Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has farewelled Campbell Brown with the warning that he will retire from the AFL as a one-premiership player.

Confirming months of speculation, Brown has left the Hawks to join expansion club Gold Coast as one of their uncontracted signings.

Kennett was full of praise for the 27 year old, who was a key member of Hawthorn's 2008 premiership team, but added the Suns will not be immediately successful once they join the league next season.

"We wish him well, absolutely, and we hope that in time we'll see him around the club again," Kennett told AAP.

"This is where he secured his only premiership - he won't win one on the Gold Coast in the three or four years he's got left, I wouldn't have thought.

"I don't think they have a chance for the first three or four years.

"It's a tough competition, they have to bring people together, you're not going to have a whole team of champions."

Gold Coast are allowed to sign one uncontracted player from each club this year as part of their entry concessions.

Brown joins Nathan Bock (Adelaide), Nathan Krakouer (Port Adelaide) and Michael Rischitelli (Brisbane) as the confirmed Gold Coast signings so far under this provision.

The Suns' biggest recruiting target remains reigning Brownlow Medallist and Geelong star Gary Ablett.

Brown and Suns coach Guy McKenna will attend a media conference on the Gold Coast on Wednesday.

Brown played 159 games for Hawthorn after being selected by the club with pick No.32 in the 2001 draft.

He played 17 games with the Hawks in 2010 and qualified for life membership with the club.

Kennett said the Hawks were disappointed, but not surprised to lose Brown.

He said the club had tried hard to retain the tough utility, but simply could not compete with the Suns' offer.

Kennett also warned the concessions granted to Gold Coast and fellow expansion club Greater Western Sydney were putting enormous financial pressures on the existing 16 clubs.

"We're getting this two-speed competition now, where the few who are anointed and purchased by either Gold Coast or GWS, the more senior players, are going (to receive) huge recompense against those who remain with their clubs within the existing system," he said.

"(Also) all clubs are going to find it very difficult in terms of football departments, when you look at what's being paid for these people on the Gold Coast and elsewhere.

"The AFL have been complaining for a long time that the cost of the administration of the football department is getting higher and higher and that's differentiating between the stronger and weaker clubs.

"But the AFL have thrown fuel on the fire."

Kennett said the Hawks only found out on Monday night that Brown was leaving.

Brown rang key club officials such as Kennett and coach Alastair Clarkson with the news.

"He's done everything correctly - he's done nothing at all, in any way in our opinion, (that) breaches any act of good faith or anything of that nature," Kennett said of Brown.

"We're not critical at all, this is the price that clubs are going to pay because of this new system.

"Most of us are going to lose a good player."

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