HAWTHORN has revealed it turned down a ``generous'' financial sweetener from the AFL to let North Melbourne take over as Tasmania's resident club.
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Club president Jeff Kennett yesterday went public on some of the private dealings that preceded the
announcement that the Hawks had re-signed with the state government to play four games a year at
Launceston's Aurora Stadium.
As revealed by The Examiner on Saturday, the five-year $18 million deal was preferred to a 10-year,
$70 million offer to bring North Melbourne to the state for seven games a year.
Premier David Bartlett said the cabinet could not justify spending so much money on North
Melbourne when relocation was not on the table and there were other budget priorities.
In welcoming the new Hawthorn deal, Mr Kennett found time to accuse the Bartlett government of
disrespect, AFL Tasmania of being bitter and the Kangaroos of being passionless about the state.
``We were approached by the AFL with an inducement for Hawthorn to leave Tasmania so that North
could move there and we rejected it because it was fundamentally financially based,'' he said.
``Tasmania should never be the dumping ground for clubs with issues.''
Mr Kennett said now AFL football was locked in at Aurora Stadium until 2017 he wants to see the
stadium reach a 40,000-capacity.
