HAWTHORN won't have to use any of its salary cap space in 2019 to pay retired champion Cyril Rioli as it endeavours to recruit some of the biggest names in the game.
Meanwhile, Hawks football manager Graham Wright also revealed to Melbourne radio station 3AW that Rioli had been contemplating his future since 2015.
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Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch is a restricted free agent at season's end and Hawthorn is in the hunt for the star forward.
The club is expected to have the room to offer the 2016 All Australian a huge deal.
"Cyril retired and that was his decision, obviously that we really fought against," Wright said
"I suppose it's been well-documented for the last, at least 12 months, but talking to (Rioli's manager) Adam Ramanauskas, it's probably been since the 2015 Grand Final, where he won the Norm Smith, that's it's been a battle for him.
"So no, he won't be in our cap next year."
