A JUBILANT Brian Lake says he's not planning to waste time trying to rectify his contract status as he and the Hawks toast their premiership three-peat.
Lake, 33, is out of contract at the end of the season.
After enlivening the on-ground celebrations by hijacking the Gatorade drinks cart, he said Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson could expect a word as the team's premiership party continued into the night.
"I might hit up Clarko and all the list management team tonight when they're a little bit vulnerable and see if I can sign a new contract," Lake joked in the MCG change rooms after Saturday's win.
"I'm going to enjoy this for the next two weeks. My contract finishes on October 31, so I need to know then because then I can bring in Centrelink."
Lake produced one of the highlights of the Hawks' third consecutive Grand Final triumph, laying a brilliant goal-line smother on former Western Bulldogs teammate Josh Hill in the fourth quarter.
Lake said he read former teammate Hill like a book when he shaped up for a banana running into an open goal.
"I've got to hit up Clarko to see if he needs me for the Ireland tour –I'll take over from Dustin Fletcher as the keeper," Lake said.
"I know Josh Hill pretty well from the Bulldogs and I knew he didn't have a left foot. The way he was holding the ball I thought he was going to have a shot so I just lunged and hoped for the best."
Lake was again a key part of Hawthorn's back six, which held West Coast's high-scoring attack to just eight goals in the decider.
As players paraded around the MCG with the premiership cup after the match, Lake commandeered the Gatorade cart to perform his own victory lap with his two children.
"I'll get a contract somewhere. If it's not at the Hawks, Caroline Springs are bugging me like you wouldn't believe," he added.
Fellow veteran David Hale said he would let the dust settle before making a decision on his future, but conceded his time was just about up.
Hale, 31, was the last player to be substituted out of an AFL match under the current rules, replaced by Matt Suckling in the third quarter.
"It depends if I can get through another pre-season – the body's not getting any quicker," Hale said about his future plans.
"If it is the end, it's a good way to go out."
Clarkson said the Hawks would not make rash decisions on a number of the club's veteran players.
But he acknowledged tough calls would need to be made as the club looks to regenerate its ageing, albeit extremely successful list.
"At some point in time we are going to have to make decisions on those guys but while they're playing good football we will continue to accept the contributions they are making," Clarkson said.
"Whilst they're playing good football, our dilemma and challenge in the weeks, months and certainly years ahead in a sense is to balance how we inject youth into our group at the same time as balancing when some of these guys eventually finish their careers and move off into the sunset."
