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It’s February, and that can only mean one thing, a Hawks Insiders Pre-Season check in with High Performance Manager, Peter Burge.

Ash Browne and Danny Prins had the privilege of sitting down with one of the most important people at the Hawthorn Football Club, at a time of the year where seasons can’t be won, but they can definitely be lost.

In a wide-ranging and ever engaging conversation, Burge took the Insiders through:

* His opinions on the pre-season, how it has differed from last year to this year and some of the key challenges that have to be overcome because of a shortened pre-season;

* How the Hawks have, in general, avoided injuries so far in pre-season and what are some of the reasons the Hawks are in a good place in terms of list health, touching on recoveries of James Blanck and Mitch Lewis;

* Will Day’s late season injury, Changkouth Jiath’s 2024, off-season shoulder surgery for James Sicily and other things the playing group has dealt with over the off-season;

* Calsher Dear’s back stress fracture, how it was a surprise and what the trigger was for it;

* The newbies (Matt Hill, Jaime Uhr-Henry, Cody Anderson and Noah Mraz) and how they have fit in. Plus the additions of Tom Barras and Josh Battle;

* Dingley and the excitement that is building ahead of the move;

* and so, so much more…

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