Mitch Lewis issued a statement to his suitors on the weekend, with five majors in the first half of his side's victory over Richmond adding intrigue to the key forward carousel, zeroes to his next contract (wherever that may be), and an agenda item to Hawthorn's next list management meeting.
With the Hawks in the box seat for Ben King's services, and likely to part ways with significant draft capital to make the acquisition happen, the 27-year-old gave the back office needle movers at Dingley something to ponder in decimating the fledgling Tigers.
Mitch Lewis' coach, Sam Mitchell, when speaking to Fox Footy's AFL360, was composed when asked about Lewis' future. The fifth-year coach wryly offered that conversations are "going okay" as the club intend to keep their second selection from the 2016 National Draft, while praising the key forward's rounded game.
“I thought he was fantastic," Mitchell said.
"When you look at the stat sheet, you'll see his five goals, but it wasn't that that I loved (most). It was his competitiveness, his physicality, (and) his groundball game has been outstanding, particularly for the last month.
"I think he's put together some really good footy, and in terms of his future, list management tells me it's going okay."
That's a worry for those of a black and white persuasion, with the position played so expertly by Lewis on the weekend presenting arguably their biggest area of need, despite their ragtag mix of second and third talls consistently finding ways to contribute.
Three-time Coleman Medallist Matthew Lloyd only added to the hoopla surrounding Lewis' signature on Monday, declaring that clubs should be "queuing up" for his services following the dominant performance that has underscored a season in which Lewis' extensive injury woes look to have been put firmly in the rearview mirror.
Lewis looms as a 'September shaper', with his output a point of difference in a Hawthorn side boasting an embarrassment of riches forward of centre, in a season where the double chance will mean more than ever before, courtesy of the Wildcard Round's introduction.
Mitchell rolled out the company line, when asked about the heat of this year's competition.
“When our game started on the weekend, we were sixth, but if you win you're back to third. You control what you can, and win every game in front of you," he said.
Mercurial small Nick Watson was stellar in his return from a hamstring injury, with his club vindicated by the cautious approach taken to his rehabilitation.
“He's very good, isn't he?" Mitchell asked.
“When someone so explosive has anything (worrying) in their hamstring, it just makes sense to give them a little longer (to recover)."
Co-captain James Sicily added to his rap sheet of hot-headed moments in the victory, with Mitchell throwing his support behind the wound-tight defender.
“With "Sis", he's the first to put his hand up and say that he's a work in progress, and we support him in that," Mitchell said.
"Teams obviously spend a lot of time prepping for him, and trying to get under his skin, and he's handled it pretty well for the most part, but he had a moment (to forget), and he probably wouldn't do it again.
“He's making life harder for himself. If you react, you're more likely to get that sort of treatment again.”
The Hawks play traditional rivals the Bombers on Saturday afternoon.
