It’s an understatement to say that a lot has changed at Hawthorn in the last 24 months.
Four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson announced in mid-2021 that he was leaving Waverley Park after the club’s coaching succession plan embarrassingly imploded.
Sam Mitchell took over for the 2022 season, 12 months ahead of expectation.
Meanwhile, Clarkson was paid $900,000 by the club to travel the world.
Additionally, high-profile president Jeff Kennett announced he was stepping aside early last year. Kennett and the board hoped for a seamless handover to sitting board member Peter Nankivell, whom the board had nominated for president.
It was anything but seamless.
Hawthorn premiership player and ex-board member and former football director Andy Gowers decided to run for president.
Gowers was the preferred candidate of the club’s influential supporter group ‘Hawks for Change’.
This created a factional divide and resulted in months of ugly, public fighting and back and forths amongst the candidates and their supporters.
Gowers accused Kennett of costing the club $25 million in government funding and cash from wealthy club backers.
Former players Don Scott, Peter Hudson, Peter Knights, Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis and Campbell Brown threw their support behind Nankivell.
It finally came to a head in December at the club’s AGM where all members had the opportunity to vote for their preferred president.
Gowers was victorious, signalling the end of the Kennett era. Kennett went out swinging and told Gowers to “put up or shut up” referring to the money Gowers accused Kennett of losing.
The role of President wasn’t the only change.
Former Hawthorn skipper and the club’s director of football since 2016, Richie Vandenberg, stood down in response to the election result.
Former Victoria Deputy Premier James Merlino was also elected to the board.
Gowers wants to leave the past behind and unite as a club.
"With the election behind us it is time to unite and focus firmly on our future," said Gowers when appointed.
He added later: "I want to get the club back in one piece, the family club, united and moving ahead with a common purpose."
This will be difficult to do until the findings of the independent investigation into allegations of racism at the club have been finalised. The time frame for this happening keeps being extended and it is anyone’s guess when it will be completed.
Then there’s the on-field change.
Impressive new coach Mitchell is convinced he knows what it takes to build a list capable of winning a premiership.
In just 12 months he has savagely cut the list as the club looks to rebuild. The Hawks will start this season as the AFL’s youngest team - they have just three players who have played 150 games or more.
Former premiership champion Luke Hodge understands what Mitchell is doing but he says it will come with some on-field pain.
Additionally, the club will appoint a new captain in the next week or so.
It’s hard to think of a club that has changed so dramatically in such a short period of time.
Is it just the start of a new, exciting and successful era for the once-powerful Hawks?
Have they laid strong foundations? Or will it result in repeated and damaging on-field beatings?
Will Kennett keep slinging mud from the grandstands?
How savage will the sanctions be from the racism investigation and will frustration from fans who haven't seen the team win a final for five years boil over?
Andy Gowers has a lot to ponder.