HAWTHORN veteran Brad Sewell is undecided whether to play on in 2015, but will make a call on his future in the weeks following Saturday's Grand Final.
After being agonisingly overlooked for selection in the big game against the Swans, Sewell was left to soak up the atmosphere of Friday's Grand Final parade.
The 30-year-old battled a series of hamstring injuries throughout the year, before forcing his way back into the side ahead of the round 22 clash against Geelong.
He notched 200 games in the club's qualifying final over the Cats and played a key defensive forward rule, but lost his place in the team when Matt Suckling returned for the preliminary final against Port Adelaide.
Sewell said he will consider his options once the season finishes.
"These last couple of weeks have been about preparing and giving myself as much chance as I can (to play)," Sewell said on Friday.
"I'll sit back and reflect in a couple of weeks when the time's right and make a decision then."
Sewell is just one of Hawthorn's hard luck stories in 2014.
Jonathan Simpkin and Jonathon Ceglar are the others who missed out on Grand Final berths, with the Hawks opting to go with experienced duo Cyril Rioli and Ben McEvoy.
Simpkin played 18 games this season, including the Hawks' past two finals as the club's specialist substitute.
Ceglar was the preferred back-up option to David Hale for the Hawks over the past month, but could not hold down his place with McEvoy waiting in the wings.
Ceglar and McEvoy went to school together, with both hailing from the Murray Bushrangers in the TAC Cup.
They remain close and McEvoy had a chat with Ceglar after Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson broke the news to him on Wednesday.
"If anyone knows how I’m feeling it's probably him (after McEvoy missed out on the 2010 Grand Final when at St Kilda)," Ceglar said.
"And look six weeks ago I took his spot and there were no hard feelings then and you move on."
Simpkin always had an inkling he would be the one to make way for Rioli and said there was no ill-will between the pair.
Being told by Clarkson on Thursday, after Rioli got through training with a clean bill of health, did not make the situation any easier.
"He (Rioli) said he was sorry, but he can't be too sorry," Simpkin said.
"They've got a job to do and it's his role to play in the side tomorrow. He's fit and ready to go, so I hope he plays well.
"It was tough but you do get the idea that you're in the gun because of all the media and knowing Cyril was coming back into the side.
"I had a feeling it could happen so I wasn't too shocked or disappointed yesterday (Thursday)."
