Hawthorn spearhead Jack Gunston will return from injury for the Hawks' Round 7 test against Gold Coast in Launceston on Saturday.
Gunston was absent from last week's win against Port Adelaide due to a corked calf.
"Jack will certainly play," Mitchell said on Thursday.
Gunston's availability presents a selection challenge for Mitchell and his match committee, with fellow tall forwards Mitch Lewis, Calsher Dear and Will McCabe all performing well in the narrow win against the Power.
The Hawks will need to replace veterans James Sicily and Dylan Moore, who were both handed one-game suspensions for striking.
Star midfielder Will Day is progressing well after he underwent a shoulder reconstruction in January, following a dislocation in his third session back with the main group. Day has endured a wretched run with injury, having missing the start of 2024 with a stress fracture in his navicular bone, before two more issues with the same foot the following year limited him to just six games in 2025.
"It's still a month or so," Mitchell said, when asked for an update on Day's status.
"I wish he could play today.
"Will's tracking well, he's getting positive.
"We've actually lost him from the bench. He's been our bench coach, but we've lost that now, because he's got to do his own training as a priority, which is annoying as we lose him, but I would much rather him on the field than sitting on the bench on the phone.
"He's getting closer."
Hawthorn has a poor recent record against Gold Coast, with the Suns winning the past three matches and five of the past six.
The Suns have one of the most talented, deepest midfield units in the league, and Mitchell knows it's an area the Hawks will need focus on.
Christian Petracca and Touk Miller will be careful considerations for the brown and gold on Saturday.
