Unlucky Swans midfielder Tom Mitchell has again found himself on the outer after being dropped for Saturday’s qualifying final against Fremantle at ANZ Stadium.
Mitchell, who gathered 29 touches and 13 tackles in the Swans’ Round 23 loss to Richmond, has become a regular victim of the best problem for a club to have: too many guns to fit in one team.
He is one of five young Swans to make way ahead of the weekend’s clash, with Lance Franklin headlining the inclusions alongside Ben McGlynn, Craig Bird and Brownlow contender Josh Kennedy.
Coach John Longmire praised the young Swans who stepped up in the absence of experienced players in the latter half of the season.
“Those blokes have come in and played quite well for us, and it certainly is good to know that they’re there if needed,” Longmire said on the club’s website.
Mitchell averaged 21 touches, six tackles and five marks for his six games in the home-and-away season, showing across-the-board improvement from his debut season in 2013.
Yet even with co-captain Jared McVeigh spending most of his time on the half-back flank nowadays, there is no obvious spot for Mitchell in the Swans’ 22 this season.
His superb form in the reserves, including a 64-possession game early in the season, was finally rewarded with a return to the seniors in Round 22 where the Swans again showed off their squad depth.
There have been nerves among supporters for several months that the father-son pick may be headed south of the border come season’s end as his continued form went unrewarded.
However, Mitchell has shown no signs of wanting to leave the club at this stage. With the Swans nabbing the minor premiership, and a few players keeping mum on their futures (namely Nick Malceski and Adam Goodes), Mitchell may find himself in a starting spot as early as next season.
Bird has been named to return after a stint on the sidelines with a dodgy knee, but after being named least likely to play the week before the door remains open for a late change.
In a game expected to be won and lost in the midfield, a late call-up will present an opportunity for Mitchell to cement his place in the side for Sydney’s September campaign and beyond.
While absence would do no damage to his stock, Mitchell has proven his versatility and will keep the pressure on all members of the squad to perform.
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