Analysis Tom Mitchell

[LukeParkerno1]

That's what I think as well.

If he needs a rest, then give him a proper rest.

What if someone gets injured early? Then Mitchell has to play a full game and you probably need to rest him the following week.

Who have you guys used this year in the sub role? ie/ have you been swapping it around, is it usually first year players, do you tend to use the same few players?

Perhaps it was just a rotation policy, because none of the players want the vest?

Towers has been a sub a fair bit, Lloyd has been. We don't really have a designated 'sub'. Gosh I hate the rule, can't wait till they get rid of it. Such a useless rule that has done nothing but hurt teams.

I actually said before the WCE that I thought he was a good choice as sub, as he has had a heavy workload. However my issue is....that is fine, give him a proper rest. We can't take back last week anyway.

 

[Demon 16]

Towers has been a sub a fair bit, Lloyd has been. We don't really have a designated 'sub'. Gosh I hate the rule, can't wait till they get rid of it. Such a useless rule that has done nothing but hurt teams.

I actually said before the WCE that I thought he was a good choice as sub, as he has had a heavy workload. However my issue is....that is fine, give him a proper rest. We can't take back last week anyway.

Yeh flying him all the way to Perth for a 'rest' is a bit strange. Oh well who knows - perhaps Longmire just wants to keep making him hungry, not rest on his recent laurels etc.

I think everyone is looking forward to ditching the sub. Its the perfect example of why we shouldnt be tinkering with the rules to manipulate the game so frequently.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeh flying him all the way to Perth for a 'rest' is a bit strange. Oh well who knows - perhaps Longmire just wants to keep making him hungry, not rest on his recent laurels etc.

I think everyone is looking forward to ditching the sub. Its the perfect example of why we shouldnt be tinkering with the rules to manipulate the game so frequently.

The one thing that annoys me with the AFL sometimes...is there any other sport that seems so bent on changing rules every single year. remind me what is wrong about leaving it how it is.

I hope Mitchell plays a full game this week, we are better if he is in the centre roving.

 

[TheBug]

Last on the bench... chance of being the sub?

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

The one thing that annoys me with the AFL sometimes...is there any other sport that seems so bent on changing rules every single year. remind me what is wrong about leaving it how it is.

I hope Mitchell plays a full game this week, we are better if he is in the centre roving.

It's dickheads like Kevin Bartlett.

"The game isn't played like it used to be. There's too much congestion."

What a load of shit. Watch a game from 20 years ago and it's nowhere near as fast as today. It's still a physical contest between men and that's what we go to see. There will always be prettier games than others but so ****ing what.

*Excuse my aggression today. I watched the cricket.

 

[MarkP]

Last on the bench... chance of being the sub?

We are talking about Horse here.

So yup.

 

[HPKS]

To

It's dickheads like Kevin Bartlett.

"The game isn't played like it used to be. There's too much congestion."

What a load of shit. Watch a game from 20 years ago and it's nowhere near as fast as today. It's still a physical contest between men and that's what we go to see. There will always be prettier games than others but so ******* what.

*Excuse my aggression today. I watched the cricket.

Totally agree, never grew up idolising the vfl but I've watched a bit on tv & if anyone wants to go back to that school yard kick to kick they must have rocks in their heads. If you look at old WAFL games you notice it is closer to the modern game than the vfl ever was.

 

[replicant]

To


Totally agree, never grew up idolising the vfl but I've watched a bit on tv & if anyone wants to go back to that school yard kick to kick they must have rocks in their heads. If you look at old WAFL games you notice it is closer to the modern game than the vfl ever was.

Interesting stats on the AFLsite today. Has average stats from 2000, 2005, 2010 and this year.

Kicking efficiency in 2000 was 76%, but is now 65%
However the number of kicks is almost identical. Contested marks was about 5 higher per game, and uncontested marks was about 20 lower per game in 2000 than it is today.

Summing these together, it seems footy in 2000 was about long kicks to a contest. Horse would have loved it.

 

[SJ]

Interesting stats on the AFLsite today. Has average stats from 2000, 2005, 2010 and this year.

Kicking efficiency in 2000 was 76%, but is now 65%
However the number of kicks is almost identical. Contested marks was about 5 higher per game, and uncontested marks was about 20 lower per game in 2000 than it is today.

Summing these together, it seems footy in 2000 was about long kicks to a contest. Horse would have loved it.

Moreso than 2015.

And footy was more long kick to a contested in 1985 than 2000.

And so on.

 

[ScrewInStuds]

Last on the bench... chance of being the sub?

Fyi, Sydney bench is always listed in alphabetical order

 

[Callipygian]

It looks like there was another Tom Mitchell thread after this one (I'm not sure why) - but I can't find it. So will post here now after his retirement announced today following his delisting last year and failure to be picked up by any other club.



