Riding the wave of momentum after four straight wins, the Hawks are ready for the challenge of facing the Dockers in Perth on Saturday evening at Optus Stadium as they look to keep alive their top four hopes for season 2025.
The Hawks, who are currently sitting in fifth position with an 11-5 record for the season, have a host of players knocking down the door at their VFL affiliate in Box Hill, in particular Mitchell Lewis and Calsher Dear, with Mitchell coy about any changes to the side that defeated the Saints by 20 points last week.
Mitchell said that it is difficult to fit all of the players in, but that this is a problem that all sides face, regardless of the code they play.
"Every team, not just in the AFL, but in every sport, every code across the world, you have to pick your best hand to win every game," he said.
"Balancing out winning that game, getting development for your season, getting players you want in form at the right time of the year, but also developing for the future.
"So we'll balance all those things up. It's part of the job.
"You'll find out at 6:30 tonight. Every question about selection, no insights today.
"We'll get through training and we'll pick the team this afternoon."
Young spearhead Calsher Dear trained strongly during the main training session and featured heavily in match simulation in the forward line alongside key forward Mabior Chol and veteran Jack Gunston, who will fly to Perth on Wednesday evening.
Dear appears likely to come into the squad, where he last played in Round 10 this year against Gold Coast.
Dear has had a tremendous fortnight at VFL level, competing well in marking contests and showing his high defensive work rate that was a hallmark of his 2024 season.
Over the past fortnight, Dear has kicked five goals at VFL level and appears back to full fitness after struggling in his return from a stress fracture in his back that he dealt with over the pre-season.
Despite leaving the training track early on Tuesday during Hawthorn's light training session, Mitchell said that there were no concerns over Dear's recovery.
"He is fine. Because of the injury he had, he is very unlikely to do a lot of training earlier in the week for the rest of the season," the coach confirmed.
"That's just a management thing. It's a bit different to an ankle injury, if it's back stress, then just managing the training load that goes into him is really important, so he'll leave the track early and hit the pool or bike or those things."
Lloyd Meek, who collected a club record 59 hitouts last week, will play a pivotal role in this week's clash that will have a shaping on the top eight at the end of the season.
Coming off a fortnight where he has been a standout against fellow ruckman Tristan Xerri and Rowan Marshall, Meek now comes up against the Fremantle duo of Luke Jackson and Sean Darcy and will need to bring his best to match up against the pair.
"They're formidable rucks and they both got some potencies that are a bit different," he said.
"Normally when you play against a dominant ruck, they have one set of skills, and you prepare for that one thing, whereas the thing with Freo, they have the big brute in Shaun but then with Luke they can go with the athleticism and a bit of jump and a bit of follow up.
"Lloyd's going to have his work cut out, making sure that he can manage both tasks."
The Hawks will need to nullify the Fremantle midfield, who are currently sitting equal fourth in the competition for centre clearances, if they want to be able to get the win on Saturday night, with Mitchell making note of curbing the influence of a few of the Dockers players.
"Serong has been a great player for such a long time now," Mitchell said.
"Brayshaw has probably hurt us a couple of times in the past, so balancing up those two matchups.
"Clark has been in fantastic form. They (Swans) did a really good job on him as well last week, so looking at managing those things, balancing out getting their key players out of the game, but also playing our own way and making sure that we are playing a brand of footy that we think will be sustainable and get success this weekend.
"Hopefully we can quell their influence while still playing our own way."
Midfield star Will Day continued his comeback from injury, being involved throughout training and match simulation as he builds his fitness from a broken navicular that saw him last play in Round 3.
Mitchell said that the Round 20 target for his return has not changed.
"He'll do a little bit of extra training today," Mitchell said of the best and fairest winner.
"He's done a couple of drills over the last week or so and you get the feeling that he looks ready, can he go soon?
"He's going through his process and our medical team, we've got enormous confidence in them.
"We could field a full 18 v 18 with a bench at the moment, so you have to look at our medical team and say they're doing a pretty good job.
"So we have faith in them and getting him back and ready to perform, not just ready to play.
"When he gets back, he'll be ready to perform."
Young small defender Seamus Mitchell, who was the sub in last week's victory over the Saints, left the track early with what appeared to be a left ankle injury.
The Hawks fly out to Perth tomorrow, where they will have their Barra's Yarma on Friday afternoon, before their blockbuster clash against the Dockers on Saturday evening, where a win will see the team closing in on a potential top four spot in this year's finals series.
