Coach Sam Mitchell's direction for the club and 2024 news

[Strapping Young Lad]

If anyone wants to have a listen about what the data is saying in regards to whether we have actually gotten worse this year have a listen to this from the 9:15 mark.

I know a few people have already touched on it, but the data is also showing that our results this year have been slightly better despite actually putting out a younger team and dealing with some injuries.




And here.

 

[Brishawk]

Not to say Sam didn’t have nastiness in him but you don’t need it to be tough.

Take Hodge it’s not him driving Wings’ head into the post or getting suspended that made him tough. It was no matter how injured he was, if he was out there he’d be giving 110% and not taking a backwards step.

Always put his body on the line. My son took one look at this photo and said, he is a hero

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Not to say Sam didn’t have nastiness in him but you don’t need it to be tough.

Take Hodge it’s not him driving Wings’ head into the post or getting suspended that made him tough. It was no matter how injured he was, if he was out there he’d be giving 110% and not taking a backwards step.

That hit to wingard is massively overplayed and overstated.
Wingard ducked trying to milk a free (even admitted it in an interview) when he joined us. It was unfortunate that the post was behind him

 

[humid hawk]

In the car just heard Isaac Smith on SEN. Andy asked him who was tougher Hodge or Selwood? He said, “can’t really split them but Sam Mitchell was pretty tough aswell and was lucky to play with some great players”. No wonder Sam has expectations that when you cross that line you need to play with a bit of nastiness and uncompromising footy …… it’s in his DNA. I reckon Sammy gets overlooked a bit on how tough he really was by the footy world.

So true.

Sam used to get belted every week to try and put him off his game.

 

[MasterSamurai]

Always put his body on the line. My son took one look at this photo and said, he is a hero
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İconic

 

[matey]

Sammy also started his playing career in a similar spot to the kids he is now leading, guiding and developing ……. at the bottom of the ladder copped a few beltings and can draw upon his experiences of needing to develop mentally tough young men which is what it takes in this demanding sport! We are in good hands

 

[SammyC]

Mitchell, hodge, Lewis, Sewell. All as hard as they come - literally impossible to split them in that respect.

Says a lot as to why we were successful. Hopefully ward, newk, Nash & even will day in his own way can be the 2020s bunch

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Sammy also started his playing career in a similar spot to the kids he is now leading, guiding and developing ……. at the bottom of the ladder copped a few beltings and can draw upon his experiences of needing to develop mentally tough young men which is what it takes in this demanding sport! We are in good hands

Also has the added bonus of hard work. Half our list is midseason draft rejects, much like him who missed a couple of drafts because he was too short, fat, slow (thanks Kevin sheedy)

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

Mitchell, hodge, Lewis, Sewell. All as hard as they come - literally impossible to split them in that respect.

Says a lot as to why we were successful. Hopefully ward, newk, Nash & even will day in his own way can be the 2020s bunch

I recall hearing Dal Santo and Montagna saying they absolutely hated playing against Hawthorn because they knew they were always in for a tough day

resigned to defeat

 

[extractasam]

In the car just heard Isaac Smith on SEN. Andy asked him who was tougher Hodge or Selwood? He said, “can’t really split them but Sam Mitchell was pretty tough aswell and was lucky to play with some great players”. No wonder Sam has expectations that when you cross that line you need to play with a bit of nastiness and uncompromising footy …… it’s in his DNA. I reckon Sammy gets overlooked a bit on how tough he really was by the footy world.

He used to get tagged and scrapped and belted every week. But my favourite part of it all was his ability to get whacked and be laser focused on the game still.

I remember a game against north where he copped a big one after kicking, there was a huge scrap and he just took off (received a 50m penalty) and we had a huge outnumber downfield and scored immediately.

 

[SammyC]

There was a pies fri night game where they ruthlessly attacked him physically all night, got in his face and sniped every opportunity.

BOG and literally laughed in their faces. Just a super tough and acompetitive beast. Hope he instills the same in the next generation.

 

[KermitJagger]

Watch this from the 30 minute mark to about minute 31 for a very interesting insight on us.

These are two of the best players in the league from two separate clubs talking about how they view Hawthorn, the Hawthorn list and the direction we are going.

This is a very interesting insight into how we are viewed within the league by players….

Enjoy.

Love to see this stuff because they're two of the leagues premier midfielders, they've both lined up against our mids and lost to em. They'd understand where we're at completely.

Reckon we're going to be a massive draw to players this off season. I hate seeing the coaches role get overplayed, but I've spoken to the families of a few draftees, a few players, and I cannot understate how much of a draw Sam Mitchell is to them. Young coach with a great footy mind, and a great reputation with players at plenty of other clubs.

Doesn't hurt that we've got the pluckiest young list in the league. That sort of energy is infectious.

