BRIAN Lake won't face a financial penalty or suspension from Hawthorn after appearing before the club's leadership group following his drunken arrest in Sorrento on the weekend.

Instead, the defender will work on a plan to help victims of the Tasmanian bushfires and take part in Hawthorn's community partnership with the police-in-schools program.

Lake and his wife Shannon were both arrested and spent around four hours in custody on Saturday night before each was issued with a $563 penalty notice.

"I see this as a reasonable step back, but what I'm looking forward to now is getting back to what I was doing in those previous three months and gaining the respect again from the players and everyone involved in the football club," Lake told reporters at Waverley on Monday.  

"There's no credits in the bank, no – I'm going to gain them by training hard."  

Asked about his wife's welfare Lake said: "She's fine yes, very embarrassed as you would be."

Hawthorn's head of coaching and development Chris Fagan said a suspension or fine wasn't considered after reviewing all the facts.

"We think what's happened is adequate in terms of what he's been fined and the embarrassment that he's quite rightly suffered," Fagan said.  

The 30-year-old joined Hawthorn in one of the recruiting coups of the 2012 off-season.

Asked about how this incident sits in context with his two-year contract and the opportunity for a fresh start Lake responded bluntly: "I'll be here longer than two years."

Hesaid his fitness had improved significantly after an intense three months at Waverley.

"The shape I'm in at the moment is probably the best that it's been for a very long time, in of strength and skinfolds and stuff like that."

Hawthorn opens its NAB Cup campaign against Gold Coast and Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium on Saturday February 23.

Matt Thompson is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter @MattThompsonAFL