James Frawley signing with St Kilda for the 2021 season only a month after announcing his retirement was one of the more interesting stories of the off-season.
Frawley will join the club where his uncle Danny Frawley captained for a number of years across a storied career.
The 32-year-old played six previous seasons for Hawthorn, playing 14 games in 2020.
Coach Alastair Clarkson said the two parties had “amicable” talks before Frawley’s decision to retire and is happy he gets the opportunity to represent his uncle’s club.
“You knew Spud (Frawley) pretty well and I know James really well, these guys would play until they’re 80 if they could,” Clarkson told SEN Breakfast on Thursday.
“He battled a little bit with a back at the time we had discussions and they were pretty amicable discussions.
“We thought we were at a stage where we needed to give some opportunities for some others and James thought his time as a player was coming to an end, but then the carrot gets dangled by St Kilda post retirement.
“It was a little like what Brisbane did with Luke Hodge three years back.
“(Frawley’s) been a big part of Hawthorn for five or six years and he gets another opportunity that allows him to extend his career at a club and the legacy of the Frawley name is really important and it’s going to be interesting to see how that unfolds throughout the year for him and the Saints.”
Hawthorn drafted key defender Denver Grainger-Barras with pick six in the 2020 National Draft and will be hoping he can grow into the vacant spot left by Frawley.