SATURDAY’S match between Hawthorn and Essendon is important in the context of both clubs’ seasons, according to midfield veteran Sam Mitchell.

The Hawks enter the match with a 7-4 record, pushing for a top four berth, while the Bombers record is the opposite, and they will be desperate for a win to keep pace with the top eight.

“We know it’s a really important game for our season,” Mitchell said.

“We’ve lost four games now, and we can’t afford to lose too many if we want to achieve what we want to achieve this year.”

With three consecutive wins, the Hawks have started to string together some consistent matches, while the Bombers will be looking to rebound after three consecutive defeats before the bye.

Mitchell said the break would have been beneficial for the Bombers.

“It gives you a bit of time to look over your season,” he said.

“They started the season really well, but are probably not quite where they would have liked to be the last month, but they would have had to recharge the batteries and ready to come full of energy on Saturday.”

Mitchell is enjoying a stellar season so far, averaging 29.1 disposals per game in his 10 matches.

Calf soreness kept the 32-year-old out of Hawthorn’s two-point Round 2 defeat to the Bombers, a side he says matches up well against the Hawks.

“It was a hard one to watch (Round 2),” Mitchell said.

“The last two times we’ve played Essendon they’ve probably been the better side.

“We were able to win one of those games, but we’ve got our work cut out.

“They’ve proven that they can trouble us, so we need to bring our best and most competitive football to win this week.”

The Hawks are “probably still not playing our best footy” according to Mitchell – but had found more consistent form over the past month and were finding ways to grind out wins.

He believes the stage is set for a thrilling contest between two of football’s fiercest rivals on Saturday.

“When you meet particularly people who have been around a while and been Hawks supporters or Bombers supporters for quite a long time, they certainly feel a little bit of extra buzz when it comes to a Hawthorn-Essendon game,” he said.

“The crowd loves those games – it’s always loud, it’s always a big crowd.

“I think Saturday afternoon at the ‘G is probably when everyone likes to play and watch footy.

“We’ll try to make the most of that opportunity by putting on a good show and playing our best footy.”