Luke Hodge will captain the Hawthorn Football Club in Season 2011.

Announced by out-going captain Sam Mitchell on the night Hodge took out the Peter Crimmins Medal at the Crown Palladium, Saturday evening.

Mitchell, who has captained the Hawks over the past three seasons, including a premiership in 2008, handed over the captaincy to Hodge in a speech at the beginning of the awards.

Hodge had previously been vice-captain of the Club, and now assumes the top-job.

In accepting the captaincy Hodge recognised the work Mitchell had done in both leading a young group and mentoring himself as a future captain of the Club.

“It is a great honour to be named captain of this proud Club,” said Hodge.

“Mitch has been a great captain, leading by example, and helped give our young group the leadership and stability we needed over the past three years.”

“Sam has been a mentor to me and has helped me develop my leadership skills both on and off the field.”

“I know I have his full support in my new role as captain and I am looking forward to leading the Club in the 2011 season.”

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said the appointment of Hodge as captain says a lot about the character of his leaders.

“This is selfless act by Sam to hand over the baton at a time when he has a whole lot of good footy ahead of him,” said Clarkson.

“Both Sam and Luke were neck and neck three years ago for the captaincy when Mitch got the nod. The Club had decided that we were only to have one captain - and in a real act of mateship - Hodgey said to Mitch that he wanted Sam to lead.”

“So for that to be turned around now, for Sam to pass the baton on, that says a lot about the characters of these two men.”