AFL 2024: Hawthorn stars Will Day, James Sicily set to play last two games

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says he’s keeping an “elimination final” mentality in place for games against the bottom-two sides.

Hawthorn star Will Day is set to face Richmond on Sunday despite tiring in games in the past fortnight. Picture: Morgan Hancock / Getty Images

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell will not risk resting star players while the Hawks’ finals hopes still hinge on beating Richmond and North Melbourne in the next fortnight.

Mitchell said the clashes with the bottom-two sides would be treated as “elimination finals” as he suggested all of Hawthorn’s personnel would be pushed through to the pre-finals bye.

His comments meant captain James Sicily, who requires shoulder surgery at the season’s end, and fatigued star Will Day were unlikely to be managed against the Tigers or Kangaroos.

Day was held to 14 disposals by Toby Bedford in the Hawks’ loss to GWS before he was subbed out with only 12 touches to his name in the emphatic win over Carlton on Sunday.

One of Hawthorn’s most prolific tacklers, the 23-year-old has only registered two in the last two games.

Day has played 15 consecutive games since returning from a foot stress fracture in round 7, but Mitchell said the last two games had been a reflection of him playing “selflessly” as other midfielders carried the load.

Hawthorn star Will Day is set to play out the final two games of the home-and-away season as the Hawks treat both clashes as elimination finals. Picture: Daniel Pockett / Getty Images

The reigning best and fairest winner stayed indoors along with Jarman Impey and ran on an AlterG treadmill at Waverley Park on Wednesday, but Hawthorn said it was a normal part of the duo’s weekly program to manage their running loads.

“(Day) has been sat on pretty tightly the last two weeks. He’s carried a heavy workload for us for the majority of the season, but we’re not looking at resting players,” Mitchell said.

“We’re far from that state of mind – this is a final for us. We lose this game, our season is as good as over, so we have to put our best foot forward.

“Will has been enormously consistent for us – he was a bit more selfless on the weekend, and I think the good thing about the way we’re playing, particularly the midfield, is it’s quite even.”

Mitchell said he expected wingman Changkuoth Jiath to be available for selection after he was a late withdrawal from the Blues clash due to calf tightness, but he faced a difficult selection call after replacement Harry Morrison produced one of the best performances of his career.

Morrison, an unrestricted free agent, had 20 disposals, 10 score involvements and a goal and is due to play his 100th game against the Tigers on Sunday.

Experienced wingman Harry Morrison could become a target for other clubs as he approaches free agency at the season’s end. Picture: Michael Willson / Getty Images

Any doubts over Jiath’s long-term future at Waverley Park were quelled with confirmation later on Wednesday he had signed a three-year contract extension until the end of 2027.

Asked about Hawthorn’s interest in West Coast star Tom Barrass, Mitchell said he had been asked by club officials not to offer any more of his thoughts on players from other clubs.

“We get linked to pretty much every player, so there’s a lot of talk in the competition at the moment, including in the last few days,” he said, alluding to Melbourne’s statement on reported frustration from Christian Petracca.

“I think the appropriate answer that they gave me is ‘don’t talk about any of the players from any clubs’.”

Mitchell gave credit for Hawthorn’s rapid improvement this season to line coaches including former Carlton defender Kade Simpson, who has overseen career-best campaigns from Jack Scrimshaw, Jarman Impey and Sam Frost in the Hawks’ backline.