Hawthorn senior coach Sam Mitchell is reportedly open to fielding calls from rival clubs as contract negotiations with the Hawks remain in a holding pattern, according to 7SPORT expert Tom Morris. Despite Mitchell publicly stating he is “contracted to Hawthorn” and “very happy at Hawthorn” during an appearance on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters on Monday, Morris contends that the highly regarded coach is “gettable” and “open for business.”
Mitchell's Stance and Contract Situation
“So Sam Mitchell delivered the party line last night and no reason to dismiss what he said ... that’s all accurate. But it’s my understanding that Sam Mitchell would take a call from a rival club if a rival club was interested in him,” Morris revealed on the same program on Tuesday. Negotiations between Mitchell and Hawthorn have paused by mutual consent recently, though Morris said they are expected to accelerate again soon. The Hawks have not formally offered Mitchell a contract extension but would like him to commit beyond 2027 into 2028.
“My belief is Sam Mitchell is open for business and gettable for the right price and the right club,” Morris said. “I think anyone that assumes that Sam Mitchell is locked into Hawthorn for the next 10-15 years without fully understanding that he’s going to do what’s best for his career and his family, probably doesn’t understand what sort of driven person Sam Mitchell is.”
Management Change and Club Relations
Mitchell has recently changed management, with media mogul and SEN owner Craig Hutchison now involved in his representation. Morris, who also works on SEN, said he had attempted to call Hutchison about Mitchell but received no reply, noting that such a lack of response is typical for player agents. The situation is further complicated by Mitchell’s relationship with Hawthorn president Andy Gowers, which Morris described as “steady” at best. The relationship was strained after Gowers was forced to apologise to Mitchell over the unauthorised use of his image regarding a corporate trip to Noosa.
“It’s not a relationship that necessarily is going to keep Sam Mitchell at the club,” Morris said, though he added the relationship is not “untenable” or “broken.”
Potential Suitors and Market Value
Carlton could emerge as a potential suitor, with connections dating back several years when Blues CEO Graham Wright was at Hawthorn, first as a list manager and then as footy boss, during Mitchell’s time as a star player. “So let’s not forget, five years ago, Graham Wright (when he was footy boss at Collingwood) went after Sam Mitchell ... and that’s what instigated the succession plan at Hawthorn, which saw him take over from Alastair Clarkson. So there’s that connection there,” Morris said.
AFL great Dale Thomas urged Carlton to make a play for Mitchell. “If Carlton are listening to this, and this is correct, you are throwing everything (at Mitchell),” Thomas said on The Agenda Setters. “You are literally going to find everything you have. You go to the warchest, go to the kitchen, get the sink, the dishwasher, whatever you’ve got to throw, and absolutely pile in, because the list of coaches, and you have a couple of older coaches coming back in, and there’s an untried crop ... but he is tried, proven.”
Tasmania has denied making an approach to Mitchell, though they are expected to conduct due diligence on all available coaching options.
Mitchell's Value and Likely Outcome
Morris stressed that Mitchell “loved” the Hawthorn Football Club. “But I don’t think he’s going to let them come and offer him a deal, a long-term deal, that doesn’t do justice to his skill set and, I guess, his value in the marketplace. And let’s be honest, you could argue, (Mitchell) is in the top three most valuable coaches in the AFL right now.”
Kane Cornes agreed, saying if Mitchell’s contract were being negotiated now, he should definitely be paid as a “top three” coach. Morris speculated that Mitchell’s market value is somewhere over $1 million a year. While it remains more likely Mitchell will stay at Hawthorn, Cornes said any rival interest could provide significant leverage in contract negotiations with the Hawks.
