MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 24: Tom Mitchell of the Hawks poses with the 2018 Brownlow Medal at Crown Entertainment Complex on September 24, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
After some conjecture last year about whether he'd leave the Hawks, the time has arrived where star midfielder Tom Mitchell has reportedly signalled his intent to explore greener pastures.
The 2018 Brownlow Medallist has told the club his wishes, and Hawthorn is reportedly keen to cash in on the serial ball magnet and facilitate a possible trade.
Mitchell already has a stacked trophy cabinet - three Peter Crimmins Medals, one Leigh Matthews Trophy as well as two All-Australian blazers amongst other plaudits - however could add to it should he move to a premiership-contending force.
Season 2022 saw Mitchell slightly underperform on a fantastic 2021, undercutting his average output slightly as his side had their first campaign post-Alastair Clarkson.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
In saying that, slightly underperforming for Tom Mitchell is still up there with the elite echelons of the competition, meaning that whoever he goes to in 2023 will still be gaining a true top-drawer midfielder.
At 29 years of age, one would suspect that he has half a decade at maximum until he makes the call to hang up his boots so ideally if he wishes to claim an elusive flag, Mitchell would be wise to request a trade to a team on the cusp of premiership contention.
Throw in the fact that he has rarely missed a game since his arrival at Waverley, and any potential suitors taking him on suddenly have a reliable asset who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and win it out of the middle.
The only stumbling block for clubs would be the contract status of the midfielder, with Mitchell not out of contract til the end of next season and requiring clubs to pitch a decent trade to Hawthorn in order to facilitate the move.
There wouldn't be a club in the land that would refuse Mitchell should he ask to ply his trade there, however, we have weaned it down to just five clubs who would be most suited to the dual All-Australian's presence.
Having already been sounded out as one of the sides in the hunt for him, Tom Mitchell and Collingwood could be a nice fit for each other.
With the Pies still in the hunt for the flag this year under Craig McRae, there is widespread optimism at the club that a campaign like season 2022 won't be a flash in the pan due to the age and potential of the side.
Despite their counter-attacking prowess, McRae's side need to be able to win it out of the middle, being ranked 17th in the league for centre clearances per game (10.9). It might not be a factor this season, however, it could come back to bite them should they not address it in the near future.
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Tom Mitchell can be the remedy, feeding the ball out to Collingwood's outside runners and being an integral part of a side that is on the cusp of something big should they play their cards right.
Despite this, his contracted status may be a stumbling block for the Pies and, even if they strike a trade, they may not be able to afford Mitchell's salary considering their well-documented cap issues.
Should the deal come to fruition, then there'd be even more cause for Collingwood to be touted as genuine premiership contenders coming into 2023.
When rumours were swirling last year that Mitchell was set to be moved on from Hawthorn, Punt Road was one of the destinations that was thrown in the mix for the veteran.
That being said, up until the news that Tim Taranto is all but joining the club and teammate Jacob Hopper could follow, Richmond could have been leading the race for Mitchell.
Damien Hardwick's side, similar to his former understudy's in McRae, also aren't a fantastic stoppage clearance side - something that has proven detrimental on many occasions throughout 2022. Their major source of clearances and their best player this year - Dion Prestia - has been hit and miss with injury and his substitution in their elimination final loss to the Lions was arguably a reason why they lost.
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It is widely recognised now by the rest of the competition that should the Tigers secure both Taranto and Hopper, they would be going down the route of Geelong by constantly poaching established talent as opposed to investing in the draft in order to sustain their success - something that has worked to great effect for Chris Scott's side.
Mitchell would fit this philosophy, and while it might be a riskier investment considering his age relative to the Giants duo, he is an elite-level midfielder who can elevate any engine room he walks into.
As time wears on, it'll be interesting to see whether or not Hardwick and co. try to pull the trigger on bringing Mitchell to Punt Road.
A reunion with his former coach might be on the cards for Mitchell, breaking into a midfield brigade that has budding talents in its midst.
Aside from Hugh Greenwood and the returning Ben Cunnington however, there isn't a whole heap of experience to be found within the midfield. Furthermore, the Roos were bested on many occasions in terms of contested footy, ranking 16th in the competition for contested possessions per game and emphasising their need for a serial ball winner.
Enter the dual All-Australian, who is ranked eighth across the entire league for contested possessions per game. Should he choose to play out the rest of his career at Arden Street, then he could very well help Clarkson transform the midfield into a genuine force.
On top of this, the tutelage he would provide for the likes of Luke Davies-Uniacke, Jason Horne-Francis, Jy Simpkin and Tarryn Thomas - should he stay - would be invaluable for their development.
Factoring in the massive amount of salary cap space that the club has, and the Roos tabling a significant offer for the star may not be outlandish by any stretch of the imagination.
The retirement of Dan Hannebery was surprising for Saints fans despite the fact that the veteran had been plagued by injuries since his move to Moorabbin, meaning that the club is now free of his reported $900,000 per year contract.
With this salary cap space, the Saints clearly need some investment considering the year that they served up. Their midfield, already containing experience through the likes of Jack Steele, Brad Crouch, Zak Jones and Seb Ross, needs some improvement despite the promise of youngsters.
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Tom Mitchell could be a very sound option for Ratten's men should he be looking for established talent over young up-and-comers. The output he offers is huge, as is his ability to win the ball out of the contest.
However, the fact of the matter is that the Saints aren't particularly close to a flag by any stretch of the imagination. He would be a good fit at Moorabbin, but if he wishes to claim his missing piece of silverware in a premiership, then he might want to think twice about making the switch.
Stuart Dew's Gold Coast side are on an upward trajectory after missing out on finals by two wins in 2022. Although they are still a young side, there will be nowhere to hide next year for Dew and the playing group if they don't crack the eight after so many years of development.
In saying this, their midfield is actually their strongest attribute, with the likes of star Touk Miller, Noah Anderson, Matt Rowell and Lachie Weller amongst others providing a sound engine room from which to build from.
So why would the Suns be put as one of the landing spots for veteran Tom Mitchell? The truth is that the club don't really need him, however, as mentioned earlier, who would turn down the opportunity to take on one of the most prolific ball-winners and elevate their midfield to one of the best in the competition?
As for Mitchell himself, the Gold Coast would be a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Melbourne, as would the chance to be able to play finals footy and actually build towards something with Stuart Dew as he aims to take his Suns to the next level. The tutelage that the 29-year-old would provide to Rowell and Anderson would ideally see them work in synergy with each other, with the opposition simply struggling to get on top in the middle against such a stacked engine room.