Reflecting on his time at the Swans he said, "I absolutely loved it" but also "it was a really hard team to break into and that took a toll on me mentally". He said he was offered $1M per season by the Giants as an 18 year old and he took "half, or less than half that to go to an established club". Chose us for the security of knowing we were an established club and would play finals. The factor that his dad had played there was a small extra factor. It was hard to visualise what the Giants would be.

He wonders if he had chosen the Giants if he would have played an extra 50 games. He wonders if he hadn't broken his leg so badly at the beginning of 2019 after winning the Brownlow and heading into his prime what he could have achieved but notes that he may have re-signed long term at the Hawks and have missed the flag with the Pies.

He felt he deserved to be playing earlier for us than he did. He said later Horse acknowledged this but also that being made to work so hard for it may have contributed to him being as driven as he was and his later achievements.

"I felt unfulfilled and held back. I felt like my career was slipping away before it had started."

"There was a lot of stuff that didn't go my way."

"[In 2015 I was still feeling held back. I was starting on the bench (except sometimes when tagging) every quarter of every game even though I was played every game. Low game time. Never given a satisfactory explanation. Hated starting on the bench all the time.] ...I didn't feel as valued as I could have been." Felt like he could have played the way he played at the Hawks (in 2017-2018) in 2015 and 2016 if he wasn't being held back.

When leaving Swans, had other options. Gold Coast offered more money. Wanted to come to successful club and 'home' to Victoria. At Hawthorn Clarko allowed him "to just go and play". Needed to play on instinct because not as quick as some players.

Anxious and OCD - on medication.

Leading Teams culture (at the Swans) was ruthless [name checked Macca, Kizza and Parker as leaders who were brutally direct in their feedback, which was exactly the same ones that I was guessing]. It took a toll on mental health. Being less anxious at Hawthorn allowed him to play better footy.

Winning Brownlow did change life "because people recognise you more, people want more of you... it definitely does change your life in the initial phase". Premiership is a much better experience. "Best thing you can ever do. ... No better feeling. ...Nothing better you can be a part of." Afterwards was the most exhausted he has ever felt, felt sick.

Lowest moment in footy: when severely injured (very badly broken leg). Never quite as good. Lost a little bit of power in his leg, and the rehab contributed to subsequent plantar fascitis that was career ending.

After his broken leg and missing 18 months, first game back opponent sledged him and said "I hope you break your leg again today"!

Good interview.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Mitchell needs to stop pissing in horses water bottle

Never a truer statement made on Bigfooty.

Sums up Tom’s career at the Swans.

 

[RUNVS]

I am not sure why Longmire disliked Mitchell or did not rate him that much, but it was a massive mistake in hindsight. Even at the time it felt like a mistake.

Mitchell's career ended with a wimper, but he never really recovered from his broken leg. Had he stayed at the Swans and not broken his leg he would likely be one of our best players right now.

 

[dosser]

Did he mention that he chose the swans over GWS because we paid him around $1m in a signing fee?

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

I wonder if the Longmire of the past three years of his coaching career would have been able to handle Mitchell better.

I have no doubt that Mitchell was difficult. He doesn’t seem to do well with feedback and often appears not to understand it. I find it hard to bridge Mitchell’s perspectives that (a) the swan’s feedback culture was too brutal but then also (b) the coaches weren’t clear on why he wasn’t starting quarters.

Mitchell was also very very good. He might be someone you really don’t enjoy coaching while also being someone who helps you win a lot of games, and win a massive amount of contested possessions - probably our biggest weakness after Kennedy started to slide.

 

[bedford]

It looks like there was another Tom Mitchell thread after this one (I'm not sure why) - but I can't find it. So will post here now after his retirement announced today following his delisting last year and failure to be picked up by any other club.



Reflecting on his time at the Swans he said, "I absolutely loved it" but also "it was a really hard team to break into and that took a toll on me mentally". He said he was offered $1M per season by the Giants as an 18 year old and he took "half, or less than half that to go to an established club". Chose us for the security of knowing we were an established club and would play finals. The factor that his dad had played there was a small extra factor. It was hard to visualise what the Giants would be.

He wonders if he had chosen the Giants if he would have played an extra 50 games. He wonders if he hadn't broken his leg so badly at the beginning of 2019 after winning the Brownlow and heading into his prime what he could have achieved but notes that he may have re-signed long term at the Hawks and have missed the flag with the Pies.

He felt he deserved to be playing earlier for us than he did. He said later Horse acknowledged this but also that being made to work so hard for it may have contributed to him being as driven as he was and his later achievements.

"I felt unfulfilled and held back. I felt like my career was slipping away before it had started."

