HAWTHORN and its 19-year-old recruit Jack Gunston are both confident the former Crow will become a regular member of the club's senior team in 2012.
The Hawks secured Gunston from Adelaide on day three of trade week after exchanging a number of draft picks with the Crows.
"We went into trade week with that as a priority for us, so it's good to get it done," Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans told afl.com.au Trade Week Radio.
"[National recruiting manager] Graham Wright has done a terrific job to do that."
Gunston made his debut in 2010 and played 12 games for the Crows this season, booting 19 goals.
"[We] identified him a couple of years ago in the draft and really liked the way he played," 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."
Having given up its first pick in November's NAB AFL Draft to secure Gunston, Hawthorn's first selection will now be No. 53.
Meanwhile, Gunston says the lure of success led him to choose the Hawks as his preferred new home after deciding at the end of the season to return to his family and friends in Melbourne.
Several Melbourne-based clubs showed interest, but the 19-year-old got his wish and joined the Hawks.
"There's a good culture here and they're primed for a lot of success over the next few years," Gunston said in his first appearance as a Hawk on Wednesday afternoon.
"They were the main reasons why I wanted to come here and hopefully be a part of that."
The former Haileybury College student expects, initially at least, to slip into the forward line alongside stars Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead.
"I'll probably start out as what I've been doing the past few years, playing that third tall [forward] role, and just get a few more pre-seasons under my belt where I can put weight on and build my engine and hopefully move up to a wing or on-ball role in a few years," Gunston said.
"[Franklin and Roughead] are a pretty handy full forward and centre-half forward, and I think over the pre-season and next year I can definitely learn a lot to improve my footy."
Evans also announced that 23-year-old midfielder Xavier Ellis, who was pick three in the 2005 national draft, has signed a new contract with the club.
"That is correct," Evans said. "We have agreed terms with Xavier."
No trades are official until paperwork has been accepted by the AFL and formally recognised after 2pm on Monday, October 17.
Follow our complete coverage of the 2011 AFL exchange period from October 10-17. Join the AFL trade conversation on Twitter: use #tradeweek in your tweets
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
