Jack Gunston Biography

Jack Gunston has been granted his return to Hawthorn, with the Hawks sending Brandon Ryan to complete the trade with Brisbane.

"Gunners' is a high calibre person and player, and for him to walk back though our doors at Hawthorn is a terrific outcome," the Hawks' national list and recruiting manager Mark McKenzie said.

"Whilst still contributing strongly on the field, he'll also play an important role in helping foster the emerging talent on our list."

Jack Gunston is seeking a return to Hawthorn, a year after the Hawks traded him to Brisbane.

The club released a statement confirming Gunston's request but acknowledged Gunston was contracted at Brisbane for 2024 and "would work through its options".

Jack Gunston discusses his decision to join Brisbane, his third AFL club, in the wake of the passing of his father, Ray.

"The opportunity that presented itself with moving to Queensland and playing for Brisbane was a good opportunity for me to add to my football journey and flip the script on what was, at times, a tough year," he said.

"I thought it was a good opportunity to experience something new in life. With my mum and my sister, we can do it all together."

Brisbane secures the services of Jack Gunston after striking a deal with Hawthorn, sending pick No.48 and a future fourth-round pick to the Hawks.

Jack Gunston officially informs Hawthorn that he intends to join Brisbane as a free agent.

"Jack has been an incredible servant during his 11 seasons here at Hawthorn. He leaves the club as a three-time premiership player and a best and fairest winner, but more importantly, a person who is genuinely respected and loved by his teammates, staff and our Hawthorn fans," Hawks football manager Rob McCartney said.

"The Gunston family will always be part of the Hawthorn fabric and we thank them for contribution they have made to the brown and gold."

Jack Gunston is hopeful he will be fit for day one of pre-season training after being forced to undergo another round of back surgery. Gunston had surgery on his back in December and missed the first six rounds of this season.

"I was disappointed we had to go in again and do something else (with the back). But I'm really confident that it went well. The beauty of doing it now is we can get ready for day one of pre-season. I would have loved to have been out there. It's a frustrating year. But I'll be ready to go in two or three months," Gunston said.

"Being on the sidelines has been good for me. I've been able to do a bit of coaching and helping a lot of these younger guys hone in on their craft."

Jack Gunston isn't likely to play for the Hawks until the second half of the 2021 season due to a back injury setback.

Ben McEvoy is the Hawks' surprise choice as captain for the 2021 season with Jaeger O'Meara to serve as vice-captain.

James Worpel is a new addition to the new-look leadership group and joins existing members Liam Shiels, Jack Gunston and Tom Mitchell.

"To be voted in by my teammates and receive the support of the club is an honour," McEvoy said.

"This club has given me a lot over the years, and I see this as an amazing opportunity to give back and play my role in ensuring we continue to make the Hawthorn family proud."

Jack Gunston will be out for several months and will miss the early rounds of 2021 after having back surgery to deal with a bulging disk complaint.

"Jack has had some issues with his back in recent years and we've been able to manage it conservatively, recently, however, it hasn't settled, and in consultation with Jack, our doctors, and his surgeon, we believe surgery is in his best interest going forward," Hawks football manager Graham Wright said.

Jack Gunston wins his first Peter Crimmins Medal as Hawthorn's club champion after a consistent 2020 season.

The 28-year-old was crowned night in a virtual awards ceremony, polling in every game and 102 votes overall to edge out Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell (96) and Chad Wingard (73).

"To earn both an All-Australian nomination and third place in the Coleman Medal, in what was a disappointing season for our club, is testament to the character and talent of Jack," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"He tackled the challenges of this season with a great attitude and he stepped up for us on countless occasions throughout the season and was the side's most consistent performer."

Ben Stratton will captain the Hawthorn Football Club for a second-straight season in 2020, with six other players making up the rest of the leadership group.

Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O'Meara have been named co-vice captains, with Mitchell joining the leadership group for the first time.

Jack Gunston was the sole vice-captain last year, but has chosen to relinquish his title. Gunston has remained in the leadership group however, with Isaac Smith, Liam Shiels, Ben McEvoy rounding out the group.

"It's been a big 12 months of development, both for us as leaders and for the wider playing group," Stratton said.

"I'm confident the experience and lessons learned will only strengthen my leadership going forward, and I'm excited to see what 2020 brings."

Jack Gunston will be absent from pre-season training until February, having undergone surgery earlier this week on a troublesome ankle injury.

Gunston experienced some discomfort upon returning from his summer holidays, with the club making the decision to send its star goalkicker under the knife.

"Jack is now home recovering and looking forward to getting back into training in the new year, with a view to return to training as soon as possible," Hawthorn's footy boss Graham Wright said in a statement.

