DUAL premiership Hawk Luke Breust says winning a premiership for teammate Matt Suckling makes Saturday’s win even sweeter.
After missing out on last year’s Grand Final win with injury, Suckling became a premiership player with the Hawks on Saturday in the thumping win over the Swans.
Suckling is a popular figure at the Hawks and one of Breust’s best mates, so celebrating last year’s triumph was bittersweet given the lethal left-footer was forced to watch on from the sidelines still recovering from a knee reconstruction.
It is that memory that has driven Breust, and even teammate Ben Stratton, who said on the eve of the Grand Final he was striving harder to achieve another premiership for their great mate.
On Saturday, that goal was achieved as the Hawks dismantled Sydney to run away 63-point winners in the 2014 decider and be crowned back-to-back premiers.
Breust couldn’t hide his excitement and emotion at now being premiership teammates with Suckling.
“I’m absolutely rapt for him and now we can celebrate for many years to come so I’m looking forward to it,” Breust told hawthornfc.com.au
“It was so hard last year to even just be around him when we talked about the premiership so to get one for him is unbelievable.”
The All Australian small forward wasn’t just overjoyed to win another flag with Suckling though.
Having taken the long route by spending two years on the rookie list to becoming one of the game’s best small forwards, Breust also shares the same excitement for three other teammates who have done it the hard way.
Much has been said about the journey of Matt Spangher, being part of premiership clubs three times – at West Coast, Sydney and Hawthorn – before finally achieving his dream on Saturday.
Then there’s Taylor Duryea who’s been at Hawthorn since 2009 and had to wait until last year to earn his place in the senior side before missing out on last year’s premiership and even the chance to play in a final despite 18 senior games.
Last but not least Will Langford who this year stepped out of the shadow of his father, Club great Chris, to make a name for himself and make a genuine impact to Hawthorn’s twelfth premiership.
“It’s unbelievable,” Breust says of winning another premiership.
“To win one last year and the feeling we had was so special and to go back-to-back this year, words can’t describe how it feels.
“Guys like Matty Suckling, Matty Spangher, Taylor Duryea, Will Langford who haven’t got one (premiership) that’s what matters most.
“To get them one makes it even better.”
Matt Suckling, Ben Stratton and Luke Breust with the 2014 premiership cup.
