CEO Justin Reeves has provided the following update for Hawks fans...

Hi everyone, 

Firstly, to all our Melbourne supporters, please know that we are thinking of you during this time and will be doing everything possible to keep you entertained and engaged with your Hawthorn family across the next six weeks.

At present, I am in Sydney with a travelling party of approximately 80 players, coaches, and staff. While we are privileged to have been granted the opportunity to spend a period of time here in NSW to keep the 2020 season ticking along, we are also incredibly conscious of the tough times our families and members back in Victoria are currently facing.

I have sat in on several footy meetings over my first couple of days here and it has been clear to me that the players and coaches are acutely aware of the opportunity they have to bring excitement and joy to the broader Hawthorn family. Both of these are much needed in 2020 and rest assured our players approach every game with a desire and a will to bring these emotions to our entire Hawthorn family.

So far, we have all settled in well here in Sydney. We are still living under strict AFL protocols and with a five-day turn around have had very little time to stop and take a breath since arriving last Sunday. It has been quite a whirlwind, but as is the case with challenging times, it has highlighted the best of our football club. We have seen so many people; players, staff and coaches, take on added responsibilities within their roles, chip-in to help one another out and band together to ensure business continues to be as normal as possible. Every single person has approached this period with a club first approach, and I could not be prouder to be part of the Hawthorn family.

With the borders to NSW now closed, there has been quite a bit of noise in the media about what this means for the AFL fixture. At this stage, we have committed to 32 days on the road, with at least our first fortnight here in Sydney. This is what we continue to plan for and focus on. As we have consistently said, we would love the opportunity to play games in Tasmania at some stage in 2020. We continue to engage all the necessary stakeholders, to ensure that when it is safe to do so, we can make this a reality. Our Tassie family is an integral part of our club and we would love the chance to once again play footy in our home away from home.

We are working closely with the AFL to ensure that the welfare of our people remains the number one priority as we navigate our way through the various challenges of the 2020 season. We approach each challenge with an open mind and a positive attitude, and to date, it has served us well. We sit at 3 wins and 2 losses, having played 3 of the top 4 four sides from 2019 in the first 5 rounds of the season. Hopefully, we can make this one better tomorrow night, as we take on another quality opposition, the Pies.

In keeping with the theme of opportunity and excitement, I was very lucky this morning to witness two young men be told of their pending debut for the Hawks. Our clash with the Pies will see both Will Day and Josh Morris begin their careers in the brown and gold. This is fantastic news for both men, their families, and our club. Will and Josh are both fantastic people and exciting talents and we cannot wait to see what they can contribute tomorrow night and hopefully over many years to come. We captured and will share exclusively with you the moment they were told the exciting news!

As I said earlier, we are facing some tough times in Victoria, but the priority remains the health and wellbeing of all Australians. If we continue to stick together, abide by the rules, and keep connected, we will get through to the other side. We are the family club in name and nature, and we will continue to find ways to stay connected, always.

Stay safe and go Hawks!

Reevesy