Jack Gunston will miss a week to rest an ailing body according to Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson.

"His body's just been a bit sore and it's now to that point where he didn't recover as well as we'd like to be able to train yesterday and we just said, 'Why take a risk in hurting himself?'," Clarkson said.

"The bottom line is he's carried a pretty big load for us and he's been sore over the last little while … he's had a bugger of a year in terms of little niggles here and there, and that's stopped him from being able to produce anywhere near his best form.

"So we're hoping just by giving him a rest this week it'll nip it all in the bud and he'll be able to attack the last six weeks with a bit of gusto and see where it takes us from there."

Ben Stratton will replace Jarryd Roughead as the Hawks' captain in 2019.

Jack Gunston will serve as Stratton's deputy, with Smith, Shiels and newcomers Jaeger O'Meara and Ben McEvoy rounding out the club's official leaders.

"Some of his best qualities will relate to who he is as a person and his values and behaviours," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said of Stratton.

"He doesn't care so much about himself as an individual as he does about his mates, and that's why it's such an endearing quality that has all his teammates just loving playing with this guy."

Jack Gunston turns his back on free agency and signs a new three-year deal with Hawthorn to remain at the club until the end of 2022.

"Jack has become a vital part of our team since joining us at the end of the 2011 season and has had a fantastic home and away season this year," Hawks football manager Graham Wright said.

"Jack's an important member of our leadership group and at just 26, we feel he has some of his best footy still ahead of him."

After spending much of his time as a defender in the last two years, Jack Gunston says he will likely be returning to his familiar role as a forward in 2018.

"I've always loved playing up forward, kicking goals and the excitement factor up there and adapted myself to that role," he said.

"In saying that, it was great to be able to go back try something new and get a feel for what it is like back there."

Jarryd Roughead will remain captain of Hawthorn in 2018.

Roughead will again be supported by dual vice-captains Isaac Smith and Liam Shiels, while Jack Gunston and Ben Stratton have also been retained in the leadership group after a player vote.

"2017 provided some really good learnings for me and I feel like I’ve continued to develop and grow into the role," Roughead said.

"Captaining the Hawks is a real honour and to be backed in by your teammates for another year is extra special."

Speaking from personal experience, Jack Gunston says ex-Crow and Demon recruit Jake Lever should be prepared for some backlash when he plays returns to Adelaide.

"Footy is a passionate game and it has passionate supporters and players and people. No-one wants to see you leave their club," Gunston said.

"You're always going to have the haters who are going to say things and it's just a matter of handling it, moving on and going about your own business and playing your best footy at your new club.

"You've got to enjoy the ride and remember that you made the decision for a reason."

Ben Brown, Robbie Tarrant, Jack Gunston, Neville Jetta, Luke Shuey and Kade Simpson are new additions to the squad who will represent Australia in the International Rules Series.

Jack Gunston has been less prolific on the scoreboard in 2017 – kicking 10 goals in 11 games, after slotting at least 51 in each of the past three years – as he adapts to a slightly different role further afield.

"Sometimes if you're stuck in the forward line, the ball's not coming down, so you want to get up there and get a touch," Gunston said.

"That's been my philosophy through my whole footy career so far – it's being versatile and being able to get to the wing.

"I don't feel like I need to be down there all the time (with the other forward options) and it's good to be able to get up on the wing. I do miss kicking a few goals every now and then, but it's good to be able to mix up the roles."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says mid-career stalwarts like Jack Gunston and Paul Puopolo will not be traded from the club.

"Those guys who have played anywhere from 100 to 200 games are critical for the next wave of players for your footy club (with) their leadership," Clarkson said.

"It's those guys that need to carry our club forward, so we'd be pretty loathe to lose any of those guys. It's been mooted in the press about Gunston and (Paul) Puopolo and others and they're the last guys we want to see leaving the footy club."

Jack Gunston says he's up for captaining the Hawks if Luke Hodge decides to hand over the reins.

"I think if Hodgey wants it, he'll go around again," Gunston said.

"And why not? We've got one of the greatest captains probably ever to play the game and he's an absolute warrior.

"But if he wants to hand it over, I'm sure there's numerous guys that are ready to take over and it'd be great to be able to do it next to Hodgey while he's still here."

Jack Watts says watching players like Hawk Jack Gunston and Crow Tom Lynch has helped him learn his craft as a forward.

"He's a terrific player. I played a lot of junior footy with 'Gunner', and his career has been a pretty successful one, hasn't it?" Watts said.

"I do watch a lot of vision of him and Tommy Lynch from Adelaide – those connecting forwards.

"I watch those guys a lot. You learn a lot from them and then you put your own little twist on things."

