LESS THAN three months ago Hawthorn saluted its eleventh premiership, but the time for celebration is over.
It seems like just yesterday Luke Hodge and Alastair Clarkson held the premiership cup aloft after defeating Fremantle in the 2013 decider but in football, time waits for no one.
Swiftly, each AFL club and its players return to prepare for the next season and the 2013 Premiers are no different.
The entire playing group returned for pre-season training on Monday morning – two weeks after the first to fourth year players returned to get a kick-start on pre-season.
Dual premiership player Cyril Rioli declared there was already an heir of hunger amongst the group.
That hunger, is for more success.
“We had the success this year but I think the boys are pretty hungry again to go next year,” he told hawthornfc.com.au after the session.
“We’re all excited and ready to get stuck into pre-season.”
Rioli, his premiership teammates and the five plus year players joined their younger teammates at Box Hill City Oval for the first time in preparation for season 2014.
Cyril Rioli in action at training on Monday morning.
Under the heat of the Melbourne sun, Hawks players endured a skills session before gruelling running sessions reminded them that the off-season is officially over.
But, the players didn’t appear to have indulged in the off-season too greatly, keeping training and the desire for more success in mind.
“We’ve had our pre-season program that we’ve had to do so I’ve been doing that so I feel pretty comfortable being back here and running,” Rioli said.
“It is nice being back running with someone and with the boys as a group.”
Rioli was impressed with the condition in which his teammates returned.
“Everyone seems in pretty good knick,” he said.
“We had a target before we left to come back fit and ready because we’ve got a limited time for pre-season.
“Everyone does seem fit and well and excited for 2014.”
Hawthorn players depart for a two-week pre-season training camp in South Africa on 8 December.
