The AFL has announced Hawthorn Senior Coach Sam Mitchell as the assistant coach for Victoria for the AAMI AFL Origin match on 14 February. 

Mitchell will join the Victorian coaching panel under two-time Premiership coach Chris Scott.

No stranger to the Big V - having represented Victoria in the 2008 Hall of Fame Tribute Match - Mitchell is preparing for his fifth season as Hawthorn coach.

He has guided Hawthorn to consecutive finals campaigns, including a preliminary final in 2025 before eventually falling to Scott’s Geelong side.

Sam Mitchell said: “I am honoured to have the chance to work alongside Chris. He is a highly respected and credentialled coach, and to help build and coach a team that reflects the pride and tradition of Victorian football is a really exciting proposition.”

The first wave of players for AAMI AFL Origin were unveiled in November, and included Hawthorn's very own Tom Barrass, who will represent Western Australia. 

With tickets for AAMI AFL Origin now on sale, more players from both states will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Profits from general public ticket sales will be reinvested back into Western Australian community football pathways as part of the AFL and WA Government’s commitment to growing the game and making it accessible to all.

In 2026, AAMI AFL Origin will be delivered with the support of the Western Australian Government, through Tourism WA, and showcase the best of the state to fans all over the country.

The 2026 AAMI AFL Origin match will be broadcast on Channel 7 and Fox, as well as 7Plus and Kayo streaming platforms, spotlighting Perth and its world-class sporting facilities to the rest of the nation.

The match will begin at 4.40pm AWST / 7.40pm AEDT. For more information visit origin.afl.