Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn: Mitchell Lewis. Extended to 2026!

[The Spirit of Cricket]

I get that was mainly a strategy to lock the ball in and retain it, but boy was it frustrating to watch.

i think it was also largely put in place to combat out poor ball movement/mediocre footskills for the past few years. like if you're streaming into the F50 your direction isn't gonna be to hit up someone 10 out from goal that has 3 defenders on them. That would be more to do with poor decision making/kicking skills.

But yeah, definitely a set concept out of a contested situation or a slow play

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Roger Rogerson]

He started to look like his body is holding up this year. Had changed shape a bit so got to expect the 1s and 2s start changing into 3s and 4s and hopefully a day out where he kicks 6 or 7 one game.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

So difficult to rate our key forwards this year given we were regularly on the wrong side of the inside 50 differntial combined with our slow ball movement and insistence of banging it into the forward pocket to a pack so often.

But I feel Mitchell's later half of the year was actually quite decent.

If he can work on his fitness over the pre season so he can make more contests I feel 2022 could be a big year for the young man (also no more boxing!)

 

[MasterSamurai]

Even when he had poor games for us , I still felt he was our number 1 KPF option.
Dunno why, but he showed some signs that he was gonna be better than some try hard- tyre kicker . A full season is what he needs.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Mitch Lewis
"Mitch showed us what he is capable of at AFL level this year, being a big key forward. He started the year promisingly before being injured in the middle part of the year. We're just really after some consistent performances from him to take his game to the next level. We think we'll get that with another big pre-season under his belt to build his body up and build his confidence, but we've seen what Mitch can do and we're excited for what's ahead of him."

 

[SSSSSS]

All between the ears with Mitch. Hard to hit packs hard when you aren't confident in your body but thought he grew later in the year. Hopefully a big, healthy preseason and hit the ground running.

Definitely our best KPF when he has it all together. Difference between his best and worst is quite massive, effort wise at least. Will come with experience.

 

[Brishawk]

1. Competitiveness
2. Work rate

that is what he needs to work on and the consistency and confidence will come with it. Was much better in the second half of the year Hope it has clicked for him. He has enough talent to be the key forward around which the rest pivot.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Bardo State]

I like the Hale comment

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I like the Hale comment

I like the 3 or so mentions of how refreshing the preseason has felt.

 

[threesixpio]

I like the 3 or so mentions of how refreshing the preseason has felt.

Different energy hey? And it’s a good energy - early days of course.

 

[threesixpio]

To add - you wonder how influential the playing group were on all that transpired …don’t want to derail Hodgey thread but yeah.

and the assistants are a back part of all of this

 

[Roger Rogerson]

I like the Hale comment

Hale is a great recruit for Mitch Lewis. Should be able to teach him plenty.

 

[Gunston19]

Hale is a great recruit for Mitch Lewis. Should be able to teach him plenty.

the big man was on show in the video above still looks like he can play. Miss big hale

 

[chopflop]

I can smell a breakout year. 35 goals to 40 goals.

 

[TylerDurden]

He does look way bigger than usual.

 

[KermitJagger]

He does look way bigger than usual.

Tbf players always look musclier pre-season and early season, that muscle tends to fall away with the rigours of AFL footy. That said he looks more solid, more of a grown man.

 

[James Colorado]

the big man was on show in the video above still looks like he can play. Miss big hale

Best in the comp at the 2nd ruck/3rd KPF role during the 3-peat years, an underrated part of that success.

 

[Lethality]

I feel that all he needs is opportunity

 

[MrPremiership]

I feel that all he needs is opportunity

consistency for mine.

When fit, he's generally played over the last 2 or 3 years...but always seems to pick up small stuff and struggle to put lots of blocks of games together

 

[kirbatron]

His game vs the Dogs late last year is what I would like to see him bring every week.

 

[Roddy]

M-Lew putting on some size can only be a good thing. He's looked a little lean for me in recent seasons.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Best in the comp at the 2nd ruck/3rd KPF role during the 3-peat years, an underrated part of that success.

Most teams that are contending have 5-6 stars. Its the quality of the role players around them that determine how successful the team will be and we had very good role players. You could argue the stars made them better but i think they were very good players in their own right

 

[burner1]

M-Lew putting on some size can only be a good thing. He's looked a little lean for me in recent seasons.

He needs to be hitting packs hard and with confidence. Hopefully with some extra size and a good run with injury we see what he can do over a full season. Having a big key forward splitting packs is not only good for our side but great to watch.