Sam Mitchell (footballer)

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Sam Mitchell
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Mitchell
Date of Birth	October 12, 1982 (1982-10-12) (age 25)
Place of Birth	Mooroolbark, Victoria
Recruited from	Eastern U18/Box Hill Hawks
Draft	36th overall, 2001 Hawthorn
Height/Weight	179cm / 84kg
Position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Hawthorn
Number	5
Playing Career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2002-	Hawthorn	118 (19)
State Team Honours2
Years	Team	Games (Goals)
2008-	Victoria	1 (0)
¹ Club statistics to end of Round 10, 2008 season
² Representative statistics to end of {{{repstatsend}}} Career highlights AFL National AFL Rising Star 2003 Hawthorn Best Hawthorn Clubman 2005 Hawthorn Vice-Captain 2006,2007 Hawthorn Captain 2008 Peter Crimmins Medal 2006 VFL J. J. Liston Trophy

Sam Mitchell (born October 12, 1982) is an Australian rules football player for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League.

[edit] Debut season

A product of Mooroolbark, in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs, Mitchell was recruited to the Hawthorn Football Club in the AFL in the 2001 AFL Draft with selection 36 (received in the deal which saw Trent Croad and Luke McPharlin head to Fremantle, and the numbers one Luke Hodge and 36 (Mitchell) selections go Hawthorn's way). The first half of his debut season in 2002 saw him playing with the Box Hill Hawks, until he broke into the Hawthorn side midway through the season due to some amazing form. Following some unimpressive performances where he never managed more than 14 disposals, he was dropped for Round 15 but was recalled after more eye-catching performances in Round 19. It turns out he polled 31 votes in just 11 games for the VFL's best and fairest award, the J. J. Liston Trophy which was the main reason for his constant recalls to the Hawthorn side.

[edit] 2003-present

In 2003 Mitchell continued to improve, winning the AFL Rising Star award and becoming known as "the Extractor" (particularly by commentator Brian Taylor) for his high amount of clearances and ability to win the ball out of middle of the ground.

A solid season followed in 2004, and in 2005 he played a "super" season until a foot injury sidelined him in Round 15. For the 2006 season, Mitchell was named vice-captain of Hawthorn and displayed stellar form throughout the season culminating in winning the Peter Crimmins Medal for Hawthorn's best and fairest.

In 2007 he capped of another wonderful season by coming 3rd in the votes for the highest honour in Australian Football, the Brownlow Medal with 21 votes, 1 short of joint 2nd place winners, North Melbourne's Brent Harvey and Brisbane's Simon Black who both polled 22 votes, and coming 8 votes behind winner of the 2007 Brownlow, Geelong's Jimmy Bartel.

On the 6th of October 2007, during the Peter Crimmins Medal Event, he was announced as Hawthorn's next captain, taking over the reigns from retiring captain Richard Vandenberg.

[edit] External links

• Sam Mitchell (footballer) profile on the Official AFL Website of the Hawthorn Football Club
• Sam Mitchell (footballer)'s statistics from AFL Tables

• Interview with The Age

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