Hawthorn chasing state money for AFL base

Hawthorn expect the Victorian government will chip in for the club’s new $100 million headquarters despite president Jeff Kennett’s ongoing stoush with Premier Daniel Andrews.

On Thursday, the Hawks welcomed $15 million in federal government funding for the project, which will begin next year.

The club will contribute “in excess” of $30 million to the project, which will include administration, elite training and community facilities.

But Kennett believes his criticism of the Andrews government’s bungled hotel quarantine system has cost the club funding.

The outspoken Hawks president told News Corp the state government was “playing politics” at the expense of the Dingley community in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs.

Four rival AFL clubs have received funding commitments from the state government over the past week.

Hawthorn chief executive Justin Reeves said the club is still working with all levels of government on the project.

“As we stand here today, we don’t have a firm commitment from the state government, but that relationship is really strong,” Reeves said.

“We feel like they’ll be a participant in this project at some stage and hopefully before too long.”

The Hawks’ Kennedy Community Centre – named after club legend John Kennedy Snr, who died in June – will include a base for the club’s administration, as well as its men’s and women’s football programs.

The women’s oval and accompanying pavilion will be key planks in the Hawks’ bid for an AFLW licence.

“It’s been something that we’ve been passionate about for some time and we’ve been working closely with the AFL to make sure that Hawthorn has an AFLW team sooner rather than later,” Reeves said.

“It’s really important for the whole Hawthorn family.

“We expect that we’ll be in the AFLW before long and that we’ll have the best facilities for an AFLW program.”

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