Nick Dal Santo has highlighted how damaging Tom Mitchell was in his record setting game on Saturday night.
Mitchell recorded a record 54 disposals in the win over Collingwood, with the Pies failing to recognise to try and nullify his influence.
With many experts and fans questioning his damage with the 54 disposals, Dal Santo believes there is no doubt that Mitchell had a great impact on the contest.
“Any club should know what Tom Mitchell does, but more than anybody Collingwood should,” he told SEN Afternoons.
“I’m happy to hear people say, but his 54, some of them were cheap. I’ll give you 15 of them were cheap for arguments sake.
“So we will give him 40-odd. Forty is so much of the football.
“My defence of Tom Mitchell is, if his 54 all weren’t fantastic, he gave it to somebody. Isaac Smith and the other midfielders must be buying him coffees all week saying, thank you for handballing me the ball. I can run and carry.”
Mitchell also had a game-high nine scoring involvements, nine clearances and eight inside 50's.
Hawthorn face Geelong on Easter Monday in round two.
