HAWTHORN Captain Luke Hodge has signed a one-year contract extension to play on in 2016.

It is another boost for the Hawks ahead of Round 1, with Hodge the third high-profile Hawk to ink a new deal in recent weeks, following Sam Mitchell and Josh Gibson.

At 31 years of age and with arguably a career-best season just behind him in 2014, Hodge said the decision to play on came down whether he feels he can help the team on-field beyond this year.

In the end, it was a no brainer.

“It’s about if I can help the footy club on the field and I guess off it but also how my body is feeling,” Hodge told hawthornfc.com.au

“At this stage, I still think I can help the boys on the field and my body is feeling great.

“It’s a great club to be around and we’re in a really exciting time at the moment so there was definitely no argument when they came to us [with a contract].”

The Hawks skipper will be 32 when this new deal expires but left the door open for the possibility of another deal to play on beyond its expiry.

“I’ve been able to get through the pre-season really well and I guess that’s what it’s come down to,” he said.

“Fingers crossed that keeps going for the next two years anyway and then we’ll see what happens after that.”

In fact, Hodge is feeling as good as ever ahead of his fourteenth season.

Playing in the AFL’s revamped International Rules test – where he was best on ground – has ensured the triple premiership Hawk is fit and firing.

And he looks it too, with fans in raptures over a lean-looking Hodge who has hit the track this pre-season.

But the skipper hasn’t done anything differently – he says it all comes down to the fact this has been his first uninterrupted pre-season in years.

“I’ve been able to stay on the track,” Hodge said of his pre-season.

“I guess that’s probably the only thing [that’s been different] – training has been the same but I’ve probably been on the track a bit more than in the past.

“This has been the first pre-season for probably about five years where I haven’t had a niggly soft tissue [injury] or had surgery.”

Hodge had one of his best ever seasons in 2014, which was capped off by a third premiership and second Norm Smith Medal.

It was arguably better than both his best and fairest-winning years, in 2005 and 2010.

In 22 of a possible 25 games, Hodge averaged more disposals than in any season since 2005, with 25.

It’s a remarkable effort from a remarkable player, especially considering many believed his career was over in 2012 after a knee injury restricted him to just 15 games.

In fact, if it’s possible, Hodge is getting better with age.

But it’s no surprise to the man himself.

“Andrew Russell who is our fitness guy said once you come back from the knee, as long as you do everything right, your football shouldn’t go down at all,” Hodge said.

“Luckily it has been like that – I’ve been relatively fortunate because I’ve only missed a handful of games in the last few years.”

The Hawks open its 2015 campaign against Geelong on Easter Monday.