A team talk from AFL legend Simon Black was a highlight of the International Cup for the New Zealand Hawks.
The Brisbane Lions stalwart, who has New Zealand heritage, spoke to the team the night before their win over the USA Revolution.
In Black’s words, he saw the passion and ambition in the New Zealand Hawks team.
Simon Black is a player who has done everything in the game. A Brownlow medallist and winner of multiple Premierships, few who have played AFL have ever been as highly regarded.
He now coaches the forwards for the Brisbane Lions, the team who he represented across his entire career.
The experience and knowledge that Black was able to pass on to the team during his talk will be invaluable for their development as AFL players.
Throughout his discussion of skills and tactics, the players soaked up the information.
A Haka performed by the New Zealand Hawks in honour of Simon Black.They also showed their gratitude to Simon Black for taking the time to speak to them, performing a haka in his honour, which in New Zealand is a mark of great respect.
Simon Black has previously been involved with AFL New Zealand, speaking at the 2014 AFL New Zealand High Performance Awards during ANZAC Week.
His role in the event was as a selector of the AFL New Zealand Heritage Team, a team of players who have New Zealand heritage competing at the top level of the sport.
While Simon was a selector in 2014, he was named as a member of the team in 2013.
Simon Black passing on some of his extensive AFL knowledge to the New Zealand Hawks.
