Hawthorn’s Kennedy Community Centre at Dingley continues construction
Hawthorn’s new facility at Dingley has already played its role in snaring big-name recruits Josh Battle and Tom Barrass, and more recruiting raids could be on the way when it’s done.
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They are the exclusive photos that show Hawthorn’s latest recruiting weapon ‘Destination Dingley’ is not far from completion.
The club’s new Kennedy Community Centre is now 60 per cent complete, with Hawthorn believing is new state-of-the-art home base and training facility will be the envy of the AFL competition.
The facility will include an elite training and admin facility, MCG-sized oval with lighting, indoor training facility and AFLW and community oval with three-level pavilion that includes full broadcast capabilities and grandstand seating.
And while the $113 million facility will, according to Hawthorn CEO Ash Klein, be the “envy of the competition”, it has already reaped dividends for this exciting new list under Sam Mitchell.
The Dingley precinct has already been a major part of the club’s pitch to new recruits Tom Barrass and Josh Battle, who both visited the site during the club’s recruiting raid on Hawthorn’s new key backs.
Coach Sam Mitchell and his wife Lyndell might have been the headline items as Hawthorn lured Battle from down the road in Moorabbin and Barrass and his family across the Nullarbor.
But the club believes the vision pitched by Hawthorn through the club and football boss Rob McCartney of life in the Kennedy Community Centre was another key element of landing the pair.
Both will come on hefty wage packets but Hawthorn still has vast cap space and believes the club’s recruiting raid is only warming up given the club’s premiership window is opening up and the Hawthorn is again a destination club.
President Andy Gowers spoke of that reality when construction began in Dingley in February as the Federal and State governments pitched in $15 million each, saying it would enhance “Hawthorn’s standing as a destination club in the AFL, both for its AFL and AFLW programs”.
While the project was at one stage delayed by 12 months, the new photos show the progress made in recent months ahead of competition of stage one of the project by the second half of 2025.
The light towers have been installed around the AFLW Oval and steel works and roofing on the administration area, indoor theatre and indoor training field have started taking shape.
The main oval has had sand laid in readiness for the first turf placements in coming days, with turf to be laid on the AFLW oval by the end of the calendar year.
The two elite playing fields will allow the Hawks to have a training field always available for AFL and AFLW teams, with the club planning to host AFLW, VFL and community games at the Kennedy Centre.
Klein told the Herald Sun said he could not wait for Hawthorn fans to see the finished product.
It is likely the men’s and women’s program would make an immediate move into facility once it is complete next year, even if they are mid-season.
The cramped Waverley precinct has served its purpose during the club’s four premierships from 2008-2015 but is now bursting at the seams
“Construction works at the Kennedy Community Centre are progressing rapidly with more than 60 per cent of all works now complete,” Klein said.
“Once complete, our high-performance facilities with be a long-term home and elite destination for our players, staff and members.
“This is further enhanced by community accessible facilities, which will be benefit local sporting & community groups and activate our precinct”
“I think our fans and members should be genuinely excited about what the finished project will look like, it will be the envy of the competition.”
Hawthorn is raising $5 million through donations as it raises $73 million for the project, which comes at a perfect time for the club to deliver equitable facilities for its men’s and women’s sides.
Richmond is attempting to fund a $100 million Punt Road development but is still in the planning stage of a revamp which would include equal playing facilities for both sides and a realigned MCG-oval oval.
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Originally published as Hawthorn’s Kennedy Community Centre at Dingley continues construction
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