Finals done, but Hawks not giving up

HAWTHORN hasn’t completely put the cue in the rack for 2020 but with finals out of the picture will “trial some things” in the final five rounds to prepare for a very uncertain 2021 landscape.

Coach Alastair Clarkson knows decisions are looming about the future of several older members of his playing list but said he couldn’t distract himself with those conversations because he doesn’t know what he’ll need next year.

The future of 37-year-old stalwart Shaun Burgoyne will be added to the discussion list at some time, but not now, Clarkson said.

Ahead of Thursday’s clash with old enemy Essendon, Clarkson said it was a difficult climate for all clubs, particularly ones like the Hawks who

can’t play finals, to start getting future plans in place.

“It’s really difficult to plan for the future at this point in time. We’re still as an industry uncertain of what our list sizes will be, we don’t know what the second-tier competition is really going to look like with a whole heap of decision making around that,” he said.

“There’s not exact confirmation on what the whole structure of the (2021 AFL) season will be, and even the starting date for next year, so there’s a lot of things up in the air that are being juggled at the minute. Once some of those things land we’ll be in a much better position to determine what 2021 looks like for all the clubs.”

Burgoyne turns 38 in October and is the AFL’s oldest player but has played 10 games this season and remains an important contributor for Hawthorn. But his future is undecided.

“We’ll sit down and work that out. Part of it is seeing what Shaun wants to do, how his body is and how he finishes the season,” Clarkson said.

Hawthorn could regain Jack Gunston (back) and James Frawley (thumb) and ruckman Jon Ceglar (toe) for the clash with the Bombers in Adelaide.

Clarkson said his team could at least start making onfield inroads for next year and work out the best “method” to climb the ladder once again.

IT’S REALLY DIFFICULT TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. ALASTAIR CLARKSON