Toast Sam Mitchell, Hall of fame inductee 2023

[number23]

Should have been at least 5 time AA. Those knucklehead AA selectors would pick a generic midfielder in the centre as opposed to a specialist centreman. Specialists in that spot are hard to find. Only Greg Williams and Simon Black were as good over the last 4 decades..

 

[TazHawk15]

Quite possibly the most skillful player I've seen play the game!!

I agree and I have Sammy up there with Lethal,Cyril and D.Jarman as the most skillful Hawks I have seen.

Huge congrats to Sammy.

 

[Mercy Seat]

I can relate a story during our 3peat years. I was at training and in the grandstand as it was raining (yeah, I know SOFT) as Sammy was coming down the stairs the week after a win. I congratulated him on his great game. From memory I think he had 33 possessions. He was like I just came from the review, and it wasn't good. Clarko got into me about the game. Looking at the game and his stats the man and his coach set really high standards for him. It was a driving force throughout his career that he could always do things better. A great way to think about not only your football career but your entire life.

Great story. Clearly the rift between them now is pretty severe considering he was able to thank Parkin and Schwab yet didn't mention Clarko.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Great story. Clearly the rift between them now is pretty severe considering he was able to thank Parkin and Schwab yet didn't mention Clarko.

I noticed that too.
Maybe an oversight, maybe deliberate.
May have been told not to mention clarko, as media speculation is better than 101 follow up questions waiting for a gotcha moment

 

[TylerDurden]

Should have been at least 5 time AA. Those knucklehead AA selectors would pick a generic midfielder in the centre as opposed to a specialist centreman. Specialists in that spot are hard to find. Only Greg Williams and Simon Black were as good over the last 4 decades..

He's was up against peak Gaz, Judd and Swan. Not easy.

 

[Charchi]

I remember being told of him around 25 years ago by a friend of my wife's husband who's son played with him at Eastern Rangers, there's this blond kid (Mitchell) who just gets the ball all the time, he'll be a star, keep your eye on him.
Well, that blond kid turned into one of our all time greats and I had the privilege of seeing most of his games in Melbourne first hand.
A great honour for him, well done Sam.

 

[SSSSSS]

Correct if I'm wrong but I think Sam is no.1 clearance player of all time. Think about that for a second. Think of all the great rovers in history and his number one.

Not bad for a guy who wasn't drafted because he was too slow and too short. Wgat recruiters miscalculated is that he was the QUICKEST of mind. A skill greater than speed.

Which is why I was not surprised what Hodgey said in 2013 GF Sammy had a massive impact by putting himself in the Sandilands hitout zone. This was 100% selfless role to allow the other mids to dominate. Maybe the best ambidextrous player I've seen, and yet he could hace an a impact even without possessions.

What did he win 4 all-australians? Should've had 10.

Spent a lot of time from 2014 onwards playing on the back of the stoppage like a quarterback, and even later often starting on the HBF. If he was given license to ball hunt he'd be #1 easily.

 

[T2B_]

Congrats to him, have always had a soft spot for him as a non-Hawk fan, as I admire players that are true footballers and succeed despite some physical limitations especially in the modern era. I've always thought he was a modern day Diesel.

 

[Randall Stevens]

Great reward for a fantastic career.
One of my all time favourites, and I believe in the top 5 to have played for the club.

 

[Randy Campbell]

Already a Legend in my books.

 

[hfc70]

I remember the first time i met Sam, it was at Glenferrie Oval and it was a Family Day.
He was basically very shy and almost try to hide within the stand.

Took my two sons upto him and introduced ourselves. He was extemely kind with his time & chatted away to my boys like he knew them.

Fastforward to today and what a gem of a person he has turned out to be - aside from his football legacy.

We are in 'great' hands.

Well deserved Sam.

 

[Dazza the Viking]

I noticed that too.
Maybe an oversight, maybe deliberate.
May have been told not to mention clarko, as media speculation is better than 101 follow up questions waiting for a gotcha moment

Reckon it was pre organised not to mention him, even Gerard Whateley didn’t mention him, you would of thought Gerard would of ask a question about the coach in Sam’s 4 flags

Sam Mitchell is a great of the Hawthorn Football Club, congratulations to him

 

[HedgeFund]

I noticed that too.
Maybe an oversight, maybe deliberate.
May have been told not to mention clarko, as media speculation is better than 101 follow up questions waiting for a gotcha moment

Definitely deliberate. Quite sad.

 

[Max Powers]

Congratulations Sam.
Well deserved award.

 

[hawkinoz]

Congrats Sam, much deserved. Now deliver us 4 flags over the next decade and half pls

 

[Hodgey 15]

Congrats Sam, much deserved. Now deliver us 4 flags over the next decade and half pls

Parko still demands attention when he speaks.
Bloody legend also.

 

[offtherails9]

Absolute star this guy. I remember growing up I had a cutout from the Herald Sun with the headline 'Slammin Sam' from one of his early breakout performances.
Such a constant throughout his career, as Hodgey and others have all said, so skillful, selfless etc etc.
Loved his goal in the 08 Granny after a dog of a day.
I highly recommend his autobiography to anyone that hasn't read it. Far from the typical one in my opinion and offers real insight to the man and the player.

I just can't help but feel he's underrated in all honestly. He was a star. One of the great Hawks and we've got so much more to look forward to.

 

[Roby]

3rd all time behind Selwood/JJK.
Pretty sure he was 1st for a while.

Think it was only 3 AA’s as well, not even in 2012 either his Brownlow year

When he retired he was no.1 obviously they overtook after. That said I wouldn't count Selwood who got a lot his by FK.

 

[Roby]

Sam won 5 Crimmins medals which is second only to the great Barney Rubble. That is enough to place him in the top echelon of HFC champions.

Or VFL/AFL players.

 

[extractasam]

When he retired he was no.1 obviously they overtook after. That said I wouldn't count Selwood who got a lot his by FK.

JJK had the highest career average of all of them. Selwood was very good. Should also be considered that Mitchell spent a lot of time/games not directly in centre bounce like the other two. A whole season off half back from memory

 

[hawkinoz]

Hawks Socials person seems to be figuring out how to put a video together or maybe he is diehard Sammy fan

 

[naysayer]

Can't think of anyone who used the ball more effectively in my time watching football. When you combine that with how many times he got the football, well, he was bloody good.

He and Hodge were the pillars of this club for more than 15 years, their toughness, skill and leadership was the DNA of the club. if those two were on the team sheet, we invariably played well.

 

[grumbleguts]

Interesting, I was hoping both Sam and Hodge would be inducted on the same day.

They hold the record for the pair with the most games in history polling brownlow votes together.

 

[Sixpence]

Interesting, I was hoping both Sam and Hodge would be inducted on the same day.

They hold the record for the pair with the most games in history polling brownlow votes together.

I read something about there needing to be a certain amount of years between retiring and being inducted. Would mean Hodge would be next year.

 

[Roby]

JJK had the highest career average of all of them. Selwood was very good. Should also be considered that Mitchell spent a lot of time/games not directly in centre bounce like the other two. A whole season off half back from memory

Right. He would've got more had he been in that position his whole career.

Mitchell also played a smarter game where he would block for others, rather than get the clearance is another example.