Liam Shiels needed just one word to affirm Hawthorn's commitment to Tasmania.
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Heading into the penultimate season of a five-year deal with the state government, the Hawks are yet to lock in a new agreement to play games in Launceston past 2021.
The increasing likelihood of a Tasmanian AFL team looms as an uncertain cloud on the Hawks' horizon, yet there is little doubt about the club's desire to take its Apple Isle deal into a third decade.
In between kick-to-kicks and turning snags at the Hawks' Riverbend Park family function on Tuesday, Shiels spoke in no uncertain terms about whether he'd like to see a new deal struck.
"Absolutely," the 28-year-old midfielder said.
"We love coming down here. Our record's really good ... we've got our little routine, we normally stay in the same place and go the the same cafes pre-game, so as players we love coming down to Tassie.
"We get out to the schools once a year and every year it continues to grow and you see more and more Hawthorn supporters and I think our attendances at games down here are really good.
"As a player that's been coming down here for 11 years it's nice to see so many Hawthorn supporters at a young age that have jumped on the bandwagon."
The Hawks will train at Windsor Park on Wednesday before heading home later in the week.
They will return for a March 6 pre-season clash with Melbourne at UTAS Stadium before taking on Adelaide, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide and West Coast in the home and away season.
Of those visiting sides all but Port Adelaide boast at least one Tasmanian player, with Grant Birchall's exit leaving the Hawks without a Tasmanian on their list for the first time since 2004.
"It was a little bit disappointing losing Birch, he's a superstar player of our footy club but also the competition," Shiels said.
"We've really enjoyed having a Tassie player on the list and over the next couple of years that's probably something that may happen."
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