Carpenter will be 33 next season but his retirement plans have been put on hold following the Hawks' resurgence under coach Daryn Cresswell.

Rovers almost became the first club in league history to reach finals the year after going winless and a top-five finish in 2020 looks realistic.

"There's no doubt that elusive premiership is what's driving me," Carpenter said.

"You see sides that are unified and have got the right things in place who can make it happen if they've got the right list.

"At the Rovers, we're coming up to a time where ... why can't we do it?

"That's what keeps you hanging on.

"If we tick all the boxes and do everything right, hopefully we can work our way up to that stage.

"Next season I'll be 33 and it definitely gets harder.

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"I was saying a little while ago that next season (2020) might be my last but I think I'm better off saying nothing because if I go OK next season, there would be no reason not to go again.

"This year I ended up a fair bit on the back flank, next year maybe I'll be back pocket and who knows, then you're one step closer to back over the fence.

"I don't know how long that will be but 'Crezza' will tap me on the shoulder one day and say 'you've had enough.'"

Rovers haven't won a grand final since 1994 but Carpenter believes Cresswell could be the man to write a new chapter in the club's proud history.

"After what we achieved this year in 'Crezza's' first season, I think next year we have to raise the bar and push our way into the top five," he said.

"Crezza's very passionate and professional.

"He hates losing and he puts a lot of time in through the week, whether that's video or one-on-one with players.

"He studies the opposition like no-one else I've met and he's got a real good footy head.

"He's been assistant coach at a number of AFL clubs so to have someone like that coaching you in country footy is a real big plus.

"We lost a couple of players because it's pretty full-on and hard training but if you want to be any good, you've got to put in the work.

"You're always going to lose a few that don't want to do the hard yards but the ones who stayed were better for it."

The margins could hardly have been finer this year, with only 11 per cent edging Wodonga Raiders into fifth spot ahead of the Hawks.