Jack Gunston signs a three-year contract extension with Hawthorn believed to be worth up to $650,000 a year.

The deal tie Gunston to the club until at least the end of 2019.

"He's a big part of the future of our footy club," Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"He's made a great contribution to our side thus far … but this locks him in for a further three years and he really forms a formidable part of that middle leadership tier of our footy club that's so important to our future."

After missing the Hawks' semi-final and preliminary wins over the Crows and Dockers due to injury, Jack Gunston is back in Hawthorn's Grand Final side to face the Eagles.

"The emotional roller-coaster was watching the last two finals, I'm not great at watching the boys play," Gunston said.

"They're the ones that make me nervous."

Jack Gunston is ruled out of Hawthorn's semi final against Adelaide.

Gunston has been under a cloud since his right leg buckled under his body in the fourth quarter of the Hawks' qualifying loss to West Coast in Perth.

He was helped from the ground and had ice strapped to his right ankle and knee as he limped into the rooms post-match.

"Jack won't play this week. He's making steady progress with the injury but not fast enough to be available to play on Friday night," football operations manager Chris Fagan said.

"So he'll be out of the team, but hopefully if we can get a win on Friday night he'll be back in calculations for the following week."

Jack Gunston admits he has struggled with his goalkicking in 2015, but is confident he can rediscover his accuracy during the finals.

Last year, Gunston kicked 58.27 and finished the year ranked No.2 for accuracy among the top 15 goalkickers in the League.

This season, however, his efficiency in front of goal has plummeted from 63.7 per cent to 50.

This year, he has kicked 44.32 and currently has the lowest conversion rate of the top 15 contenders in the race for the Coleman Medal.

"Obviously this year in front of goal hasn't been one of my best," Gunston said.

"[My efficiency] has obviously been a disappointing part [of my game] this year but I'm working hard out on the track and I know it will come back.

"You want to make the most of your opportunities when you're in front of goal because it can turn a good game into a great game, so it's obviously something I've been working on a little bit."

Jack Gunston faces an interrupted preparation for this year's finals series after the news he will miss up to three weeks with a knee injury.

Scans revealed Gunston suffered the medial ligament injury when a Western Bulldogs opponent fell across him in the final quarter of the Hawks' 62-point win on Sunday.

Jack Gunston may miss up to a fortnight after suffering a lower leg injury against the Western Bulldogs.

"He twisted his leg and we're not sure if it's an ankle or a knee at this point," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"If he's a little bit sore when he gets the scan then he may miss, but we'll just have to wait and see."

Jack Gunston kicks a career-high six goals against the Kangaroos but laments his side falling by 20-points against them.

"There are always going to be some guys playing good games and some guys playing bad games," Gunston said.

"It was just unfortunate we couldn't get over the line tonight."

Jack Gunston has signed a two-year contract extension and says he wants to stay at his second AFL club for the rest of his career.

"I guess you never know what happens, but my main focus is to stay at Hawthorn for the rest of my career," Gunston said.

"I never contemplated leaving, never thought about leaving, we worked our way through a deal.

"To change from one club to another is something I don't want to do again. It's not the most enjoyable thing."

With the delisting of James Podsiadly, Geelong has earmarked Shane Kersten for a key to their forward line setup in 2014.

"It will be a different looking forward line without 'Pods' next year, so it will be interesting to see how it all comes together," Geelong assistant coach Dale Amos said.

"Shane is a different type of forward to (Tom) Hawkins. He can play as a deep forward, but he's more an in between type of player.

"He can get up the ground, but he can get back as well."

Jack Gunston kicks four goals in the 2013 Grand Final to help the Hawks seal the 2013 premiership and to become runner up in the Norm Smith medal.

"Just being in the right place at the right time, leading at the right times. Bud's [Lance Franklin] played a lot higher in the last two games. Roughy [Jarryd Roughead] has gone in the ruck and the midfield," Gunston said about his performance.

"I took it upon myself [that] I needed to step up a little bit and kick those goals and create chances."

Jack Gunston has become a valuable part of Hawthorn's potent forward line in 2012.

"We had certainly seen where he had played most of his football at Adelaide and he's been playing that sort of role in his time at Hawthorn as well," Hawthorn's football manager Mark Evans said.

"The best thing is that he's actually just gone in and played a really good role. Sometimes that role is getting the ball himself or having shots at goal and other times it's feeding it off to others."

Jack Gunston says he is starting to find his niche in the Hawthorn forward line.

"As soon as I walked in [to the club], [Franklin] and Jarryd Roughead have been great for me and it's really fast-tracked the chemistry that we're starting to build up forward," Gunston said.

