Samuel Mitchell (born 12 October 1982) is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is the current coach of the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
As a player, he played with Hawthorn Football Club and the West Coast Eagles in the AFL. Following his retirement in 2017, Mitchell remained with West Coast as an assistant coach in 2018. In 2019, Mitchell returned to Hawthorn as the midfield coach before becoming head of development and senior coach of Hawthorn's VFL reserves affiliate team, the Box Hill Hawks, in 2021. In July 2021, Hawthorn appointed Mitchell as the next senior coach, taking over from Alastair Clarkson at the end of the 2021 season.
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Early life
Born in Mooroolbark, in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs, Mitchell played in the under 18 TAC Cup competition with the Eastern Ranges. He was the club's best and fairest player in 1999 and 2000. Disappointed at being overlooked in the 2000 draft, Mitchell joined the Box Hill Hawks. After time in the reserves, he was promoted to the seniors, and completed the season as the team's number one rover. He was a member of Box Hill's premiership side in 2001.
Playing career
Hawthorn
Mitchell was recruited to the Hawthorn Football Club in the AFL in the 2001 AFL draft with selection number 36. This selection was received by Hawthorn in the deal which saw Trent Croad and Luke McPharlin traded to Fremantle, while Hawthorn gained selections one (Luke Hodge), 20 (Daniel Elstone) and number 36 (Mitchell).
The first half of his debut season in 2002 saw him playing with the Box Hill Hawks, until he broke into the Hawthorn side midway through the season. Following some unimpressive performances where he never managed more than 14 disposals, he was dropped for round 15 but was recalled after more eye-catching performances in round 19. He polled 31 votes in just 11 games to win the VFL's best and fairest award, the J. J. Liston Trophy.
In 2003 Mitchell continued to improve, winning the 2003 AFL Rising Star award and becoming known as "the Extractor" (particularly by commentator Brian Taylor) for his high amount of clearances and ability to win the ball out of middle of the ground.
A solid season followed in 2004, and in 2005 he played a "super" season until a foot injury sidelined him in round 15. For the 2006 season, Mitchell was named vice-captain of Hawthorn and displayed stellar form throughout the season culminating in winning the Peter Crimmins Medal for Hawthorn's best and fairest.
In 2007, Mitchell finished third in the Brownlow Medal count with 21 votes, one vote short of joint runners-up North Melbourne's Brent Harvey and Brisbane's Simon Black, who each polled 22 votes, and eight votes behind the winner, Geelong's Jimmy Bartel.
On 6 October 2007, during the Peter Crimmins Medal Event, he was announced as Hawthorn's next captain, taking over the reins from retiring captain Richie Vandenberg.
Mitchell was ineligible for 2008's Brownlow Medal following a tripping charge in the match against Melbourne in round nine.
On Saturday, 27 September, Mitchell captained the Hawks to the 2008 premiership, the first in 17 years and the club's 10th, beating the reigning premiers, Geelong, by 26 points. Mitchell was reported for rough conduct against Geelong's Gary Ablett, Jr. in the second quarter, however the report was dismissed at the conclusion of the weekend.
West Coast Eagles
On 12 October 2016, news broke that Mitchell, at Hawthorn's request, was considering a move to West Coast and he was officially traded to West Coast two days later.
In August 2017, he announced he would retire from the AFL at the end of the 2017 season. Sam Mitchell played the final game of his career in the semi-final, where he recorded two goals and twenty-eight disposals in a 67-point loss to Greater Western Sydney. Mitchell played a total of 22 games and kicked a total of 4 goals for West Coast Eagles in 2017, in his only one season at the club.
Coaching career
West Coast Eagles
Shortly after his retirement from playing, Mitchell served as an assistant coach with the West Coast Eagles in 2018 under senior coach Adam Simpson. At the conclusion of the 2018 AFL season, which saw West Coast win the AFL premiership in the 2018 AFL Grand Final, Mitchell departed the West Coast Eagles.
Hawthorn
At the conclusion of the 2018 AFL season, Mitchell returned to Hawthorn to serve as an assistant coach in the position of midfield coach under senior coach Alastair Clarkson before becoming head of development and senior coach of Hawthorn's VFL affiliate team, the Box Hill Hawks in 2021.
On 6 July 2021, the Hawthorn Football Club announced that as part of a succession plan, Mitchell would succeed Alastair Clarkson as the senior coach of Hawthorn from 2023; until then, Mitchell will continue as Head of Development and as Box Hill Hawks senior coach. However, on 30 July 2021, it was announced that Clarkson would leave Hawthorn at the conclusion of the 2021 AFL season, with Mitchell immediately succeeding him.
In Mitchell's first season as senior coach of Hawthorn in the 2022 season, The Hawks under Mitchell finished in thirteenth place (fifth-last) position on the ladder with eight wins and fourteen losses, therefore not making finals. In the 2023 season, the Hawks under Mitchell finished sixteenth (third-last) position on the ladder with seven wins and sixteen losses and therefore not making finals.
In the 2024 AFL season, the Hawks finished in 7th on the ladder, playing finals for the first time under Mitchell.
Kneeing controversy
On 13 July 2015, Mitchell was found guilty by the AFL's match review panel of having kneed the right thigh of Fremantle Dockers player Nathan Fyfe during the second quarter of the previous day's game and was fined $1000 for the offence. The media then brought to light other kneeing incidents involving Mitchell, those being the kneeing of Adelaide Crows captain Taylor Walker in the Round 12 game and the kneeing of Greater Western Sydney's Ryan Griffen in Round 6 of the 2015 season. Another kneeing video incident surfaced of Mitchell kneeing North Melbourne defender Scott Thompson. The video shows Mitchell walking up to an unsuspecting Thompson and kneeing him in the left thigh. Media reports from 2008 show that an opposition club, Brisbane, expressed concerns to the AFL about Sam Mitchell's kneeing of opponents.
Playing style
Mitchell is often cited as one of the most ambidextrous players in the AFL and much opinion is made about which is his preferred foot. Although some have claimed that he was originally a left-footer who switched to his right foot later in his junior career, Mitchell has stated that he has just always tried to use the appropriate foot for the situation. He did, however, switch to his left foot when he wanted to kick longer. Similarly, his handpassing is equally good with either hand.
Statistics
Honours and achievements
Playing
Team
4× AFL premiership player (Hawthorn): 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015
2× McClelland Trophy/Minor premiership (Hawthorn): 2012, 2013
VFL premiership player (Box Hill): 2001
Individual
AFL premiership captain: 2008
Brownlow Medal: 2012
3× All-Australian team: 2011, 2013, 2015
Hawthorn Captain: 2008–2010
5× Peter Crimmins Medal: 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016
Norwich Rising Star Award: 2003
J. J. Liston Trophy: 2002
Col Austen Trophy: 2002
Herald Sun Player of the Year Award: 2011
2× Lou Richards Medal: 2011, 2015
2× Australian international rules football team: 2014, 2015
Victoria Australian rules football team: 2008
AFL Rising Star nominee: 2003
Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee: 2023
Hawthorn Football Club Hall of Fame inductee: 2024
Coaching
Team
McClelland Trophy (Hawthorn): 2024
League
Fothergill–Round–Mitchell Medal
Personal life
Mitchell married Lyndall Degenhardt in early November 2009. They have a son and twin daughters.