Four years on, the 23-year-old is in the inner sanctum, he’s preparing to play in a grand final, representing the Club, the team, the history and the culture of Hawthorn on the last Saturday in September.
He arrived at the Club after the Hawks failed to make the 2009 finals series, just one season after winning the premiership.
Now, he will wear the famous number 24, a number last worn by fellow defender Trent Croad, who was infamously injured in the 2008 grand final, an injury that ended his career at the end of 2010.
But what does Stratton, a then-West Coast supporter remember about the Hawks’ last premiership?
“I was back in Perth pub at a mate’s birthday, just watching it at a pub,” he said.
“I was playing for East Perth at the time and I didn’t barrack for either side.
“I think I was probably barracking for Hawthorn on the day, just because they were the underdogs.
“That’s my memories of it, just a mate’s birthday at a pub.”
In-between the faint recollections of a memorable day for many of his teammates, three names do still stand out.
Two of those he has played alongside since arriving at the Club.
“I remember Chance Bateman’s dreadlocks and him running around,” he said.
“I also remember Stewie Dew’s third quarter and Hodge as well.
“They’re probably the three things that stood out for me.”
The dour defender has enjoyed an injury-free season, and played each of the Hawks’ 24 matches to date, just a year after missing the majority of the home-and-away season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Miraculously though, Stratton returned for the Hawks’ Round 24 clash against Gold Coast before playing in the semi-final win over Sydney, and in the losing preliminary final team against Collingwood.
He admitted though, that he never dreamed he’d be playing in a grand final after a tumultuous 2011.
Instead, he just wanted to play as much footy as he could.
“When I did my knee last year playing in a grand final was the last thing on my mind, playing in a grand final the following year,” he said.
“It’s pleasing to have played every game and I’m just looking forward to it.”
He has done that this season and, in the process, become one of Coach Alastair Clarkson’s most consistent defenders.
He can play on talls, smalls and everything in between.
He’s the prototype for the modern-day footballer, standing at 189cm, he’s an athletic, skilled footballer who can tackle and rebound from defence as well as smaller teammates such as Brent Guerra.
“I’ve just concentrated on that consistency and playing week-to-week and getting my body right,” he said.
“I just focus on what the coaches say and just try to play really consistent footy with the back six down there.”
Stratton believes that his undoubted strengths as a player are more pronounced because of the overall strengths of the Hawks’ back six.
The defensive group too, has enjoy a relatively injury-free season.
“We just work with each other and we’re able to play on both talls and smalls - pretty much everyone down there can play on smalls and then talls as well,” he said.
“We’ve played a couple of years now together and the back six or seven has been pretty settled over the last year or so.
“Just playing together heaps and getting to know each other has helped us.”
Kate Salemme is a member of Hawthorn Football Club's Digital Media team reporting exclusively for hawthornfc.com.au from the Ricoh Centre.
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