"I love playing with everyone in the forward line and they definitely make it a lot easier for me."

New Hawthorn recruit Jack Gunston says he was privileged to be part of the Hawk's round 1 win against Collingwood in a blockbuster clash at the MCG.

"It was a different night to what I'm used to, coming out, round one with 80,000 [people in the crowd] - I was pinching myself at the start," he said.

"It [being the substitute] was probably a good way to get introduced to the game, being the sub and being able to pick up the tempo and then come on in the second half."

Recruit Jack Gunston stars in Hawthorn's intra-club practice at Launceston, booting four goals.

"Jack has fitted into the club really well, and he presented well today," Hawks development coach David Flood said.

"The thing with a new recruit is that they always want to get off to a good start and make a good impression at the club, and Jack is certainly working hard at doing that.

New Hawthorn forward Jack Gunston says he was lured to the club after being convinced of future team success at the Hawks.

"After talking to Clarko (Alastair Clarkson) and (list manager) Graeme Wright, it came down to the good culture here and they are primed for a lot of success over the next few years," Gunston said.

"They were the main reasons I wanted to come here."

The Hawks, and their latest recruit Jack Gunston, are confident the former Crow will become a regular member of the senior team in 2012.

"[We] identified him a couple of years ago in the draft and really liked the way he played," Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans said.

"We thought he had a promising future. He probably has the ability to play the half-forward role or wing or half-back. We felt that was a need for us in the future and we're delighted to pick him up."

Adelaide deals Jack Gunston and picks 53 and 71 to Hawthorn in exchange for picks 24, 46 and 64.

"Adelaide were really good, as were Hawthorn," Gunston's manager Ned Guy said.

"I don't think anyone was trying to mess around with the other. That's why we were pretty confident the whole way through that we'd get it done. I think it's a good result for both clubs."

While Jack Gunston has indicated his preference to be traded to Hawthorn, the Crows say they will seek the best possible deal for Adelaide, which may not be with the Hawks.

"We have said to Jack - and his management - that we will do a deal that is in the best interests of the football club," Crows list manager David Noble said.

"There is interest beyond Hawthorn. And Jack may have to reconsider his preference if one of those three clubs has a better deal for us."

Promising Adelaide forward Jack Gunston declares wants to play for Hawthorn in 2012.

"He has told the club he wants to go to Hawthorn, and we are hopeful we can get a deal done without too much pain," Gunston's manager Ned Guy said.

Homesick Crow Jack Gunston is reported to have at least five Victorian clubs keen on him, with the athletic forward meeting several suitors this week.

"Jack knows what he wants and at the end of the day he wanted to be back in Victoria closer to his family, and it's nothing more than that. We are confident we will get him where he wants to be," his manager Ned Guy, of Stride Management, said.

"He certainly showed a fair bit this year and people are pretty excited about him once he gets a full pre-season into him."

Adelaide officials say they were bemused by forward Jack Gunston's shock decision to return home to Victoria.

"I'd met with Jack's manager … and the manager said Jack was happy with everything and that everything was going well," Crows football operations manager Phil Harper told FIVEaa radio.

"His manager asked if we could tweak this a bit and tweak that a bit [in regards to the contract], and we did and sent it back to them thinking it would be done in the next day or so.

"Then Jack came and saw us on Thursday. He basically said he was homesick, that he was getting on a plane and going home in two hours and he didn't want to come back."

Adelaide believes it will be without ruckman Ivan Maric and Jack Gunston next year with both expected to seek trades.

"They [Gunston and Maric] are both players we did not want to lose and they had been offered new contracts," Adelaide football operations manager Phil Harper said.

"Therefore, we will only be looking at fair and reasonable trades for these players, with the best interests of our club as the main focus."

Adelaide confirmed it stripped Jack Gunston of the Mark Bickley Award for best first or second year player due to Gunston having quit the club on the eve of its presentation night.

"The Mark Bickley Award recognises a young player who lives to the club's values," Crows chief executive Steven Trigg said.

"It is a management decision - my decision - that as a football club we will not reward someone who walks out."

Jack Gunston makes his AFL debut for Adelaide at Football Park with 7 disposals (5 kicks and 2 handballs), 2 marks, a tackle and a goal in a 12-point win over Brisbane.

New Adelaide recruit Jack Gunston feels lucky to be drafted after he missed eight weeks with a severe elbow injury.

"I was playing in a practice game for Sandy [Sandringham]. I contested the ball and my elbow just popped out. I had to go to hospital and the doctors put my whole arm in a cast," Gunston said.

"I only saw three of his [TAC Cup] games, but I liked his competitiveness and the way he went at the ball," Adelaide recruiting manager Matt Rendell said.