SAM Mitchell said he was in Isaac Smith’s ear before his shot at goal after the siren against Geelong last Friday night.

Smith was seen smiling before his kick for goal, but Mitchell told Fox Footy’s On The Couch program last night it was just nerves.

“Just telling him to take his time and enjoy it didn’t really work, did it?” Mitchell laughed.

“Isaac, if you know him as a bloke, he’s full of energy, full of life, full of enthusiasm,” he said.

“In a strange sort of way, if someone’s going to miss that shot he’d be in the top handful of blokes I’d rather it happens to at the club, because he’s got resilience and he’s the type of guy that will come back from it.

“It won’t define his career; he’s done some fantastic things for us.”

Mitchell was instrumental for the Hawks on Friday night, collecting 30 disposals, three clearances and four inside 50’s, despite a tag from Geelong’s Scott Selwood for most of the night.

The four-time premiership star said he had come to learn how to deal with taggers as he matured as a player.

“You learn lots of lessons over the journey. I used to try and fight them a bit too much and talk back to them,” Mitchell said.

“I probably stopped doing that a few years ago – I think the Carr brothers beat up on me one time and I sort of learnt my lesson - now I pretty much ignore them.”

The star midfielder was also asked about whether he thought the pre-finals bye was a good idea.

“When (the bye) first came out in the pre-season, like everyone, you don’t like change and you say ‘that’s a silly idea, why did they do that?”, he said.

“But when I got to about Round 20 I thought ‘I’m a bit tired, I’ve played quite a few games in a row and wouldn’t mind a rest.’

“I thought (the bye) probably helped us – we played okay on the weekend. We didn’t win, but I think it helped us.”

Hawthorn will take on the Bulldogs in a cut throat semi final at the MCG on Friday night.