Can the celebrations, Hodge tells flag Tigersafl.com.au/SEN
30 October 2017FOUR-TIME premiership star Luke Hodge has warned Richmond's flag heroes to set a time limit on their celebrations or risk plummeting down the ladder.
Hodge, a Tigers fan growing up, was a key member of the Hawthorn side that missed the finals in 2009, a year after winning the first of four flags under master coach Alastair Clarkson.
The Western Bulldogs this year became the first club since those Hawks to miss the finals following their drought-breaking 2016 premiership.
Richmond will attempt to avoid the same fate after its unlikely charge to the 2017 flag, capped with victory over minor premier Adelaide in the Grand Final.
"I think you've got to go and celebrate it, you've got to go and have fun – and what they've achieved, the Richmond Football Club, was outstanding," Hodge told SEN.
"But what you've got to do is make sure you do it for two weeks, you might do it for three weeks, but there has got to be a cut-off point.
"You have to sort of say, 'From now on, we have to start focusing on next year', because in October, November you can't win the premiership, but you can lose it."
Hodge said he and his Hawthorn teammates discovered the hard way how costly a compromised pre-season can be on the upcoming campaign.
"We celebrated for six, eight, 10 weeks (after the 2008 Grand Final), thinking, 'We're a young team and we can do this year in, year out' – it's not that easy, " he said.
"Hopefully they've enjoyed their time, but put the premiership medals away. Pull them back out when you finish your career, but from now on you focus on 2018 and move on and prepare for a better season next year."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-30/can-the-celebrations-hodge-tells-flag-tigers
