LUKE Hodge admits the confidence born from holding aloft the premiership cup can carry Hawthorn a long way next year, but he has shied away from declaring his side is on the verge of a premiership dynasty.

"We're not too worried about that to be honest," Hodge said from the club's post-grand final celebrations at Glenferrie Oval on Sunday.

"All we've got to do is what we did this year and just sit down, go through pre-season as everyone does and if this bunch stays together, who knows what we could be?

"We're a young team, we're a maturing team and we're looking forward to the future, but we're going to enjoy today and have a good time [at the moment].

"We're a good, young team, but we're not arrogant people. We're a good, confident team and all we want to do today is just go out there and let all the fans know that we do love having their support."

Stuart Dew was a vital cog in the Hawks' grand final winning machine on Saturday and he was a little more bullish on the team's chances of repeat premiership success.

"I think we've got the group to do it, but it's up to us now," Dew said.

"Geelong was able to get back in that position to try and win [another] one, so we've got to try and back it up because come March everyone's hunting us. We look forward to the challenge."

Having tasted premiership glory with Port Adelaide before being lured out of retirement to join Alastair Clarkson's side, Dew's is a rare AFL story, and he says he knew there was something special in the offing early on in his second stint at the top level.

"I knew I was with a special group once we started training with just the competitive nature of them," he said.

"I thought they had a good attitude and I've said all along that finals is all about attitude. As the season went along I definitely thought we could pull it off."

Dew may have been an important ingredient in the premiership pie, but Chance Bateman maintained that the foundation of the 2008 success had been laid down years before.

"We've been together and cared for each other for so long that when you get out onto the footy field you really want to play for each other. I think that's the difference between the really good sides and the not-so good sides," Bateman said.

"You've got a real care and belief in each other and that's something that you get through years of hard work and training and playing together."