IF HAWTHORN'S rivals hoped the reigning premiers were satisfied by success, they had better think again.

In an ominous warning, Cyril Rioli has joined the chorus of Hawks declaring their hunger to improve – and the Norm Smith medallist says he's exceeding expectations on the training track this pre-season.

Rioli has undertaken another heavy workload this summer after last year's remapped program aimed at building the strength in his legs became the launching pad for his career-best season in 2015.

The star small forward claimed his second All Australian guernsey, was runner-up in Hawthorn's best and fairest for the second time and he produced a scintillating Grand Final.

It was a remarkable turnaround from his frustrating 2014 campaign when he missed 13 matches due to repeat hamstring issues.

And after an injury-free off-season, the 26-year-old has surpassed the hopes of Hawthorn's fitness gurus ahead of next week's Christmas break.

"Last year when we came up here we set out a plan of how we were going to attack the pre-season and I'm a bit ahead of schedule of what we did last year,” Rioli told the club's website from Hawthorn's Sunshine Coast training camp.

"Just looking after my body and what I'm putting in it is something that I watch a lot more and definitely helps me transfer that into games and training, so I'm just looking after myself and training as hard as I can."

The four-time premiership player recently re-signed with the Hawks until at least the end of 2019 and seems destined to be a one-club player.

And after cutting off any speculation about his future, the softly-spoken Rioli wants to continue to let his football do the talking as the Hawks chase an historic four-straight flags next season.

"Watching when (I've been) injured, it cuts me up a bit," he said.

"After all the hard work that we've done during the pre-season, when it comes to the season I don't want to be injured so just being out there and playing (is the aim).