Shane Crawford had gone AWOL but his catchcry went on without him.

Hawthorn's AFL premiership team returned to the club's old stomping ground on Tuesday, where it was presented with the keys to the city at Hawthorn Town Hall by the City of Boroondara council.

Crawford was a notable absentee - the club's line was he was ill - but that didn't stop the veteran's impromptu exclamation from after Saturday's grand-final win over Geelong getting another hit.

This time it came from Mayor Coral Ross, who ended her address to the players and about 500 fans: "That's what we're talking about!"

Not all Hawthorn players were talking, but those who did spoke with gravelly voices, given the premiership celebrations are into their fourth day, with no immediate end in sight.

But Hawthorn captain Sam Mitchell still had his wits about him, as even in triumph he wasn't prepared to take the up the MC's urging to tell the crowd "you'll go back to back next year".

"I don't know if I can say anything quite as concrete as that," Mitchell said.

"But I know as soon as pre-season - and the boys will shudder when I say those words - comes, we'll make sure we can do everything we can to be a better side next year."

Tuesday's presentation featured the return of Trent Croad, who got out of hospital on Monday and joined in celebrations with his broken foot in a cast.

Even on crutches, he was steadier than some of his teammates.

But Crawford was nowhere to be seen.

"Crawf had a medical at the club this morning and he's gone AWOL," coach Alastair Clarkson explained later.

"He'll turn up at some point."

Crawford did turn up a couple of hours later, at Waverley Park - the ground the club now calls home - where he and teammates spent time signing autographs for some of the 1,000 fans present.

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