Callum Turner reflects on his career at Kiewa-Sandy Creek

Either side of a glorified sabbatical at Wodonga, the competitive beast of a backman has won three premierships with the Hawks, played in a further three grand finals and never finished outside the top five during a senior career spanning more than 150 matches.

And while the father-of-two may attempt to downplay his contribution to the class of 2023 as he approaches his 32nd birthday, Turner's on-field influence and role as a gatekeeper of the proud club's standards and values remains unquestionable.

"It's the young blokes that reinvigorate me," Turner insisted.

"When we get to see thirds come through the side or guys that have gone to the O and M and then come back, that's what gets me going.

"At this point in my career, all I've got left is to pass a bit of wisdom on, I suppose, to the boys around me and show a bit of leadership in the backline.

"I'm not trying to do anything special, I just want to make sure that when I hang them up, which is hopefully not for a couple more years yet, someone's there to do the role I'm doing when I'm gone."

As anxious as anyone to postpone the retirement conversation is Hawks coach Jack Neil, who continues to be impressed by his vice-captain's many qualities.

"Cal's huge for our side," Neil said.

"His leadership is enormous on and off the field but he's an outstanding player as well.

"He doesn't seem to lose one-on-one contests and he's just a massive asset.

"He's basically an on-field coach and a top-line player.

"It's the context around the way he does that as well.

"It's never at the expense of anyone personally, it's always value-driven, and for any club to be successful, they need a handful of Cal Turners.

"You're not going to get there without them."

After sons Vance and Albert, the biggest admirer of Turner has to be Hawks runner Matt Johnson, who rarely fails to nominate the No.13 when it comes to choosing the best players post-match.

Johnson's fondness of Turner is a testament to his character and the way he plays and plenty more around Tangambalanga would be thinking what Johnson is saying when it comes to singing his praises.

But the self-effacing Turner, as ever, is far more interested in team goals.

"Success is something you love to have and you're lucky if you can get it," he said.

"I've been really lucky, I was probably gifted a grand final in 2008 and didn't feel like I really deserved it so in 2014, when I came back from Wodonga and we had a really strong side, that was me proving to myself I was able to be a part of it.

"For the club to consistently bring back quality players and get a good coach like Muddy (Adam Mudra) in at that time and another good coach like Jack, whatever system they've got going behind the scenes, it's those people who do all the hard work and we just reap the rewards.

"They certainly let us know on Saturday, all the supporters and people behind the scenes, they enjoy it just as much as we do."

Turner played 32 senior games of Ovens and Murray football and 25 in the reserves during four years at John Flower Oval but his true calling was back in the brown and gold.

"This is home for me," he said.

"My old man played a lot of footy at Wodonga Bulldogs and I went there chasing what they had in the late 80s and early 90s.

"All of his mates would always tell me that Wodonga was the best club but I went there and I didn't experience the same thing.

"I love Wodonga and I still go back there every year to watch games of footy but what I found when I went back to Kiewa was they had a bunch of really close mates.

"I was lucky to play with a lot of talented players but also it was just a tight-knit group and a family club.

"I've got a young family, two young boys now and it's a great atmosphere on a Saturday to have your whole family around."

It's easy to pinpoint the motivation of sides like Chiltern, who won their maiden TDFL flag last season, or Beechworth, who have risen from wooden-spooners to premiership contenders in the blink of an eye, so where do the Hawks players with glittering CVs find the fire in their belly to go again, year after year?

"When you've had it, and you know what it feels like, every season you don't win one there's an empty space there when you think 'I wish I could be like those blokes.'" Turner explained.

"I'm a competitive bloke, I love playing footy and I love winning.

"I've always been driven to compete and to win and my time at Wodonga was a bit different to that.

"I had to win contests and we fought to win games rather than being up there, winning finals.

"It's different but you've got to take the wins where you can get them.

"Sometimes, when you're battling, those wins can feel just as good as winning a flag.

"But for me now, it's about having those young blokes experience it.

"There's so many guys in our side who have never played finals, never won a final, never won a grand final so it's about getting those guys to that last game of the season to see how they perform and if they can get the job done.

"I'm just there to help them along."

The pain of defeat on the big stage always stings.

"I can vividly remember every grand final I've played in and lost - probably more than the ones I win," Turner said.

"They're the toughest losses you'll come across.

"We didn't want to make too much of a big deal about Chiltern, they were a better contested side around the football so that's what we went to work on over the summer and that's what we're trying to do this year - be as good as they were and as good as Beechworth were around the footy last year.

"Yack are probably the same.

"We'll know in a couple of weeks but it's those sides who control the middle that tend to be up there at the end of the year."

The Hawks host Wodonga Saints on Saturday.

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