Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has been in the spotlight following a heavy spray during quarter-time of the Hawks’ 76-point loss to Sydney on Sunday.
Mitchell put the heat on 25-year-old defender Jack Scrimshaw following a turnover in the centre of the MCG, and the failure to put a body on Sydney’s Logan McDonald, leading to a fourth straight Sydney goal to wrap up the first term.
MITCHELL EXPLAINS SCRIMSHAW SPRAY & HAWKS' GOAL KICKING WOES AFTER HEAVIEST LOSS OF 2024
Hawthorn legend and former teammate of Mitchell, Luke Hodge, felt the coach’s approach was reasonable.
“The spray that he gave a couple of the boys at quarter-time… you can understand why he was frustrated”, Hodge told SEN’s Sportsday last night.
“Looking around, a lot of the stats there, they were actually going okay, as far as contested possession, clearance, that kind of stuff in the middle.
“If you were to sit there as coach watching, and your players are doing so much right… it was just the conversion.”
Diving into the stats from the weekend’s clash, the final margin appears somewhat inflated. Although down on disposals, the Hawks were +5 in total clearances, +18 in contested possessions, only -3 in inside 50s and -2 in marks inside 50.
The game was ultimately lost in the uncontested battle, with the Swans controlling the run of play on the outside.
“Halfway through the last quarter, they were leading the inside 50s 47 to 37 before Sydney end up getting 13 in the last half a quarter,” Hodge added.
“If you actually watch the game, you could see why he was so angry because they were doing so much right but the odd thing in sport, the top-end talent they just don’t have there at the moment, they just couldn’t convert.”
The Hawks will look to bounce back as they take on the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
