RETIREMENT hasn't stopped the accolades coming for Luke Hodge, with the four-time premiership Hawk winning the Madden Medal for his glittering career and off-field contribution.

The award was presented to the 346-game Hawthorn and Brisbane defender on Thursday night at the AFLPA season launch in Richmond.

It is annually awarded to a recently retired player who has "best demonstrated on-field excellence, personal development and growth, as well as community spirit over the course of his playing career". 

For Hodge, his playing career speaks for itself with four flags, two club best and fairests, three All-Australian guernseys, two Norm Smiths and six years at the helm of the Hawks. 

Off the field, the father of four has studied sport and recreation, personal training and fitness, finance and broking and a diploma of management, and has been an ambassador for My Room as well as being a mentor for Ladder. 

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"It's a great honour to win this award joining legends of the game like Riewoldt, Judd and Harvey and to be recognised for not only on-field efforts but also off-field contributions," Hodge said. 

"As AFL players, we spend every moment trying to be better athletes and players but we also give a lot back to the community while trying to grow as people, so it's humbling to be recognised for that."

Hodge was presented with the medal by its namesakes, former Essendon ruckman Simon Madden and his brother Justin. 

Hodge edged out fellow recent retirees Jarryd Roughead, Alex Rance, Dale Morris, Nick Smith and Jarrad McVeigh to become the 13th winner of the medal, which was first awarded in 2007. 

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Past winners of the award include Brendon Goddard, Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Pavlich, Chris Judd, Lenny Hayes, Jude Bolton, Luke Power, Cameron Ling, Brett Kirk, Michael O'Loughlin, Robert Harvey and Glenn Archer. 

The winner is decided by a vote from the AFLPA board, as well as past winners.