Former Bulldogs superstar Brad Johnson has suggested that if Hawthorn are serious about a fully fledged rebuild under incoming coach Sam Mitchell, then they should be prepared to part ways with forwards Luke Breust and Jack Gunston.
Although the pair have contributed a combined 816-goals from their 433-games in brown and gold guernseys, Johnson held that belief that the duo held value on the open market and that it was in the best interests of Mitchell and his list management staff to consider any offers that may come for the veterans.
“If I was to look at it, you’d maybe ask the question of a Breust and Gunston,” Johnson said on Fox Footy.
“They’ve won their flags, they’ve been part of the Hawks’ dominance and you might have two players that might be able to go and help Gold Coast or a club that needs that stability and growth underneath. Or they might be able to get themselves in a position again – because they’re that good – to maybe have a tilt at another one themselves.
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“It’d be an interesting decision maybe from those guys that you might ask the question of that you can still get some good picks for, because they demand a good pick and good money.”
Despite Johnson's suggestion, the pair currently hold contracts to remain at Waverley, with the terms of Breust's deal set to keep him a Hawk until the end of 2023 and Gunston's going up to the cessation of next season.
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Irrespective of similarities in age and past performances, the duo have not enjoyed the same fortunes as one another this season. Gunston has not laced the boots since Hawthorn's Round 7 encounter with St Kilda and has been sidelined with a back ailment, whilst Breust has managed to play in each of the Hawks' 18-games and split the big sticks on 30-occasions.
