeves said the club is consulting the Tasmanian Government to ensure an outcome that best benefits the Tasmanian people.
“We are working closely with the Tasmanian Government around what a return to AFL in Tasmania may look like and the precautions and protocols that would need to be met in order for this to occur,” said Reeves.
“We have made our position clear to the AFL and will work with them to facilitate a return to football in Tassie at some point in 2020.
“Hawthorn is proud of its partnership with Tasmania and the mutually beneficial relationship both parties have worked together to build over the past 20 years. Despite the challenges of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to our partnership and to assisting Tasmania through these challenging times.”
