HAWTHORN star Jarryd Roughead has capped a brilliant year in the brown and gold by signing a two-year contract extension with the club.
The champion forward and three-time premiership player was not due to fall out of contract until the end of 2016.
But the Hawks have wasted no time in securing the 27-year-old by adding two more years to his deal, which will see him remain at the club until at least the end of 2018.
He will be 31 by the time that contract ends, and Roughead said he was keen to add the extra years to his time at the club ahead of time to avoid any discussion about his future.
He would have qualified as an unrestricted free agent by the time his deal expired in 2016.
"It's safe to say that at 31, when this deal does expire, it might be hard for free agency," he told the club's website.
"To be able to lock it away now and say that I'm here until the end of 2018 when I'm 31 is a very good thing for myself and hopefully for the footy club as well."
It is a perfect end to a brilliant year for Roughead, who kicked 75 goals in 2014 to help lead his side to back-to-back premierships.
He also finished third in the club's best and fairest and was named an All Australian for the second time.
Roughead has been a feature of Hawthorn's forwardline for the past decade after he joined the club as the No.2 pick at the 2004 national draft.
"There are about six of us left from when I first started so to see the bonds and mate ship form over the 10 years has been once thing that you look forward to every day when you come here," he said.
"To be able to muck around with blokes and seeing the smiles on the faces as you walk in rather that it just be a burden I suppose. It's more of a lifestyle than a job.
"You come here every day and enjoy the fact you’re around mates and winning flags, which also helps."
As revealed by AFL.com.au on Wednesday, Hawthorn has four players who will be free agents at the end of next season in captain Luke Hodge, champion midfielder Sam Mitchell, Matt Suckling and Brendan Whitecross.
