Hawthorn senior coach Sam Mitchell has reportedly contracted COVID-19, resulting in his isolation from the club for a few days.
The news comes as another blow to the team after their heavy defeat on Saturday. According to The Herald Sun, Mitchell's assistants will take charge of training sessions during his absence, and the club will be carefully monitoring players and staff for any symptoms as they gear up to play West Coast on Sunday in Launceston.
In light of the pandemic, players and staff are no longer required to provide negative test results every week following a strict two-year testing program. However, the club will be taking extra precautions and assessing everyone who has had close contact with Mitchell, particularly the senior players.
Mitchell tested positive for COVID-19 after Hawthorn's 54-point loss to Melbourne on Saturday. Although he is recuperating at home, he is expected to return to the club before Sunday's game against the Eagles.
The upcoming match at UTAS Stadium will be a bottom-two clash, with Hawthorn likely being the rare favourites. They will be aiming to break their six-game losing streak against a depleted Eagles outfit who have lost seven games in a row themselves.
At present, West Coast and Hawthorn occupy the 17th and 18th spots, respectively, on the ladder.
