GUN HAWTHORN forward Jack Gunston has signed a three-year contract extension believed to be worth up to $650,000 a year.

Gunston was due to come out of contract at the end of the season, but there was never any doubt about his future with the 24-year-old signing until the end of 2019.

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"He's a big part of the future of our footy club," coach Alastair Clarkson said on Friday.

"He's made a great contribution to our side thus far … but this locks him in for a further three years and he really forms a formidable part of that middle leadership tier of our footy club that's so important to our future."

The Hawks swooped on Gunston in a superb piece of trading back in 2011, sending picks 24, 46 and 64 in that year's NAB AFL Draft to Adelaide in exchange for the budding star forward, picks 53 and 71.

Gunston booted 20 goals in 14 games for the Crows, but has since become a triple-premiership player for Hawthorn and a standout performer on the big stage.

The sharpshooter has kicked 10 goals in the past three Grand Final triumphs, including four against West Coast last year after coming back from an ankle injury.

Gunston is a member of Hawthorn's emerging leadership group and has booted 206 goals at better than 66 per cent accuracy from 92 games in brown and gold.