Jarman Impey confident Hawthorn can collectively cover for Tom Mitchell and play finals in 2019

Hawthorn playmaker Jarman Impey warns rival clubs to underestimate the Hawks at their own peril, confident the club can collectively cover for the loss of Tom Mitchell.

Jarman Impey on the run. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Hawthorn playmaker Jarman Impey has warned rival clubs to underestimate the Hawks at their own peril, saying he is confident the club can collectively cover for the loss of Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell.

Impey said as “devastating” as the double break of Mitchell’s leg was last month, four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson was already working on “some recipes” to cover the star midfielder’s season-long absence.

“Last year a lot of people didn’t pick us to play finals, and we did,” Impey told the Herald Sun. “Hopefully we can do the same this year, and play finals again.”

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“That’s what we’re here for, to play finals footy, and to get some silverware.”

Following Mitchell’s injury, the doomsayers were vocal, suggesting Hawthorn’s quest for another finals berth under Clarkson had suffered a critical blow.

But speaking from Katherine, in the Northern Territory, where he was part of a Hawks’ community camp visit with teammates Conor Nash and Matt Walker, Impey said plans were already in place to have other players fill the breach.

Jarman Impey in action for Hawthorn. Picture: Michael Klein

Tom Mitchell will miss the entire 2019 season. Picture: Michael Klein

And he suggested Mitchell will act as inspiration for his teammates throughout the season ahead.

“It was devastating for that to happen on our first training session of 2019, with Tom breaking his leg,” Impey said.

“He is obviously one of the best players, if not the best player in the competition.

“We’ll be there for Tom, but as sad as it was, we have had to move on quickly.

“As good as he is, one player doesn’t necessarily change a season.

“I am sure Clarko the guru has a few things in place for Tommy going down, and is working on some recipes.”

Four-time Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson.

He cited the recruitment of his former Port Adelaide teammate Chad Wingard as timely for the club in Mitchell’s absence, but said other seasoned players, including some regular forwards can also spend more time in the midfield.

“Chad can come in and play that midfield role,” he said.

“(Jaeger) O’Meara has been really good with his body, and he has had a magnificent preseason and has taken it up another notch.

“There is Liam Shiels and James Worpel … even the forwards such as ‘Poppy’ (Paul Puopolo) and Luke Breust can go through there. Then, there’s Shauny Burgoyne who just loves being in there.”

Impey, who is about to enter his second season with the Hawks, was the star attraction of the trip to a local primary school in the heart of Katherine, where he helped to launch a new children’s book, written by seven indigenous teenagers.

He, Nash and Walker also visited the Bewick community later in the day.