Luke Hodge, Hawthorn’s three-time premiership captain, will continue his on-field leadership of the AFL behemoths into a sixth season.

Hodge, 31, was elected to captain the Hawks next year in a player and coach vote on the club’s pre-season camp on the Sunshine Coast.

The vote ends speculation the international rules captain would stand down for vice-captain Jordan Lewis as Hawthorn chases a fourth consecutive flag.

“I’ve always said I’ll do whatever is best for the football club and I stand by that,” Hodge said.

“It’s something that I’ve always had a passion for and that I’ve loved doing over the past five years and I’m rapt to be doing it again.”

Hodge inherited the captaincy from Sam Mitchell at the end of the 2010 season.

Mitchell remains in a six-player leadership group at the Hawks, including Hodge, Lewis, Jarryd Roughead, Josh Gibson and newcomer Isaac Smith.