Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell wants to finish his career playing for West Coast

UPDATE: SAM Mitchell was shocked when coach Alastair Clarkson suggested he play for West Coast, his manager has revealed.

Sam Mitchell could have played his last game for Hawthorn. Picture: Michael Klein.

UPDATE: SAM Mitchell was shocked when coach Alastair Clarkson suggested he play for West Coast, his manager has revealed.

“I think Sam himself was a bit blindsided by it, he didn’t see it coming - but he understood it,” manager Peter Lenton told Trade Radio, admitting he was also stunned when Mitchell passed on the news.

ROLLING COVERAGE: TRADE TALK DAY 3 LIVE COVERAGE

JON RALPH: WHAT HAWKS CAN EXPECT FOR MITCH

BOMBSHELLS: FOOTY’S BIGGEST TRADE SHOCKS

Lenton said Mitchell had been talking to West Coast about a coaching role after hanging up the boots.

But that changed quickly when Mitchell was invited to a meeting with the Hawthorn coach on the day of the Brownlow Medal, following his end-of-season interview.

“I think it was really just throwing up a couple of scenarios - ‘Sam, would this suit you?’,” Lenton said.

“There was no pushing or shoving, it was really a round-table discussion. From what I gather as well Adam Simpson was involved in that, as well - maybe not on that day.

“This was not about Hawthorn saying, ‘We’ve got to get Sam Mitchell out of our footy club’, it was nothing like that. It was actually a really good solid conversation between a few real mature people who can put things on the table, discuss it, and see if it works.

“If Sam had said, ‘I’ve got no interest in that’, it would have gone no further.”

Lenton said Mitchell took several days to come around to the move but now believed it made sense for all parties.

Sam Mitchell may have played his last game for Hawthorn. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Mitchell, a member of four premiership-winning teams across 307 games with the Hawks, has been secretly working on the move for weeks on the back of Clarkson's suggestion.

“You could have knocked me over with a feather,” Mitchell said. “It could be a win for Hawthorn and help free up the salary cap ... and hopefully I can go over and help West Coast.

“I went to my wife and told her what had happened and expected it to be hit on the head. Because we had been considering moving, she was like you know what, let’s do it.

“If we are going to move, it is probably best for us as a family to do it now rather than later.

“There has been some talk of this for two weeks ... with a bit of work going on behind the scenes.

“If this goes through, there’s no certainty to. If I can go over and help West Coast ... If I stay at Hawthorn, that’s okay.

“If I move to West Coast I’d be really excited. it’s a new challenge.

“It's the first time in my 15 year career that i’d been involved in something like this. It has been a really respectful process, Hawthorn have been really transparent.

“All three parties will be coming out of this with a win.”

“The people I’d told weren’t involved at the footy club ... I’d only told about five people.”

West Coast expects the deal to get done, but football manager Craig Vozzo said the Eagles’ pick 12 in the draft is off the table in trade negotations.

CEO Trevor Nisbett said it would be a massive bonus to get Mitchell in an Eagles guernsey next season, describing him as “still one of the best players in the competition”.

He said there was “some synergy” between the two clubs, and was hopeful a deal would get done by the end of the trade period next Thursday.

“If our past dealings with Hawthorn and the way our clubs have dealt together (are) any indication, I think it will get done,” Nisbett told Perth radio station 6iX.

“It’s not to say that it’s a done deal because there’s a lot of work to be done yet, so we’ll wait and see how it pans out over the next few days.”

Nisbett said the club had originally been in discussions with Mitchell about a future coaching role under Adam Simpson.

“We’ve been talking to Sam about coaching in the future, and we were probably aiming at 2018 onwards,” Nisbett said.

“Obviously, with his discussions with Hawthorn and what the Hawks are doing with trade week, and where we’re at as a club, it may come to fruition earlier.

“Sam’s talking to the Hawks again today and I guess Hawthorn will make up their mind what their plans are.

“Obviously, Sam’s contracted but if they are after the players they’re looking at… they’ll need to make some room somewhere, and Sam obviously long-term for us we think is going to be a terrific asset.”

Originally published as Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell wants to finish his career playing for West Coast