We sat down with Senior Coach Sam Mitchell at the midpoint of the season to assess how the team is tracking at the bye and what’s to come in the second half of the season. 

During an in-depth interview, Mitchell provided some insights on Hawthorn’s defensive, midfield and forward groups, as well as some of the Club’s exciting young players. 

Notably, the Hawks coach also thanked the loyal brown and gold faithful for their incredible support so far this season. 

We summarised the key points from his interview below. 

On the lessons learned so far this season

“I think we talked in pre-season a lot about being able to compete against the best sides, and some of the games that we've played, if you look at the top of the ladder, our win-loss is okay this year, whereas last year I think we struggled against those very best sides when they are at their best. We haven't won every game, of course, but we do feel like we're making progress. We're going to need the full second half of the season to improve our game.”

On how the team is placed so far this season

“It's difficult, teams go through ebbs and flows. We certainly have had a bit of a flat patch, along with a good run of form. I think most teams have had that across this season, not necessarily just by their win-loss, but performance-wise, there have been some teams that have had some really good performances that they've been able to string together, and then teams have struggled. We've won a couple of games without playing our best. We've also played quite well and lost a couple of times. I think when we look at the season, we're probably about where we should be, and a big second half of the year is coming.”

On improvements required

“I think consistency and finishing out games are obviously important. You look back at the Fremantle game, for instance. We played quite well for three quarters, but we just weren't able to withstand their pressure late in the game. When we've played our best footy, they have been great games to watch, really high-pressure, a lot of intensity, and as soon as we drop away in those areas, we've struggled. We need to maintain the rage in the areas that we know suit the way we play.”

On the midfield

“Some parts of what our midfield does have been excellent. Statistically, we look at our pressure factor numbers and our ability to score from entry, and a lot of things that go into the midfield mix have been really good. If you look at total clearance numbers and centre bounces, it's been a bit of a work in progress across the year. I think I'm pleased with the work ethic of that group, and they're really applying their craft to try and keep improving the things they're getting better at. We haven't had probably the whole mix together, so we missed Daysy (Will Day) obviously, in the first part of the year, and then Nashy (Conor Nash) being out for the last couple (of weeks) has meant that we’ve still got a bit of work to do with the mix of our midfield and how we can get the best out of them.” 

On the defenders

“I think Jarman (Impey) would be a lock for All-Australian at this stage, so I'm really pleased with how he's continuing to perform, and off the back of his contract extension, it's great news for the Club. I think realistically, though, our backline this year compared to last year, we've conceded too many scores. Scores per entry against us have been much higher than they should be. Across the course of last season, I think we were second or third for scores against, and then this year, we're sort of mid-table. So, we've got a bit of work to do behind the ball. A lot of it is contest loss, so we're working very hard in that area to try and improve and make sure we can be a bit harder to score against.”

On the forwards

“I think the forward mix has been quite consistent through the year. We’ve had (Jack) Gunston and (Blake) Hardwick probably sharing the (deep forward) role, and we've tried a few different things, but Mitch Lewis and his consistency’s been a big step forward. I think we know the potency of our small forwards, (Nick) Watson is having a really consistent year in what is a very difficult position to be consistent, and then you know, getting Connor Macdonald and (Dylan) Moore creates threats for the opposition with their running power. The mix of the forward line with Cholly (Mabior Chol), for the most part, there are a lot of guys knocking on the door to try and get in, and we've got a lot of depth in that forward line. We'll continue to work on the mix and see how it looks.”

On the blooding four debutants this season

“You're always balancing up your performance and your development, and we know these guys are going to be good players. There are some other guys who have had some exposure at VFL level, and even some that you guys wouldn't have seen yet, unless you're watching Box Hill, that we're really optimistic about their futures. How we can get them in when you're in a cut-throat AFL season is sometimes difficult, particularly with a reasonably short injury list, but we're excited about the development of our group, and we think the younger players in our side are all holding their own at the moment, which is what you need to be a strong side consistently over a longer period.”

On the some of the young Hawks on the rise

“Max (Beattie) is a good young kid. He just played his first game for Box Hill, and he looks pretty comfortable out there, so pleased with how he's going. A guy like Matty Leray has had some injury issues in the early part of the season, but he's just started to get a bit of consistency and string some games together. He's certainly looking more and more comfortable at VFL level. Aidan Schubert is one who started the season on fire, and he's kicked a lot of goals, particularly in the early part of the year in the VFL. If things are falling his way, he’s certainly ready for an AFL opportunity. It will be exciting to see if they can get a chance. Matty Hill's another one, he’s a small forward who applies an enormous amount of pressure and is doing some centre bounces at Box Hill. I think when you look at these guys, you're hopeful that they can get an AFL opportunity, but by the same token, the way the AFL side is playing, and the consistency of their performances mean it's going to be difficult, but that's part of just improving as a player in that early part of your career.”

On the Kennedy Community Centre

“Everyone kind of theoretically understood that it would be great, but it's been even better than what we suspected it would be, just with the level of professionalism you can go to and how our staff and players have embraced the area. All the staff are in early, they're all in the gym together, they're all using the whole facility, and then when the players come in, there's this level of buzz and energy. I think on most days at 4:30 pm, players would all be gone, but now, you go look in the sauna, and there are 10 of them hanging out in the sauna still at 4:30 in the afternoon after the day started at 7am. So the players are really loving the environment, and we feel like we can educate in a much better way. Even the technology around the building is first-class, so we’re enormously thankful for the fans and everyone who has enabled us to be in this facility.”

On the support of the Hawks faithful

“I think what happens with the fans is they've always turned out for us. I think sometimes in the early phase, we weren't necessarily going to win, and you might not have been that optimistic about the scoreline, but our Hawks fans seemed to just turn up anyway, and I really have loved that about us. Now I feel like there's this whole cohort of people that have been on the journey with us for five years and continue to ride every bump, and when I run into people in the street midweek, whether we've won or lost, there's always a bit of pride in the brown and gold as a fan. I feel like the way the players play, there's a level of respect for the intensity and the effort that they put in, and I think you're not going to win every game, but if your team plays hard and tries relentlessly, then you're pretty proud to fly that team’s flag, and I think our fans come out and show that.”

Watch Sam Mitchell’s full mid-season interview below