Sam Mitchell

Sam Mitchell's Biography

Sam Mitchell took over the reigns as senior coach at the Hawthorn Football Club ahead of the 2022 season. The Hawks had a remarkable 2024 season surging into the finals, 2025 took them to the Semi Final and 2026 the incredible Preliminary Final match against Premiers Brisbane. The Hawks are knocking on the door of a Grand Final day in 2027.

Mitchell played 307 games and won four premierships and a Brownlow Medal while wearing the brown and gold, before finishing his playing career at West Coast.

Upon retirement at the end of 2017, he joined West Coast’s ranks as an assistant under Adam Simpson.

After a year looking after the Eagles’ midfield group and experiencing his first taste of premiership glory as a coach, Mitchell returned home to Hawthorn as an assistant under Alastair Clarkson.

Following two years looking after the Hawks' midfield, Mitchell took on the Head of Development Role ahead of 2021, seeing him nurture the Hawks' emerging young talent, while also serving as Box Hill's senior coach.

An essential component of Hawthorn’s resurgence and a Premiership captain, Sam Mitchell is extended his career with the West Coast Eagles from 2017. Sam carried himself with maturity beyond his years in the formative seasons of his career. The dynamic midfielder found the football with ease and has accumulated a raft of awards as a result.

A dual best and fairest winner at the Eastern Ranges, Mitchell was overlooked at the 2000 National Draft. A brilliant season as part of the Box Hill Hawks VFL Premiership in 2001 put recruiters on further notice of his ability, with Hawthorn selecting Mitchell with pick 36 at the 2001 National Draft.

Mitchell played nine AFL games in his debut season, still spending enough time in the VFL to record a remarkable win in the JJ Liston Trophy. In 2003, Mitchell stamped himself as a class player with victory in the NAB AFL Rising Star and back-to-back Most Determined awards at Hawthorn. Since then Mitchell has continued his consistently high output, dominating at the clearances and developing into a key leader of the young Hawks. This ascension culminated in his win in the Hawks’ 2006 Best and Fairest.

Named the new captain of the Hawks for 2008 after a high Brownlow finish in 2007, Mitchell joined a select group to have led their club to a Premiership in their first year as skipper. He also collected The Age Player of The Year award. In a difficult 2009 for the Hawks, Mitchell was a shining light, winning his second Peter Crimmins Medal.

At the end of the 2010 season Mitchell handed the captaincy over to teammate Luke Hodge. Going from strength-to-strength, Mitchel l finished second in the Brownlow Medal in consecutive seasons in 2011-12 and made it four Peter Crimmins Medals – equalling club great Shane Crawford. Sam finished the 2014 year on a high with a huge win against the Sydney Swans to take out the Premiership once again.

Sam is available for speaking engagements for sporting clubs through to corporate clients where he delivers insights into his own career and what it takes to succeed at the highest level.

Sam is an accomplished keynote speaker and natural communicator.

To enquire about Sam for your event contact Helene Greenham directly: helene@platinumspeakers.com.au

Speaking Topics Include

Leadership insights

What it takes to succeed at the highest level

The importance of teamwork

Hawthorn & West Coast Eagles success