- Co-coaches: Ruth Tuohy, Kellie Woolnough
- Captain: Danni Pickett
- Finished: Minor premiers (P12 W12 L0 F929 A528 175.95% 48pts)
- Semi-final: d Cripps 71-49
TEN months ago in real time - but what seems much more in coronavirus terms - Northern Hawks used their pre-season camp at Ulverstone's Camp Clayton to reflect on how far the club had come.
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Approaching a decade since renaming themselves from the Northern Saints, the club is preparing for its fifth consecutive grand final and the prospect of completing a perfect season undefeated.
But the memory of losing last year's decider to their Silverdome co-tenants will protect against any hint of complacency as the team coached by Ruth Tuohy and Kellie Woolnough seeks a 14th win from 14 fixtures this season.
"We talked about how far the club has come and the 19s only just missing out in the semi-final is an example of that," Tuohy said.
"When we had difficult years we got through them and this is for all the people that contribute, not just the players but all those behind the scenes that really make a difference.
"Five years of making grand finals is all for them and great for Northern Tasmania."
Tuohy admitted last season's grand final loss to the Cavs would get a mention but not dominate this week's preparations.
"We will reflect on last year this week, but we are very much a different team now.
"We're very grateful just to be back on court and we'll talk about that but it's a fresh year with a different team and a different mindset and having had such a great season, we want to finish it off with a final reward.
"It's great to be there again when we've worked particularly hard."
Despite amassing twice as many points on the ladder as their opponents, Hawks took a while to assert their superiority over Cripps in the semi-final.
"We took a long time to get settled and they took advantage of that, but once we got onto our gameplan we were in control.
It's a fresh year with a different team and a different mindset
- Ruth Tuohy
"We had some nerves out there because you never can tell with finals.
"That's the first time we've had such a close game for a while so we'll assess that at training and what may be thrown at us.
"We never dropped our heads, refocused, reset and are really excited with another opportunity in a final."
Since defeating Arrows by a single goal in round one and Cavaliers by four in round three, Hawks have looked untouchable.
An 18-goal loss to Cripps in round six was the closest any team has come as the minor premiers amassed winning margins of 66, 38, 32, 35, 22, 65, 42, 56 and 22 in the semi-final.