While disappointed with Hawthorn’s straight sets exit from finals, Breust played a major role in the Hawks’ second coming as an AFL heavyweight.

Breust enjoyed an outstanding season, booting 54 goals, to earn his second All Australian blazer.

“I was pretty proud of my year and what I was able to achieve,” Breust said.

“It probably ended a little bit disappointingly but that’s just the way it goes.

“We probably weren’t tipped to play finals or anything like that at the start of the year so to get a top four berth, and then unfortunately go out in straight sets, is going to be good for our group that we’ve got at the moment and for all the young guys coming through to get some finals experience I think it going to be invaluable.”

The All Australian honour came just 18 months after Breust, and several of his Hawthorn premiership teammates, were questioned by parts of the AFL media.

After the departure of champion Hawks Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis, several Hawthorn players were put under the microscope as the club’s golden era appeared to end.

So for Breust to respond with arguably his best AFL season yet in 2018 provided great personal satisfaction. 

“I think it probably just clarifies that I’ve been able to be a consistent player for an extended period of time,” he said.

“As much as the first one’s not a fluke, if sort of just justifies that I’ve been in that, I guess, elite category for a long period of time and got rewarded again.

“That’s probably the best thing, that I’ve been able to do it over multiple seasons not just be a one-hit wonder, take the one for your career and you never do it again. That’s probably been the most pleasing thing from my point of view.”

Breust, a three-time premiership player, admitted the criticism strung somewhat.

“I’m not sure it was motivation but it was certainly in the back of your mind when you do get judged like that,” he said.

“I remember at the start of last year when those sort of comments were getting around the media, I was part of that, and you do take it to heart a little bit, especially with how hard you’ve worked and all that sort of stuff over that same period.

“Last year was a pretty ordinary year from my standard so to rebound this year and have the year that I’ve had, again it just means you can shut those doubters down and just prove that you are a decent player in your own right and you don’t need those superstars around you to make you as a player.”

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