Shaun Burgoyne opens up on his new deal with Hawthorn and the historic 400 game milestone
Shaun Burgoyne will continue his decorated career into 2021 after signing a new deal with Hawthorn — and he could join an elite club next season too. He reveals his expectations for next season and why he signed a new deal.
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Hawthorn veteran Shaun Burgoyne says there is still “a long way to go” to his 400-game milestone, but he is confident he can get there if he does everything right.
The Hawks on Saturday morning announced Burgoyne had inked a new deal for 2021 – which will be his 20th AFL season – before he transitions into an advisory role at the club in 2022.
The four-time premiership player has played 387 games and is only 13 matches short of joining Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Kevin Bartlett and Dustin Fletcher in the 400-club.
Speaking in a video for the Hawthorn website which is set to be released by the club later today, Burgoyne said while he was excited to get an opportunity to reach the milestone next year he was not expecting games to be gifted to him.
“Anything’s possible. It’s a long way to go,” Burgoyne said.
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“I’ll be doing the best I can to get my body in a good position to play footy and I’ll just take it one game at a time, as I have every year.
“It’s a number I can’t hide away from because it’s so close. But I’ll get to that number if I’m able to do everything right and I’m able to play good footy and if I don’t, then I don’t and I end up with whatever games I end up retiring on. But I’ll be happy.”
Burgoyne, who turns 38 in October, will combine his playing role next year with a part-time Indigenous advisory position at the club next year.
While the “finer details” of that role are still being worked through, Burgoyne said he believed he had plenty to offer both as an on-field leader and in the off-field position in 2021.
“The club’s invested a lot of time and energy into indigenous programs, academies, players, staff. So I feel like I can help in that role,” Burgoyne said.
“I want Hawthorn to be as good as they can be off the field and if I can have an impact going on at the Hawthorn footy club with their programs and their development for years after I retire then I’ll be very happy with that.”
Burgoyne said he would be more than content with retiring at the end of next year but did not want to finish with gas still left in the tank.
“Good things always come to an end,” he said.
“We’re forever retired so I want to make the most of my career and transition at some stage into the next phase of my career. I’ll approach every game like it’s my last, which I’ve done for the last five or six years. So nothing will change for me mentally. Physically, I might be a little bit older but I’ll be doing everything I possibly can to get myself in a good enough position to play footy at a good standard for us.”
400 in sight as Burgoyne inks new deal
Glenn McFarlane
Shaun Burgoyne’s quest to become the fifth AFL player to reach 400 VFL-AFL games is alive after the Hawthorn veteran signed on to play his 20th and final season in 2021.
The 37-year-old and the Hawks have come to an agreement where he will play on again next year in a deal that will see him move into an advisory role at the club after his retirement.
The four-time premiership player has played 387 games and is only 13 matches short of joining Brent Harvey, Michael Tuck, Kevin Bartlett and Dustin Fletcher in the 400-club.
He will combine a playing role next year with a part-time Indigenous advisory position at the club.
“At 37 years of age Shaun continues to set a great example for his teammates through his work ethic and professionalism,” said the club’s general manager of football Graham Wright.
“To still be able to compete at the elite level at his age is a true testament to his determination and competitiveness.
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“While Shaun will pull on the boots again next year, both he and the club are aware that his AFL career is certainly in its twilight.
“With that in mind, we have worked together on an agreement that allows Shaun to continue playing the game he loves and contribute to the side, while also preparing him for a smooth transition into life after football.”
Hawks chief executive Justin Reeves said he hoped Burgoyne will play a significant off field role after his playing days conclude at the end of next year.
“Shaun is a highly regarded and knowledgeable leader within the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and we are incredibly excited and humbled to be able to utilise his experience to help further develop the work we do within our Indigenous programs,” said Reeves.
“The role Shaun has played in shaping our club on-field has been remarkable. The exciting part about this new deal is the opportunity it creates for Shaun to have an equally meaningful impact on our club’s contribution off the field.”
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Originally published as Shaun Burgoyne opens up on his new deal with Hawthorn and the historic 400 game milestone