HAWTHORN CEO Stuart Fox said the club has plans in place to guard against its premiership window of opportunity closing.
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The Hawks claimed their third straight flag with the oldest premiership team in AFL history on Saturday but the club is determined to learn from the post-millennium experiences of Brisbane and Geelong and maximise its period of dominance.
‘‘The competition is designed to be cyclic,’’ Fox told Fairfax Media.
‘‘The AFL has put rules in to set the competition up so that one team does not dominate for a long period of time.
‘‘We’ve been able to get a list together that probably works against the odds a bit.
‘‘What is important is that we guard against going to the bottom of the ladder and we’ve been planning for that for a year or two.’’
Fox said the club’s tactical use of the draft and free agency had been pivotal to its success, recruiting the likes of Josh Gibson, David Hale, Shaun Burgoyne, Jack Gunston, James Frawley, Ben McEvoy and Brian Lake with the genuine prospect of winning a premiership.
With Hale, 31, and Lake, 33, among the players reportedly contemplating retirement and Burgoyne (32), Gibson (31), Luke Hodge (31) and Sam Mitchell (33 on Monday) all 30-somethings, Fox said it is imperative that the club continues to recruit wisely.
‘‘Over the last five years we’ve done everything possible to keep topping up the list with quality players that have gone on to be part of a successful era,’’ he said.
‘‘We are well aware that our list is getting a little older. Some individuals are approaching retirement but some of our oldest players have been our best, they’ve really matured with age. There are little signs of them falling away and when that’s the case you back them in.
‘‘The club will continue to plan ahead for future changes as I’m sure all clubs do.’’
Fox also stressed that the Hawks retain plenty of untried youngsters who are champing at the bit to play their part.
‘‘We’ve got a really talented list coming through that have not had a lot of opportunity yet but will get that in the future.’’