Why I am running for President of the Hawthorn Football Club
A letter from Andy Gowers to Hawthorn Members
Dear Hawthorn members,
I’ve loved the Hawthorn Football Club from the moment I walked through the players’ entrance at Glenferrie Oval.
Taking the field in the brown and gold across seven seasons, was one of the greatest privileges of my life, especially our 1991 flag against the Eagles.
My later return as Football Director was equally rewarding, including the two premiership seasons in 2014 and 2015, completing our three-peat.
At every stage, the words of the great Doctor Sandy Ferguson - President when Graham Arthur held up Hawthorn’s first premiership cup in 1961 – live with me.
“If you embrace Hawthorn, Hawthorn will embrace you.”
It is with all of this in mind that I decided to run for President of the Hawthorn Football Club in this year’s election - to give back to our Club, which has given us so much.
I am running to get our Club back to its very best.
As President, I will implement my three-point plan:
Unity – ‘A happy team at Hawthorn’
I know from experience that footy clubs, like all healthy organisations, perform best when everyone is working together inside and outside of the four walls.
We will ensure a playing and working environment where people can thrive and work together constructively towards our shared vision.
You, our members, are the reason we exist and by achieving unity across the Club, we will provide the best support to Sam, Bec, our assistant coaches, our players and the whole football department, as we compete for silverware.
Real democracy, governance and transparency are essential to achieving unity.
As President I will:
Implement a permanent Board Nominations Committee, recommending nominations, but also having open and transparent elections, so we genuinely represent the views and values of you, our members.
Engage with players from across the generations, including our First Nations representatives, to learn the lessons from the past and truly be the Family Club; a title we must continue to earn and own.
Endorse the appointment of a full-time General Manager for Indigenous Development to advise the Club on best practice, working in partnership with First Nations players and staff, and ensuring they are supported.
Work positively with current and future commercial partners, the AFL community, all levels of government and of course the mighty Box Hill Hawks.
One of my first priorities is to unify the Board and work together to build on the positives and reflect honestly on areas where we can improve.
2. Family Club – ‘One for All and All for One’
We have been tested in many ways since the outbreak of Covid-19.
I am grateful to all our members, supporters and partners who have stuck with us, and for the hard work being done by so many outstanding and dedicated people.
We need to get our Club back to its best so it can support future football success. I know we can turn things around quite quickly and can’t wait to begin.
Successfully landing a fully funded Kennedy Community Centre and building on our strong financial base with committed members, partners and sponsors will be key priorities of my presidency.
Making prudent decisions with our new Future Fund to diversify our financial base outside of our football related revenue, will also be very important.
It also means resourcing our football department to win more flags, while rebuilding our membership to be the largest and most engaged in the competition.
As President, I will do everything in my power to guide our great and much-loved Club back to being our best by:
Engaging members and reaching out to Hawthorn people from all walks of life to advance the interests of our Club.
Resolving our future in Tasmania and sharing the news with you all, so we know the plan, especially our Tassie Members and supporters.
Respecting the history of Glenferrie Oval and Bunjil Bagora (Waverley Park) by ensuring that Hawthorn retains a meaningful connection to the two home grounds that hold such significance for us all.
Hosting more meaningful member events, including with our AFL and AFLW players.
Communicating clearly about the governance of our Club by holding regular gatherings to give you a voice, hear first-hand from the Club and listen to what matters to you directly.
Never, under my leadership, allow the Club to get back into the business of making money through pokies and gaming machines.
3. Success – ‘We Play to Win’
As a former premiership player and football director at our Club, if you choose me as President, I will draw on my 35-year experience in football to give our teams the best chance for success.
Like every other member, I want the Hawthorn Football Club to win premierships and always be respected for what we do when the siren sounds.
Our high-performance culture can set the standard for others to follow and be supported across every part of the Club.
We have been an inspiration for successful sporting clubs across Australia and beyond - we can be again.
As President, I commit to the following to give ourselves the best chance of enduring success:
Provide Bec, Sam and the football department and the players with the support they need and deserve.
Ensure we are maximising the football department soft cap, which we were not in a position to do in 2022 for well-documented reasons.
Use all available resources to make Hawthorn a destination club for the best talent from around Australia.
Earn respect within the AFL community. Now we finally have our AFLW licence and with a young and developing list in both our women’s and men’s teams, we expect to improve our fixture as we rise up both ladders.
Our next great era does not have to be a long time coming – we’ve seen other clubs turn their football fortunes around with off-field stability and I know we have an exciting opportunity to do exactly that.
I am ready to lead the next chapter in the history of our wonderful Club. I have the professional experience and the personal qualities required to deliver success.
I’d like to personally thank all of you who have reached out to offer your support and endorsement. I appreciate your passion for the Club, and your willingness to speak up and contribute to the future we will shape together.
You know as well as I do that the Hawthorn Football Club is a special place full of special people, and we know we are capable of great things when we work together in the right spirit – that’s the Hawthorn Way.
It would be my honour to represent all members as President.
I will bring a new style of leadership to Hawthorn and if you do give me that opportunity, I give you my word that I will serve the Club once again to the very best of my ability, with integrity and genuine commitment.
Yours, always, in Brown and Gold,
Andy Gowers
