Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge has re-signed with the AFL club for next season.
The 28-year-old, who won the Norm Smith Medal in the Hawks’ 2008 grand final win, has played just two games so far this year.
He started the season sidelined by a calf complaint and is currently trying to work his way back from a knee injury, with an AFL return date yet to be specified.
But the 197-gamer said he had plenty of good football left in him, both in the remainder of this season and the coming years.
“We’re only at the halfway mark,” Hodge told the club’s website.
“I’ve been relatively lucky with injuries I’ve had (previously), they’ve all been fairly minor.
“I’ve copped a couple this year, but I can’t really complain only missing half a season of football when you look at some of the injuries some of my teammates have had in the past.”
He dismissed suggestions his bad injury run so far this season indicated he was nearing the end of his career.
“I’ve just turned 28, I’ve still got a good four or five years left in me,” Hodge said.
The two-time best and fairest, who took over the captaincy from Sam Mitchell last year, said it was a job at which he was gradually improving.
“When you first get it, you try to do everything yourself and you just want to make sure you do the best job you can,” he said.
“The longer you do the job, it’s easier to sit back, relax, delegate a few jobs to people and just overview everything and make sure it runs smoothly.
“It’s been a little bit more frustrating being injured this year, but it’s a learning experience and every year you do it you’ll improve.”