As the 2026 AFL finals series rapidly approaches, Hawthorn Football Club head coach Sam Mitchell carries a calm, measured confidence that his side’s carefully built game style is perfectly primed to compete for the sport’s biggest prize on the last Saturday in September. The Hawks currently sit fourth on the league ladder, their highest finish since Mitchell took the head coaching role, but their first postseason test presents a massive challenge: they will face off against minor premiers Fremantle, who remain undefeated at their home Perth Stadium venue through the entire 2026 regular season.
Mitchell explained that for years, Hawthorn’s program has been built with the unique pressures of finals football in mind, noting that while the regular season requires a flexible game plan, the club has prioritized developing a style that can hold up under the intensity of September football. “All coaches understand that different playing styles and player profiles land differently across the course of a season versus high-stakes finals matches,” Mitchell said during a promotion for the ‘Always respect, always DrinkWise’ public education campaign. “You can’t structure your entire annual game plan around finals intensity, because that’s not how 90% of the season is played. But when the intensity does step up in the postseason, you need your game style to be compatible with that pressure. That’s been a core filter for every major decision we’ve made over the past five years, and we truly believe our style will stand up when it counts. We’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out.”
When the two sides met earlier in 2026 at Perth Stadium, Fremantle claimed victory, breaking open a tight game with a dominant fourth quarter to extend their home winning streak to 12 matches. Mitchell, who has enjoyed a rare week of rest during the wildcard round, has used the break to spend time with his family ahead of the hectic finals schedule, and he noted that both sides have evolved significantly since that earlier meeting three months prior. “We haven’t rewatched that game yet, we’ll get to it over the coming days, but we know Fremantle at their best is extremely good,” Mitchell said. “We played pretty solid footy that day, we just couldn’t sustain our level of play for a full four quarters. Both teams have changed a lot in three months, so we need to prepare for the threats they’ll bring this time around, while also bringing our own new challenges to them.”
Mitchell’s history as Hawthorn’s head coach shows clear, steady progress: his first finals campaign ended in a gut-wrenching semi-final exit, while his second saw the club climb from eighth place all the way to the preliminary final. This year’s squad has already ticked off multiple key milestones on their journey, with only the grand final spot and a premiership trophy left to claim. Mitchell pointed to last year’s deep run as a key turning point for the club’s culture. “This time last year we finished eighth, hit the road immediately for interstate finals, and came away with two wins – something we hadn’t managed to do in a long time,” he said. “That was a huge feather in our cap, proving we can perform on the big stage. We’ve got the confidence that our best football is good enough to compete with anyone, we just need to bring that form when it matters most.”
One of the biggest advantages for Hawthorn heading into this finals series is the full fitness of dynamic young midfielder Will Day, who will feature in September action for the first time in his career. Mitchell said no one is more thrilled about that opportunity than Day himself. “I don’t think anyone is more excited to see Will out there than he is – I’m not even as excited as he is,” Mitchell said with a laugh. “He’s never made it this far into a season fully fit, he’s been building great form lately and looked really solid against the Eagles in our final round. I’m so pleased he’s gotten back to full fitness and good form, and I can’t wait to watch him wear the brown and gold in September for the first time.”
Beyond the on-field preparation, Mitchell is also using the finals period to promote the DrinkWise initiative, which encourages responsible alcohol consumption at football matches to keep the sport a safe, welcoming space for all fans, including families. Mitchell, who plans to attend the wildcard round in Melbourne as a spectator with his children, said he values the family-friendly culture of Australian rules football and wants to help that culture thrive. “I’m really happy to be back supporting the Always respect, always DrinkWise campaign,” he said. “With the extra wildcard round this year, we want everyone to enjoy every minute of finals footy. One of the best things about this sport is that it’s a safe place for everyone, you can bring your kids, sit in the stands, and have a great day out. We just want to remind people that if you do choose to drink, do it responsibly, and respect yourself and everyone around you.”