"There was a lot of stuff that didn't go my way."

"[In 2015 I was still feeling held back. I was starting on the bench (except sometimes when tagging) every quarter of every game even though I was played every game. Low game time. Never given a satisfactory explanation. Hated starting on the bench all the time.] ...I didn't feel as valued as I could have been." Felt like he could have played the way he played at the Hawks (in 2017-2018) in 2015 and 2016 if he wasn't being held back.

When leaving Swans, had other options. Gold Coast offered more money. Wanted to come to successful club and 'home' to Victoria. At Hawthorn Clarko allowed him "to just go and play". Needed to play on instinct because not as quick as some players.

Anxious and OCD - on medication.

Leading Teams culture was ruthless. It took a toll on mental health. Being less anxious at Hawthorn allowed him to play better footy.

Winning Brownlow did change life "because people recognise you more, people want more of you... it definitely does change your life in the initial phase". Premiership is a much better experience. "Best thing you can ever do. ... No better feeling. ...Nothing better you can be a part of." Afterwards was the most exhausted he has ever felt, felt sick.

Lowest moment in footy: when severely injured (very badly broken leg). Never quite as good. Lost a little bit of power in his leg, and the rehab contributed to subsequent plantar fascitis that was career ending.

After his broken leg and missing 18 months opponent sledged him and said "I hope you break your leg again today"!

Good interview.

Calli someone had it on the past players page

 

[zyzzbruh]

Self absorbed handball out the back of a player who just took a mark or received a free kick merchant. That was why he accumulated so many possessions and stood out to win that brownlow. No where near as damaging as what he seemed - probably also why it took him so long to get a consistent game, I'm sure horse saw right through it. His comments re his time at the swans seems quite contradictive.

Very successfully career and won it all none the less, but something about him just rubbed me up the wrong way. He was always the victim and jumped ship everytime things weren't going his way. And the way he would unnecessarily weasel behind a player and demand a handball so he could rack up super coach points would shit me up the wall.

 

[Kiama Chris]

Self absorbed handball out the back of a player who just took a mark or received a free kick merchant. That was why he accumulated so many possessions and stood out to win that brownlow. No where near as damaging as what he seemed - probably also why it took him so long to get a consistent game, I'm sure horse saw right through it. His comments re his time at the swans seems quite contradictive.

Very successfully career and won it all none the less, but something about him just rubbed me up the wrong way. He was always the victim and jumped ship everytime things weren't going his way. And the way he would unnecessarily weasel behind a player and demand a handball so he could rack up super coach points would shit me up the wall.

It was generally pretty easy to tell when Horse didn't rate a player (even if he was wrong) eg Stephens, but the body language with Mitchell was on another level altogether.

 

[Tedeski]

I am not sure why Longmire disliked Mitchell or did not rate him that much, but it was a massive mistake in hindsight. Even at the time it felt like a mistake.

Mitchell's career ended with a wimper, but he never really recovered from his broken leg. Had he stayed at the Swans and not broken his leg he would likely be one of our best players right now.

Well read his article again.
It's about me, me, me with Tom.
That's how I see it.
If he feels like he underachieved then that's on hm.
He raises the money plenty of times. What about the other blokes on our list that didn't complain & got on with it.
Tom also acknowledges that Leading Teams was tough on him.
This leaves me thinking Horse measured his players on how they handled it.
This was the beginning of the end of the Bloods culture with more & more young players not coping with the Leading Teams & mouthing back at the leadership of the club.
It explains why we fell apart in 2 Grand Finals in 5 minutes of footy.
In fact there is no doubt that many of our blokes couldn't deal with adversity throughout a game.
The very reason we had so much success with it under Roos & then with Horse while we still had the players Roos brought to the club & coached.
Bye, bye Bloods.
Best of luck Tommy.

 

[RedBloodBlackSwan]

Well read his article again.
It's about me, me, me with Tom.
That's how I see it.
If he feels like he underachieved then that's on hm.
He raises the money plenty of times. What about the other blokes on our list that didn't complain & got on with it.
Tom also acknowledges that Leading Teams was tough on him.
This leaves me thinking Horse measured his players on how they handled it.
This was the beginning of the end of the Bloods culture with more & more young players not coping with the Leading Teams & mouthing back at the leadership of the club.
It explains why we fell apart in 2 Grand Finals in 5 minutes of footy.
In fact there is no doubt that many of our blokes couldn't deal with adversity throughout a game.
The very reason we had so much success with it under Roos & then with Horse while we still had the players Roos brought to the club & coached.
Bye, bye Bloods.
Best of luck Tommy.

I don’t disagree with much of this.

Mitchell to his credit played a pretty good 2016 final from memory. He had a crack. But agree he struggled with resilience between games.