The event, at UTas Stadium, also saw 16 Hawks players spend more than four hours assisting the keen young athletes along with players from Launceston Tornadoes basketball and Northern Hawks netball teams.

Hawthorn’s Tasmanian operations manager David Cox said the highlight was a mini-match between the Prospect Hawks and the East Launceston junior football teams which saw four Hawks join in.

“Hawthorn recognises it has a role to play in encouraging young Tasmanians to lead active, healthy lives,” Cox said.

“Football is a fantastic platform for communicating the importance of being physically active, of working and playing with other people and of the importance of just getting in there and having a go.

“This is an important step in working together to grow participation in football.”