Four-time Hawthorn premiership star Luke Hodge has urged Richmond's premiership heroes to put a time-limit on their celebrations or risk plummeting down the ladder.
Hodge, who was a Tigers fan growing up was apart of the 2009 side who missed out on finals a year after winning the first of four flags under coach Alastair Clarkson.
Another case of a "premiership hangover" was the Western Bulldogs this year, who were the first team since the Hawks to miss out on September action the year after winning the premiership.
"I think you've got to go and celebrate it, you've got to go and have fun โ and what they've achieved, the Richmond Football Club, was outstanding," Hodge told SEN on Monday.
"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.
"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' โ it's not that easy."
Richmond will attempt to avoid the same fare that the Bulldogs did this year and listening to Hodge's advice is a good way to ensure that.
"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," Hodge added.
