DESPITE having claimed back-to-back premierships, Hawthorn star Jack Gunston says the Hawks aren’t yet satisfied.
With pre-season training now in full swing, the forward and his teammates jetted to Mooloolaba in Queensland on Friday to ramp up preparations for next season.
The camp, which will run from 12-19 December rounds out Hawthorn’s pre-Christmas training, before the players return in the new year to launch its 2015 campaign.
The full squad, including the premiership 22 from season 2014 returned to training on 1 December, joining the first-to-fourth years who had already been back training since mid-November.
Gunston says the attitude towards training has been positive, with players returning fit and ready to attack another pre-season.
“We’re as hungry as ever I think,” he told hawthornfc.com.au
“The boys are keen – once you win a premiership you don’t want to experience anything else.
“You don’t want to be falling out of the finals too early or not even making the finals.
“We know we’ve got a long year ahead of us and you’re always striving for Round 1 but there’s a long way to go until we get there.
“We’ve had some good, solid sessions out there and the boys are training well and looking fit.”
Gunston is in a unique position in the AFL landscape, still finding his way and developing his game but having already achieved so much.
At just 23 years of age, Gunston has played at two clubs – Adelaide and Hawthorn – won two premierships and even been named Hawthorn's best player in the 2013 finals series.
So is it easy for him to find the motivation to keep training and striving for something he’s already experienced not just once but twice?
The answer is no.
The young star says being part of a winning culture and successful team only makes him and his teammates hungrier to achieve even more.
And that’s not just him, it’s a view shared by his teammates.
“I guess it is pretty rare,” he said of winning two flags by the age of 22 (he turned 23 in October).
“(But) we’ve also got guys like Bradley Hill who is about two years younger than me and has achieved the same.
“You just want to keep experiencing that feeling – it’s pretty easy to get motivated.
“Being at a good club with really high standards, as soon as you drop the ball a little bit, they’re straight onto it so I’m as motivated as ever and I’m sure everyone else is as well.”
Neither he, nor his teammates need look far for inspiration or drive, with Captain Luke Hodge leading from the front so far this pre-season.
Speaking at the Club’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday night, the Hawthorn skipper, dual premiership captain and dual Norm Smith Medallist says 2014 is now behind the Hawks, with all eyes on 2015.
“As far as players and coaches are concerned, we are now focused on 2015,” he said.
“Tomorrow (Friday) we are heading to Mooloolaba for our pre-season (training) camp and that is to prepare us for a tilt at the 2015 premiership season.”
