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Season 2026 is upon us and the Hawks fired up in sweltering conditions in their first pre-season hitout at the KCC.

The Hawks prevailed by 17 points over the Cats — 16.15 (111) to 14.10 (94) — in front of a healthy brown and gold turnout at our new home.

There was plenty to like, and plenty to refine. But for a first official outing at KCC, 16 goals and a 17-point win over the Cats is a pretty nice way to christen the place.

Listen as Ash, Mick and Brad discussed:

* The midfield mix and why Ward is trending towards the clear No.2 behind Jai;

* What we need from our centre bounce rotations in 2026.

* Reeves and Meek: how the ruck balance looked and why synergy matters more than raw hitout numbers this time of year;

* Sam Butler’s statement game — forward pressure, elite tackling and whether he’s now locked into our best 23;

* Mitch Lewis’ presence up forward and how the mix of Lewis, Dear, Chol and (eventually) Gunston shapes the structure;

* The kids watch — Noah Mraz competing hard and Aiden Schubert showing promise;

* Why Flynn Perez is pressing hard for that SSP spot;

* The upcoming Round One matchup against a GWS side dealing with significant injuries;

* First impressions of the Kennedy Community Centre — strong crowd, great energy… and yes, the melted bitumen in the car park;

* And much much more.

We’ll be back later in the week with our mid-week pod featuring all your listener questions (don’t forget to get them in via our socials).

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