Hawthorn's preliminary final appearance on Friday evening against the Geelong Cats represents another significant milestone in Sam Mitchell's journey to restore the club from AFL mediocrity back to powerhouse status.
The Hawthorn revival under Mitchell has been built on calculated risks, massive development of game plans and structures, and the same ruthlessness that once saw Mitchell claim a Brownlow Medal as a player.
Friday night's clash in front of a sold-out MCG will mark the first time the Hawks have reached the final four since their last preliminary final appearance in 2015.
That 2015 season capped a remarkable five consecutive preliminary final appearances, which yielded four grand final berths and a historic three-peat of premierships in 2013, 2014, and 2015.
Then came the inevitable decline that caught up with the Hawks.
They suffered straight-sets finals exits in 2016, losing club legends Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis in the process.
A brief resurgence in 2018 saw them return to finals, only to be eliminated in straight sets once again before falling into years of irrelevance, where their playing style and ladder positions never positioned them to seriously challenge for September football.
Mitchell, who was traded to West Coast in 2016 and served on the coaching panel when the Eagles won the 2018 premiership, eventually returned to Hawthorn as midfield coach before taking charge of the Hawks' VFL affiliate, Box Hill.
When Alastair Clarkson was controversially dismissed at the end of 2021, Mitchell inherited the enormous task of rebuilding the once-mighty Hawks.
The 2022 season saw Mitchell implement a revolutionary attacking game style, emphasising quick ball movement and counter-attacking thrust from defence, a stark contrast to the pedestrian football the Hawks had played in Clarkson's final years.
Despite finishing 13th with eight wins, Mitchell faced a critical decision about the club's direction.
Rather than persist with expensive veterans like Jaeger O'Meara and Tom Mitchell, who struggled to adapt to the high-tempo game plan, Mitchell chose transformation over stagnation.
In a move that shocked the AFL world, Mitchell traded out both O'Meara and Tom Mitchell while farewelling club stalwarts Ben McEvoy and Liam Shiels into retirement.
To fill the void, he brought in backup ruckman Lloyd Meek from Fremantle and secured Karl Amon as a free agent from Port Adelaide.
The dramatic roster overhaul drew fierce criticism, with some pundits questioning whether the Hawks were deliberately tanking, while others doubted Mitchell would survive the rebuild long enough to see its fruits.
The 2023 season proved challenging as the Hawks remained competitive but struggled for wins, finishing with just seven victories and a third-last ladder position.
However, Mitchell persevered with youth development, giving valuable experience to emerging talents like Jai Newcombe, Connor MacDonald, Josh Weddle, and Josh Ward.
Refusing to remain passive, Mitchell and head of recruitment Mark McKenzie adopted a shrewd "Moneyball" approach to list management.
Missing out on high-profile free agent Ben McKay proved fortunate, as the Hawks instead targeted undervalued players from other clubs.
The 2023 trade period saw a complete transformation of the forward line, with Jacob Koschitzke and Brandon Ryan departing, while Jack Gunston, Jack Ginnivan, Mabior Chol, and wingman Massimo D'Ambrosio arrived.
After two years languishing near the bottom of the ladder, 2024 marked Mitchell's vindication.
The Hawks returned to the finals for the first time in six years and secured their first finals victory in nearly a decade.
Despite a disastrous start that saw them lose their first five games, they stormed home to claim eighth position, defeated the Western Bulldogs in an elimination final, and came agonisingly close to a preliminary final with a heartbreaking three-point loss to Port Adelaide.
Determined to build on their progress, Mitchell recruited experienced defensive duo Tom Barrass and Josh Battle to strengthen the Hawks' backline.
His commitment to team success over sentiment continued into 2025, with veteran Sam Frost, despite a career-best 2024 season, finding himself relegated to VFL level for most of the year.
Mitchell's ruthless decision-making reached its peak when he omitted three-time premiership hero and club legend Luke Breust from the elimination final against the Giants, despite Breust playing in the final three home-and-away matches of his farewell season.
Instead, Mitchell handed Sam Butler his maiden finals appearance.
Mitchell's uncompromising approach to coaching decisions has been instrumental in propelling the Hawks back to prominence both on and off the field.
He has assembled an impressive coaching panel, including Adrian Hickmott, David Hale, Kade Simpson, and David Mackay, while bringing former Carlton coach Brett Ratten aboard as head of coaching and development to challenge thinking and elevate the entire coaching group.
The on-field success of consecutive finals appearances and the club's first preliminary final berth in a decade has translated into off-field prosperity, with the Hawks achieving record membership numbers this year.
Mitchell's coaching philosophy centres on continuously strengthening the list, and he refuses to sit idly by in his pursuit of success, actively courting star players from rival clubs, including West Coast captain Oscar Allen and Essendon captain Zach Merrett.
His willingness to meet with players during the season has ruffled feathers across the AFL landscape, but Mitchell remains unapologetic about his aggressive recruitment tactics as he works to restore Hawthorn as both a destination club and a genuine contender for the club's 14th premiership.
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