"Having instilled elite standards whilst showing genuine care and connection with his players, Sam has cultivated an environment where every player can reach their full potential. The former Hawthorn captain took charge at the end of the 2021 season in a messy succession from Alastair Clarkson. With Collingwood circling the then Hawks assistant Mitchell, Hawthorn struck a deal with him to take over. A Hawks champion as a footballer across 329 AFL games, Mitchell was a four-time premiership player, five-time best and fairest winner, Brownlow medallist and three-time All-Australian. He took Hawthorn back to the finals in 2024, when they reached the semi-final, then bettered that with a preliminary final appearance last year.