Nerves, excitement for Hawkins ahead of Beaufort appearance

GEELONG legend Tom Hawkins became accustomed to being a part of big games during a stellar 359-game AFL career with the Cats, highlighted by a trio of premiership wins.

But the 36-year-old is not afraid to admit the nerves he is experiencing heading into his one-off appearance this Saturday for Central Highlands Football League club Beaufort is something altogether different.

Hawkins, who called time on his 18-year AFL career at the end of the 2024 season, said not even all his big-match experience could sufficiently prepare him for the ‘unknowns’ of his big date for the Crows against Hepburn at Goldfields Recreation Reserve at 2.30pm on Saturday.

“I’m ready to go. Fit? Well, I’d put an asterisk next to fit because I’m not as fit as I’ve been, but I’m hoping I’m good enough to be country football fit,” Hawkins said on Thursday.

“I’m real excited but starting to get nervous and get a bit antsy about playing because there are a lot more unknowns.

“I have never been to the ground; I don’t know what the opposition is like; I don’t know my teammates, apart from a few I met on the Carlton Draft night.

“They seem like great kids, albeit they’re not kids, but being double their age it certainly seems that way.

“But I am really looking forward to it – it’s going to be a big day.

“First and foremost, I am there to play footy and all the other stuff is a bonus on the side for me and the community.”

Providing some solace for Hawkins, he has already had one taste of country football this season, lining up for Finley against Deniliquin Rams on Good Friday.

In an encouraging sign for the Crows this weekend, he kicked four goals in a 15-point win.

It was a victorious and emotional return to grassroots for Hawkins, who was born in Finley, and a cathartic trip down memory lane.

“The guy who played on me was about a foot shorter than me, but a lot more athletic; and they played one off one of our high half forwards, who sat in and around the front of me,” he said.

“Tactically they can do what they like, but the game was played in really good spirits.

“It was a really fun day, so if we can copy and paste the crowd and the fact the game was close, it would be great.”

Hawkins’ Finley appearance was his first for his hometown club since 2005, as a 16-year-old lining up in the seniors.

“Funnily enough, you think townships move on – and they do – but there was a guy Paul Massinghham, or Ralphy as we refer to him as; he was playing back then, so I got to play with him again,” he said.

“And also Matt Jackson, who I went to school with, but was a year below me.

“I played a lot footy with Matty in the juniors and got to play in my first senior game at Finley with him, so that was pretty cool as well.”

Hawkins has made his way to Beaufort as pick number one in this year’s Carlton Draft, an initiative that gives struggling country football clubs a dream chance to draft an iconic former AFL star for a one-off-game.

He will line up for a Crows team chasing its second win of the season.

Rivals Hepburn will also be aiming for its second win.

Hawkins is hoping to see a big crowd at Beaufort and would like nothing more than to contribute a few goals in a Crows victory.

He will wear his familiar number 26 following a well-received gesture by Crows captain Cormac Mahony to relinquish his jumper for the day.

“On draft night, tongue in cheek, as a bit of a conversation starter, I said to the captain, ‘what’s the team like and just out of interest, 26 isn’t free, is it’,” Hawkins said.

“He told me that he might have to vacate it, to which I thought, this is a bad start, asking the captain for his number.

“Then I thought about it and said give me 48 or something, or a real heavy number, as I’m basically a ring in.

“But as long as it fits, I’ll accept, I don’t want anything too tight.

“It’s a really nice thing for him (Mahony) to do.”