The old Waverley park is set for a massive upgrade. Picture: David Caird Source: HWT Image Library
IT is the blueprint to keep Hawthorn ahead in footy's arms race.
Club chiefs have spent 12 months fine-tuning the club's action plan for the next five years. It's a document that will frighten the hell out of some of its rivals.
A custom-built football factory for the next generation. Significantly increased revenue. Membership breaking through 80,000. And consistent top-four finishes.
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Flipping through the 16 glossy pages of the battle plan entitled All For One - the title taken from the Hawks' theme song - the outlook for the brown and gold could hardly be rosier.
Sitting in the shadows of the only remaining wedge of the Waverley Park grandstand, president Andrew Newbold knows the club can't afford to stand still.
That's what happened in 1996, when the club almost merged with Melbourne.
The new strategy is designed to ensure the club is never in the same position.
Newbold credited the regeneration of the Hawks to the supporters and staff.
"I'm pretty proud, but the thing that makes me proudest is really the people we have at the club," Newbold said.
"What has happened is due in no small part to them. People like me come and go, but members and a lot of our staff have been here however long.
Hawthorn Football Club reveals its business plan exclusively to the Herald Sun. Included in the plan are details about proposed redevelopment of its Waverley training base. CEO Stuart Fox with club president Andrew Newbold Picture: Pinder Lawrence Source: HWT Image Library
"They are the ones who have seen it from where it was in 1996 to where it is now."
But the challenges remain.
To pay for the estimated $35 million Waverley upgrade, the club needs to raise cash. Even more to establish a second training base, which will enable it to train away from prying eyes.
The second home will likely be established with a school or other community facility.
Giving an insight into the scale of the Hawks' review, the club considered a full relocation of Waverley.
Chief executive Stuart Fox said the club still faced a huge challenge to finance the developments.
"We are a little bit landlocked with Waverley Park," Fox said. "We have had some consultants do some work on it (Waverley), and it is pretty scary the costs and a huge challenge to try and raise that capital.
"In the AFL, we know there are some other clubs making big progress with their facilities and when a couple of the clubs finish their current ones they are going to be right up there.
"We do not want to get left behind.
"This place was considered a benchmark six or seven years ago, now the challenges of working within an old building are there."
To finance the refurbishment, Hawthorn has increased its non-football investments.
One is West Waters, a multi-purpose entertainment complex in Caroline Springs.
In all, the club wants to increase its consolidated net assets from $24 million to more than $38 million over the next five years.
The 58 per cent increase includes aggressive gains in merchandise and membership. Renewing the club's deal to play four games a season in Tasmania is vital to the plan.
But it is the on-field targets which Newbold said were most challenging.
In the club's previous business plan, the Hawks named two premierships. That goal has been amended to maintaining a top-four finish over the next five seasons.
Club legend Dermott Brereton has said the club must win a flag in the next few years before it faced a major transition phase, replacing a brigade of veteran stars such as captain Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell.
Newbold is confident the club can remain at the top.
"That is one of the true challenges in the document, and we all know you are a couple of injuries away from missing the top eight," Newbold said.
"We have a lot of confidence in our recruiting and Graeme Wright, and the challenge to him is to replace the stars and have young blokes coming up ready to step up into their shoes.
"We are under no illusions that is a tough ask in this environment where if you stand still for five minutes you get overtaken.
"People might say 'oh there is not two premierships stated in this document'.
"To say that we are going to finish top four for the next five years I think is arguably more challenging."
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