Hawthorn captain Sam Mitchell says the window is wide open for the reigning AFL premiers to win more flags and he would not have returned if he was satisfied with just one.

Speaking after the Hawks' hit the training track for the first time as reigning premiers, Mitchell said the club's administration, coaching staff and playing leaders would ensure there was no complacency.

"We're not the sorts of people that are going to think what we've done is okay and enough, if it was, we probably wouldn't still be here," Mitchell said on Wednesday.

"So we've got huge challenges ahead and being able to back up a good season is very, very important.

"A lot of teams win one premiership and perhaps don't win another one in what you would call their window.

"We'd like to think our window is way open and we've got a lot of improvement to come."

Mitchell said the 21 premiership players still at the club - with retired Shane Crawford the only missing member of the grand final 22 - would be pressured to work by those who missed out.

He said Simon Taylor, Tom Murphy and Cameron Stokes, three of the players closest to getting a grand final berth, were all hungry to experience a premiership.

Youngsters such as Beau Muston and Max Bailey, both on the comeback trail from knee reconstructions, and Beau Dowler and Mitch Thorp were also pushing hard.

"If you were resting or thinking you were going okay because you played in it last year you're probably going to get passed by someone that didn't," Mitchell said.

The entire list had some involvement in Wednesday's skills session at Waverley Park.

But key defender Trent Croad, who is recovering from major surgery to repair a foot fracture and uncertain to be ready for the start of the season, was wearing a moon boot and participated only in stationary skills practice.

"He's as professional a bloke as you'll ever find in an AFL environment ... he'll do everything right and give himself every chance," Mitchell said.

He said it was crucial to the Hawks' chances in 2009 that they did not dwell on this year's success or consider themselves ahead of the chasing pack.

"If we consider them coming after us and we're just waiting for them we'll probably lose more games than we win next season," he said.

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