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There’s been yet another shocking development in the AFL trade period, with Hawthorn superstar Sam Mitchell looking likely to join the West Coast Eagles next season.
The 33-year-old midfielder, who has won four premierships with the Hawks, said the move was the brainchild of coach Alastair Clarkson.
“I didn’t go to the club and say I want to go to West Coast,” Mitchell said.
“Clarko came over and said, as a friend, ‘Is that something you’d be interested in?’
“And you could have knocked me over with a feather, to be honest.”
In the weeks following the suggestion, Mitchell and wife Lyndall have discussed the move, and decided it could suit them.
It has been reported that Mitchell would sign a one-year deal with West Coast, with a coaching role included for post-2017.
Mitchell did sign a one-year contract to play for the Hawks in 2017, but said the move west could benefit Hawthorn.
Moving the 2016 best-and-fairest winner – Mitchell’s fifth such award with the club – would free up plenty of salary cap for the Hawks to pursue their current trade targets, Sydney’s Tom Mitchell and Gold Coast’s Jaeger O’Meara. Hawthorn have already secured the services of forward/ruckman Ty Vickery from Richmond on a two-year deal.
“There’s been some talk about this for two weeks, so the amount of people who have known about it with the behind the scenes going on at the club shows the respect between the two clubs,” Mitchell said.
“If this goes through, because there’s no certainty it will, we look at it as a win for Hawthorn, because it frees up salary cap space.
“And then hopefully I can go over and help West Coast.”
Should the deal go through, there is a good chance the Eagles would boast a midfield with two Brownlow medallists.
Current West Coast star Matt Priddis took the award home in 2014, while Mitchell is a chance to be awarded the 2012 medal following the news that the ‘Essendon 34’s’ appeal to Swiss Federal Tribunal was dismissed, casting doubt over whether Jobe Watson will be allowed to keep the award.
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