Arabic version: حقبة هوثورن في لونسيستون تقترب من موسمها الأخير

According to ABC News, Hawthorn’s penultimate season in Launceston is closing with sadness, nostalgia and hope as the club prepares to end a 25-year partnership with northern Tasmania. The Hawks have played state-sponsored home games at York Park since 2001, but the arrangement will finish after the 2027 season ahead of the Tasmania Devils’ AFL debut in 2028.

Hawthorn entered its match against North Melbourne third on the AFL ladder, with three home-and-away rounds remaining after the weekend. David Cox, Hawthorn’s head of operations in Tasmania, said there was “a bit of sadness and nostalgia” around the game, describing the Launceston partnership as a significant part of the club’s story. Hawthorn has won four flags during the partnership.

The games have also brought visitors and spending to the region. Hawthorn has been paid about $1 million per game by the Tasmanian government to play four games a year in Launceston. PriceWaterhouseCoopers found that Hawthorn games in Launceston generated $20.8 million in direct expenditure and $23.6 million in total economic impact to Tasmania in 2022. About 12,500 people attended each game that year, including 16 per cent from interstate or overseas.

Launceston City Councillor and restaurant co-owner Alex Britton said the Hawks’ exit was a “major hit” for a community also facing the impending closures of Boag’s Brewery and the Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter. However, he said he hoped Devils home games at York Park would provide needed custom for hospitality businesses. Cox said Hawthorn hoped to return when the Devils enter the competition, envisaging a sellout Devils home game against the Hawks.