 

[matey]

Never forgot this vid from a few years back when Sammy was coaching BH in the early days …… he just comes across as a relentless focused driven but still a likeable/loveable person while doing his thing

 

[cs61]

There was a pies fri night game where they ruthlessly attacked him physically all night, got in his face and sniped every opportunity.

BOG and literally laughed in their faces. Just a super tough and acompetitive beast. Hope he instills the same in the next generation.

He was so tough, I was so surprised when he retired and they tried to make out he was the 'nasty one'. I remember Jordan Lewis on 360, when Robbo was again "shocked he only got suspended once..." said, "Maybe I am biassed, but I feel like he copped a lot more than he dished out", and I nearly fell out my chair when Whately said "you are just biassed Jordy", as I thought Whately was a decent read on things. I watched him cop it week in week out from all the best taggers. People talk about his quiet grand finals, but don't talk about the fact guys like Ling were wearing him like a glove and the one they went to because he completely dominated the preliminary against St Kilda, and like Finn not many broke free of a Ling tag, and he was getting serious treatment all game from Ling. I also remember Burgoyne nearly knocking Sam out in Tassie and him coming back on in the second half and being a big part of our win (these days that wouldn't happen mind you). He just got on with at, and kept going in hard and winning the ball. Very tough.

 

[CHUBBSS]

There was a pies fri night game where they ruthlessly attacked him physically all night, got in his face and sniped every opportunity.

BOG and literally laughed in their faces. Just a super tough and acompetitive beast. Hope he instills the same in the next generation.

You can already start seeing it with how we play the ball and pay no attention to the umpiring, with a little bit of the man to be unsociable

 

[matey]

This is another vid that sticks in my mind from his early days as BH coach ……. this is what first made my ears prick up that we had a player in Newk

 

[The Chad and I]

He knows what he wants.
He knows how to communicate what he wants.
He supports players to get the most out of themselves.
He's in tune with individuals, and the collective dynamic.
He is addressing player and team weaknesses/strengths
He reads the game exceptionally well.
He holds people accountable.
He has high standards.
He is unrelenting.
He builds.
He wins.

 

[Blackhawk42]

This is another vid that sticks in my mind from his early days as BH coach ……. this is what first made my ears prick up that we had a player in Newk

Uploaded 2 years ago.

So within 2 years, the key pairing of that video (Sam and Jai) have gone from reserve level to being in discussion for AFL coach of the year and All Australian squad respectively.

Pretty incredible.

 

[bigmaxi]

Sammy also started his playing career in a similar spot to the kids he is now leading, guiding and developing ……. at the bottom of the ladder copped a few beltings and can draw upon his experiences of needing to develop mentally tough young men which is what it takes in this demanding sport! We are in good hands

I don't think this can be said enough, Sam's challenges and triumphs can be shared with this young group first hand. That, added to his insanely good footy nous, is bloody gold.

 

[hawkman]

Uploaded 2 years ago.

So within 2 years, the key pairing of that video (Sam and Jai) have gone from reserve level to being in discussion for AFL coach of the year and All Australian squad respectively.

Pretty incredible.

And Nash listening in who hadn't even starting playing as a mid at Box Hill yet

 

[Argy]

Mitchell, hodge, Lewis, Sewell. All as hard as they come - literally impossible to split them in that respect.

Says a lot as to why we were successful. Hopefully ward, newk, Nash & even will day in his own way can be the 2020s bunch

Day is tough, never doubt it.

 

[smish]

There was a pies fri night game where they ruthlessly attacked him physically all night, got in his face and sniped every opportunity.

BOG and literally laughed in their faces. Just a super tough and acompetitive beast. Hope he instills the same in the next generation.

I remember this. Someone went to bump him in the centre bounce and Hodgey and Sammy both just laughed.

Anyone remember what year/round this was?

 

[smish]

Also, does anyone remember this. The meltdown from the whole industry after Hodgey (rightly) got off for this was hilarious. My favourites were “thug” “dangerous” “sniper” and “dirty”

 

[Sixpence]

Also, does anyone remember this. The meltdown from the whole industry after Hodgey (rightly) got off for this was hilarious. My favourites were “thug” “dangerous” “sniper” and “dirty”

Can't believe he was even cited for it. Clearly going for the ball.

 

[MasterSamurai]

I remember this. Someone went to bump him in the centre bounce and Hodgey and Sammy both just laughed.

Anyone remember what year/round this was?

İt was tough guy Cochin in 2015! Before the first bounce nank and cotch targeted Lewis , Mitchell and Hodge. We hadn't lost a game for over two months and were smashing everyone in our path , so the tigers come out with a plan to disrupt our concentration that night, they absolutely went hard at Cyril as well. We lost that game by about 10 points.

 

[matey]

Also, does anyone remember this. The meltdown from the whole industry after Hodgey (rightly) got off for this was hilarious. My favourites were “thug” “dangerous” “sniper” and “dirty”

We all know nothing else Hodge just wanted the ball more like many times in his day! Slow it down Carltank fans and those in the media will come up with other stories.