HAWTHORN has confirmed Alastair Clarkson as the man to guide the Hawks to their next premiership by offering him a new three-year contract that will keep him at the helm of the club until at least the end of 2011.

Clarkson, whose contract was due to expire at the end of this year, has been given a three-year extension just as the Hawks are entering their long-awaited move into premiership contention.

The new deal was finalised over the weekend after discussions "stepped up" between the club and Clarkson's manager, Liam Pickering, last week, and was revealed yesterday in a low-key announcement, in which the club merely issued a press release.

Hawthorn chief executive Ian Robson, who negotiated the new deal, said the club had "been talking quietly in the background for a couple of months" with Clarkson's management about an extension.

"We were able to take it a step up last week without the distractions of playing," Robson said. "Once we did that, it was resolved pretty quickly."

Robson said three years was the appropriate term for Clarkson, and that having secured him for that period, the club would now concentrate on winning a premiership. Clarkson, in his fourth year at Hawthorn, had previously been granted successive two-year contracts.

"We just think that at this point in time three years is the appropriate time frame to send a message … that reflects the confidence that is in Alastair from the board, from management, from players and also his fellow coaches.

"Put that to one side now. We've moved to a phase now, we want all of our attention focused solely — and everybody in the organisation playing their part — to help secure our 10th premiership."

Robson said the Hawks were now "delivering" the game plan Clarkson had implemented. "The game plan … that Alastair and the coaching group have been working on consistently over the last three or four years is clearly now being better delivered.

"There's no doubt that Alastair has grown and has enormous potential to continue to grow … he has a relentless appetite to learn and to want to find ways to continue, not just himself but those around him, to get better. He is relentlessly driven."

President Jeff Kennett said Clarkson's re-signing was "another sign of the stability and high morale at the club".

Clarkson said: "Four years ago we started a journey towards the club's 10th premiership. The club has taken many bold decisions along the way and I look forward to continuing to play an important part in delivering this to the Hawthorn Football Club and its members.

"Whilst we have made a strong start to the 2008 season, both the playing group and coaching staff understand what is necessary to continue to build towards being the most competitive that we can be."

Meanwhile, the Hawks are hopeful of recalling Chance Bateman to replace injured vice-captain Luke Hodge for this weekend's match against Port Adelaide in Launceston.

Former captain Shane Crawford said Bateman, who pulled out of the round-seven clash with Collingwood due to a hand injury, would need to get through training tomorrow. "I think Chance Bateman will probably come straight back in for us," he said yesterday. "I'm hoping that's the case, anyway."

Crawford said the current crop of Hawks had the potential to be the best team he had been involved with over his 16-year career.