Huntly coach Stacy Fiske has decided to worry about his own backyard rather than follow the lead of others and it's a move that has the Hawks in a positive frame of mind.

Fiske's number one goal was player retention and the Hawks have re-signed all but one senior player from the Huntly squad that was to compete this year.

The re-signings include three-time Cheatley Medal winner Ryan Semmel, who was returning to the club for 2020 after spending one season with Mordialloc in 2019.

Semmel's brothers, Jake and Luke, and key forward Chris Gleeson have stuck with the club for 2021, while Eaglehawk premiership defender Tyler Miles will be a playing assistant coach.

"Obviously, we only won one game in 2019, so we have a lot of work to do,'' Fiske said.

"Our biggest focus over the past three or four weeks once we knew what was going on with the salary cap was to hold on to the group of players we had signed for 2020.

"We're very happy to say that, aside from Harry Whittle, we've kept everyone at the club.

"We brought in about 10 players to the group for the 2020 season so it was important that we retained those players for next year.

"It's a credit to the players for staying with the club, particularly with the salary cap dropping. The conversations with the players were really easy which is a great sign for the club.

"The players are really keen to get back around the club and play some footy."

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Fiske said the most pleasing sign for the Hawks was the group of young players advancing from the under-17s.

"It's the first time in the 10 years or so that I've been at the club that we've got eight or nine 18 to 20-year-olds that have stuck around,'' Fiske said.

"We're really excited to give those players an opportunity because we're really excited about the young talent coming through.

"There were a few years there where we didn't have under-17s and that hurt the club.

"Now we have the likes of Flynn Campbell, Harry Campbell, Bryce Laird, Josh Stone and Bryn Burke coming through and we want to make sure they get opportunity at senior level going forward."

The Hawks have locked in their coaching panel for 2021.

Garth Edwards and Jordan Formosa will coach the under-18s, while Matt Jeffries and Tim Hawken will coach the reserves.

"The focus is to make the connection between the under-18s and the reserves and seniors stronger,'' Fiske said.

"We want the under-18s playing the same game style as the reserves and seniors.

"Matt and Tim in the reserves will focus on the development of those younger players that have come through the under-18s."

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