Nostalgia and worry as Hawthorn's Launceston era nears its end

As Hawthorn's penultimate season in Launceston concludes, a blend of sadness, nostalgia, and hope permeates the club and the northern Tasmanian community. The team is currently third on the AFL ladder with only three rounds remaining, positioning them well for finals action.

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There's a bit of sadness and nostalgia around.

David Cox, Hawthorn's head of operations in Tasmania, acknowledged the mixed emotions surrounding the end of the club's 25-year presence in Launceston. "That's a really significant part of Hawthorn's story, we've won four flags while we've been part of … that partnership," he said.

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That's a really significant part of Hawthorn's story, we've won four flags while we've been part of … that partnership.

Since 2001, the Tasmanian government has paid Hawthorn approximately one million dollars per game to play four matches annually in Launceston. In 2022 alone, these games generated $20.8 million in direct expenditure and $23.6 million in total economic impact for the state, attracting about 12,500 attendees per game, with 16 percent traveling from interstate or overseas.

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It's just sensational.

For a community already facing the closure of Boag's brewery and the Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter, the departure of the Hawks represents another significant blow. "Losing the Hawks, coupled with losing Boag's, coupled now with loosing Liberty Bell Bay up in George Town, is horrible for the town, really," said Alex Britton, a restaurant co-owner and Launceston City Councillor. The AFL's decision to focus on the new Tasmania Devils team starting in 2028 means Hawthorn will play its final home game at York Park next season, a move the club expressed "extreme disappointment" over.

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Because it's the second-last year that we're going to be over here, people are really experiencing their last efforts.