Watch HawksTV's Training Report with Jack Gunston in the player above.

NEW Hawthorn forward Jack Gunston has booted seven goals in the past three matches, playing an important role in three big wins.

He caught up with hawthornfc.com.au.

Q: Jack, three goals against the Blues on Friday night, and you're starting to hit the scoreboard pretty consistently. Are you happy with how you're going?
A: Yeah, definitely. I'm starting to find a bit of the footy, and find a bit of it in the forward 50 as well, which is nice. I'm trying to make the most of my opportunities. Last week (against the Brisbane Lions) I kicked 2.4, so it was nice to kick straight this week. But it definitely helps with the other forwards that are around me.

What's it like teaming with Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead in that forward line?
It's nice to have forwards of their calibre up there and being able to work alongside and learn from them. They're both in really good form at the moment.
We've been going in with the three talls and three smalls up forward, which is a good mix.

Does it take a little while to settle in alongside players like that who are so well established, and learn how best to play your role?
When I came in it felt pretty natural. The characters that they (Franklin and Roughead) are, they're happy to help out. Particularly during pre-season, they tried to fast-track me into the forward line, and helped me get to know the forwards and how the patterns work. So coming into games it's starting to click together. They're the first people to tell me to go back to the goalsquare, or let me know where I should start. So it's not like I'm in their road too much. It's working well.

What's your role in the set-up?
It's just to play that third tall role, and try to have a presence leading up the ground and then working back hard. It's a bit of both - the high marking, but still being nimble enough to get the tackles and the ground balls. And I might pinch-hit at full forward while 'Haley' (David Hale) or 'Roughy' (Roughead) go through the ruck role.

Is that what you see yourself doing long-term? When you arrived at the club at the end of last year, you said you eventually wanted to become a midfielder.
I want to build up my fitness and put a couple more kilos on my body. I don't know where that will take me. I'm not one to put on too much weight too quickly. But I don't mind getting up the ground and getting through a wing role. Maybe on-ball one day, but at the moment I'm enjoying the high half-forward role.

How have you rated your year so far as a whole?
During the NAB Cup I tweaked my groin a little bit, so I was a little bit hampered at the start of the season. It was getting gradually worse each week, so I had a couple of weeks off footy, just to get it right, and then came back through Box Hill to make sure it was OK. Then I wasn't helped by a couple of byes in the VFL calendar. But it's nice to be back in now. Hopefully I can stay in for a while, because I'm enjoying my footy.

So the body is feeling good now?
Yep, I'm over the little niggles. It's all good.

You were the sub in rounds one and two, your first two games for the Hawks. Was that hard?
I actually didn't mind it. I thought it was a good way to introduce myself into the team. That's the same way they went with Bradley Hill, and he's come on and racked up the footy in last quarters. It's a good way to get involved, coming on and trying to have an impact. The challenge is not to get too caught up early in the game and be mentally shot by the time you get on. But I'm happy to be in the 22.

You arrived at the Hawks with a fair bit of hype during trade week. You'd only played 14 games for Adelaide. Do you think it got a bit forgotten that you're still a young, developing player?
Yeah, it took me by surprise, the amount of attention it got. I definitely don't have any expectations on myself this year. I just want to gradually build up the games and keep improving. I'm still really lightly framed, and I've still got a lot of development to go. So I'm not expecting massive games or anything. I just want to keep contributing each week.

How did it come about that you were given the famous Hawthorn No.19?
During pre-season I think 'Clarko' (coach Alastair Clarkson) was working out the numbers, and he just came up to me and asked if I wanted to wear Jason Dunstall's old number. I couldn't say yes quickly enough. I was more than happy to wear it.

Are you enjoying being back in Melbourne?
Yes, it's going really well. It's been good to have a few things away from football to keep the mind occupied. I'm settled now; I've got a house with a couple of the boys, Luke Lowden and Alex Woodward, and I'm enjoying being here at Hawthorn. I couldn't be happier at the moment.

How is Alex going in his recovery from the ACL rupture? (After being drafted by the Hawks in November last year, Woodward suffered a season-ending knee injury during the 2012 NAB Cup.)
He'll bounce back and be a pretty good player for this footy club, I'd say. He's a good in-and-under midfielder, and he's definitely a strong trainer. I'm sure his body will be more than ready for AFL next year.

And you said you've got a couple of things to keep yourself occupied outside of footy. What do you get up to?
I'm studying sport development through the AFL, and that will set me up for university next year. I also play a bit of golf with the boys, and it's good to catch up with old school mates and family who live here, which I didn't have the opportunity to do in Adelaide.

How did you find playing against the Crows in round three? (The Hawks won the game by 56 points).
It was a different feeling. It was good to get out there and play against the old mob, and it was nice to get the wood over them as well.