Hawthorn Football Club wishes to advise Senior Coach Alastair Clarkson has re-signed with the Club for an additional three years, extending his contract through until the end of 2014.

Clarkson, currently in his seventh season at Hawthorn, achieved the Club’s tenth premiership and has overseen the development of one of the most talented lists in the AFL during his tenure.

Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett said Clarkson’s re-appointment had the unanimous support of the Board.

“Alastair enjoys the full confidence of the Hawthorn Football Club Board, management, coaching and playing group,” Kennett said.

“His re-signing for another three years is a credit to the team’s on-field success and a reflection of the stability and ambition of the Club.”  

Hawthorn Chief Executive Stuart Fox said Clarkson’s re-signing was an endorsement of the senior coach’s experience and innovation, which has seen him coach 158 AFL games at the Club.

“Based on his past success and the Club’s future prospects, we think Alastair is the best person to lead Hawthorn Football Club as it strives to achieve its eleventh premiership,” Fox said.

“Alastair’s seven year tenure at Hawthorn can be characterised by a team-first culture built on hard work and discipline that resulted in the Club’s 2008 premiership.

“Despite some challenging years since 2008, Alastair has proven his outstanding skills in managing people, developing young talent and adapting to the vagaries of the modern game.

“We have great faith in Alastair’s ability to deliver the Club sustained success, and to achieve the long-term plan we began seven years ago.”

“The re-signing not only recognises the great work done by Alastair and the playing group but the Football department as a whole, ably supported by the Club’s strong administration,” Fox said.

Assured of a top four finish in 2011, Clarkson believes there is still much work ahead in achieving his long-term plan, but is delighted Hawthorn has shown faith in him and his team to continue to lead the Club forward.

“When we set out on this undertaking at the end of 2004, we thought it would be a ten year process in which we wanted to achieve some success,” Clarkson said. 

“We have achieved some success, but not to the extent that we want, and we recognise there’s still some unfinished business; that there’s more this group wants to achieve together.

“In re-signing and re-committing, I join a number of coaches and players including Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Jarryd Roughead, Lance Franklin, Brad Sewell, and more recently Cyril Rioli and Ben Stratton who have signaled their commitment to the Club.”

“These players have committed for extended periods of time knowing they want to stay together to try to achieve something special, and I see myself as part of this group that wants to achieve something special for Hawthorn Football Club,” Clarkson said.