Sam Mitchell to retire at end of 2017 season after illustrious career

SAM Mitchell will bring an end to his illustrious playing career, determined to go out while he is still at the top of his game.

Sam Mitchell enjoys the 2015 premiership victory with Hawthorn fans. Picture: Michael Klein

SAM Mitchell, one of the AFL’s most decorated footballers of the modern era, will bring an end to his illustrious playing career at the completion of this season.

The Herald Sun can reveal Mitchell, who turns 35 in October, will soon announce his retirement, but remains committed to chasing a finals berth for the Eagles this year before moving into an assistant coach’s role under Adam Simpson.

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Just weeks after his former Hawthorn teammate Luke Hodge, whose career-span parallels the same 16 seasons, decided to hang up the boots, Mitchell has made the decision to go out while he is still at the top of his game.

He will return to the Eagles’ line for Sunday’s clash against Brisbane Lions at Subiaco for his 323rd career game — his 16th since crossing to Perth from the Hawks.

While the Eagles have struggled for much of this season, Mitchell has been one of the club’s most consistent players, and has averaged 27 disposals this year.

Sam Mitchell holds aloft the 2013 premiership cup. Picture: Michael Klein

Mitchell enjoying flag success with his kids in 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch

His trade to the Eagles late last year was one of the shocks of the off-season, just weeks after he won a fifth Hawthorn best-and-fairest award.

He played 307 games with the Hawks and was one of the club’s greatest players before crossing to West Coast on a four-year playing/coaching contract. He will be an Eagles’ assistant coach for the next three seasons.

An astute football thinker, he has long been considered an AFL coach-in-waiting, and said last month he was starting to enjoy the coaching aspect as much as playing.

Sam Mitchell was awarded a Brownlow medal with Trent Cotchin for the 2012 season. Picture: Michael Klein

He was rested from last week’s match against Collingwood, but still travelled to Melbourne and sat in the coaches’ box.

There have been few laurels Mitchell hasn’t managed to win in a remarkable career, either as an individual or a team player.

Mitchell’s CV reads like few others to have played the game — Brownlow medallist (2012), four-time premiership player (2008, 2013-15), premiership captain (2008), five-time Hawthorn best-and-fairest (2006, 2009, 2011-12, 2016), three-time All Australian (2011, 2013, 2015), Rising Star winner (2003) and Liston Trophy winner (2002).

Sam Mitchell is still at the top of his game in his 16th AFL season. Picture: Michael Klein

Mitchell shows Mathew Stokes a clean pair of heels in a match against Geelong in 2013.

He and Richmond’s Trent Cotchin were presented with the 2012 Brownlow Medal last December after a landmark AFL Commission ruling following Jobe Watson’s decision to forfeit his medal.

Mitchell’s career has been testament to his persistence and resilience.

He was dismissed by recruiters during his TAC Cup years with Eastern Ranges as “too small and too slow”, and was overlooked for the 2000 national draft.

But his appetite for hard work, his refusal to take no for an answer, and his desire to be the best he could be saw the one-time kid from Mooroolbark win over the Hawthorn recruiters after a strong year with Box Hill in 2001.

Sam Mitchell celebrating his fourth premiership with Hawthorn teammates in 2015. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Mitchell as Hawthorn captain with coach Alastair Clarkson after the 2008 premiership win.

That resulted in Mitchell being drafted to the Hawks at pick 36 in the 2001 “Super Draft”.

Inherently talented and skilled, and almost ambidextrous with hand and foot, Mitchell would be favourably compared with dual Brownlow Medal winner Greg Williams as an elite in-and-under player in his early years.

One of his mentors David Parkin, who coached Williams at Carlton, claimed in 2015 that Mitchell was at least the equal, if not superior, in terms of influencing the result of games.

Earlier this year Mitchell passed St Kilda great Robert Harvey — one of his childhood heroes — as the player with the most 30-plus possessions in the game’s history.

Mitchell bringing down Kieren Jack during the 2014 Grand Final. Picture: David Caird

He missed the chance to play his old side Hawthorn in April after suffering what looked like a serious ankle injury, but he was back the following week for the derby against Fremantle.

The Eagles have five more games left of the home-and-away season — Brisbane. St Kilda, Carlton, Greater Western Sydney and Adelaide — with Mitchell chasing one last finals campaign.