Hawthorn veteran Jack Gunston is understood to be seen as a "gettable" trade option for rival clubs this off-season, perย The Age'sย Daniel Cherny.

The 29-year-old remains contracted to the Hawks until the end of next season, however his future is reportedly unclear as the club undergoes a rebuild and coaching handover that will see Sam Mitchell succeed four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson.

Following Hawthorn's announcement of Clarkson's impending and abrupt departure from the Waverley club, Gunston is believed to have been quite vocal in throwing his support behind his mastermind mentor.

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MELBOURNE, VICTORIA - JULY 02: Shaun Burgoyne of the Hawks celebrates after kicking a goal with Jack Gunston of the Hawks during the round 15 AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 2, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/AFL Media/Getty Images)

It is understood that Gunston was "vehement" in how the club had treated Clarkson and the fallout of his departure, reportedly slamming younger players of the team.

"A couple of weeks ago the young players said, 'hey listen, this is our career, why don't we start now and getting it going quickly, get the new coach in, why are we going to wait 18 months and have all this mucking around?'," Eddie McGuire reported onย Footy Classifiedย last week.

"Then I understand thatย Jack Gunston was very, very strong in the meeting last week when it all came to a head. He said he was very strong on the way Clarkson was being treated and was really vehement."

With a number of clubs looking to bolster their forward stocks, and Gunston's tenure at Hawthorn potentially at an end, there is likely to be growing interest in the three-time premiership star.

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JACK GUNSTON
Forward
Hawthorn
2020 SEASON AVG
11.3
Disposals
4.3
Marks
1.9
Goals

However, clubs will be cautious of the veteran's recent injury history, with Gunston now set to undergo back surgery for the second time in eight months.

Gunston was limited to just the one appearance this season through injury, making his return in Round 7 before facing further setbacks.

The club has since ruled him out for the remainder of the year and will place him under the knife as a preparation for next season.

Gunston has played 209 games in the brown and gold since moving from Adelaide in 2011, becoming a key component in Hawthorn's success under Clarkson.