Shaun Burgoyne set for 18th AFL season after signing new one-year deal at Hawthorn

HE turns 36 later this year but with his Hawthorn side in sight of the finals and his own continuing good form, veteran Shaun Burgoyne isn’t ready to hang up the boots just yet.

Shaun Burgoyne celebrates Hawthorn’s win over Essendon.

ONE of the game’s most enduring stars, Hawthorn’s Shaun Burgoyne, will play on for an 18th AFL season in 2019 — and he hasn’t ruled out going beyond that.

In a massive boost for the Hawks ahead of their crucial game against Geelong on Saturday, Burgoyne has signed on for another season, fuelled by a desire to help Hawthorn chase its next premiership.

“I’m pretty excited to go around again,” Burgoyne told the Herald Sun.

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“We’ve got an exciting bunch of young kids coming through and we are on the verge of potentially playing finals … but we know we have to keep on winning.”

The four-time premiership player, who turns 36 in October, has endured a challenging year.

Shaun Burgoyne has rarely been injured throughout his career. Pic: AAP

Two hamstring injuries have restricted the normally-durable Hawk to 12 games so far this year, but he says he is feeling as fresh as he has for some time, a month out from a possible finals berth.

“I have played with some niggles over my journey at Hawthorn, but having two hamstring injuries this year has been a bit different,” he said.

“In speaking with the medical staff and the fitness coach, they have treated me no differently to the way they would treat a 21-year-old who hurt their hamstring.

“It has kept me mentally fresh, to be honest.”

He won’t put a time frame on his career, saying he has “an open mind” about potentially playing on again in 2020.

Shaun Burgoyne is still playing superb football. Pic: AAP

“There is a lot to take into account, whether you are playing good enough footy to go around the next year, and whether the body is holding up,” he said.

“I know the game can end for me any day or any week. But not having an end date definitely provides me with a lot more positivity.”

The man known as ‘Silk’ became only the 16th player in VFL-AFL history to push through the 350-game barrier earlier this year and could reach the 200-game mark with Hawthorn if they make the finals, adding to the 157 games he played with Port Adelaide.

Burgoyne revealed that prior to him joining the Hawks ahead of the 2010 season, his surgeon had then told him that he expected the ballwinner to get just three more seasons out of his knees.

But next year will make his 10th season at Hawthorn, a remarkable achievement.

“When I had surgery on my knee, the surgeon said ‘three (more) years, and anything else would be a bonus’,” he said.

“I’m a little blessed, that’s the way I look at it. I am very lucky. We’ve had some fantastic highlights in my career, and to have my wife and kids being a part of that is something I will always be grateful for.”

Burgoyne could even overhaul retired Swan Adam Goodes as the indigenous games record holder next year, though he insists that’s never been his goal. Goodes played 372 games across 17 seasons; Burgoyne will play his 354th game against the Cats on Saturday.

“I never thought my name would be mentioned in the same sentence as Adam Goodes, he has done everything there is to do in the game,” he said.

“It is not a goal of mine to overtake him. I just want to have more success with Hawthorn, and do my best from week to week.

“It is all about team success and making mates for life. Those are the things that keep me rocking up to the club each day and seeing young player strive to become better and to chase success.”

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