Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn: Mitchell Lewis. Extended to 2026!

[HedgeFund]

happy for him to have minutes at Box Hill next week, and then another solid week and a half on the track.

If all goes well, look at him for the firsts after the bye.

That’s way too sensible.

Give yourself red card

 

[SSSSSS]

Would be a good message for the rest of the group if a nailed on starter like Lewis has to work his way back through Box Hill.

Would be consistent with Sam's messaging earlier this year that all games are earned.

 

[hawkinoz]

30 games over 2022-23 averaging over 2.4 goals, 5 marks, 6 SI's per game. Would be #1 or 2 for all of those among our forwards this year.

What good would it do for us or for him to have him in the ressies? If he is fit enough to play he gets a game.

Ideally I want him playing 1s direct but given the context of we playing well without him, a bye coming up which means not sustained build up, I would not mind him easing into it over next 2 weeks in BH.

play 75% game this week instead of Jaylon Thorpe at BH and then 100% next week at BH while seniors have a bye and then come back to 1s instead of Gunners ideally against Eagles in Perth.
Gives him a chance to mentor Scaife and Maclean as well.

 

[H00t]

Day was out since Jan and spent the better part of preseason in a moon boot. We won the second game with him back. Would you have brought Day back through the VFL? Lewis played games earlier this year (albeit seemed hampered).

Obviously want him to be fit but bloke is clearly a best 22 player. If you do care about making finals surely you'd have to pick your best team?

I could see the sense in bringing Day back straight away as our mids he was pushing out weren’t playing well enough to demand a spot where Day at 70-80% would get the same output, while he got match fit. If we were winning it would have been a game or two at VFL level for him.

Dear, Gunston and Chol are all playing really good footy where Lewis needs to be close to 100% to be better than them. He’s not going to get to that without a run around at VFL level first.

I agree we need our best 22 to try and make finals. I think the difference is I don’t see Lewis best 22 until he has a run around and is prepped to have a full game. Once he’s match fit he’s pretty much the first picked.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Ideally I want him playing 1s direct but given the context of we playing well without him, a bye coming up which means not sustained build up, I would not mind him easing into it over next 2 weeks in BH.

I don't see where he's a walk up start in the As, it's not as if he was in great from before being injured.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I don't see where he's a walk up start in the As, it's not as if he was in great from before being injured.

I'm not sure why that comment is so funny.

 

[Buzz Hawk]

There’s no reason to manage Gunners as the bye is coming up, plus he’s playing well and mentoring Calsher and co superbly on game day.
Similarly for Calsher, play next week and then have a rest.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

 

[eldorado]

Mitch WILL play this week.

I'm guessing Box Hill.

Also, we should have a very full list to choose from after the bye (touch wood)

 

[bumsonseats]

What a ride!

From Greene and Kosi to Lewis Chol and Gunston to potentially starting next season with Chol Dear and Scaife.

Has a forward line ever been so fluid over 2 seasons?

Is there now a genuine argument if Lewis continues to struggle with injury and Scaife progresses as hoped, that Lewis could be offered up for another high draft pick or a player?

I haven't a concrete opinion as yet, but the thought of Chol with 2 very young KPF's in Dear and Scaife excites the hell out of me.

For now - Lewis has to come back in for Dear.

If the forward pressure drops off, or Lewis doesn't play well - then Dear comes back in, because Lewis will no longer be an automatic starter if playing poorly.

I was thinking just the same yesterday but I suspect this will be an unpopular view on BF.

From having a real gap in our key forward stocks, we now seem to have to many options that getting Lewis straight back in to the side is not such a straight forward option - its a bit of a luxury that we have the option to ease Lewis back in via Box Hill.

With an eye to 2026 we likely lose Gunston, and if we also take Lewis out of the equation this still gives us Chol, Dear, Scaife and Max. Dear looks like a future star but we dont know enough about Scaife and Max to really know the answer just yet. The second half of the season may well tell us just where these guys all sit. One thing is for sure, I dont think we can keep them all beyond 2026 and give them all the opportunities the need to grow in the senior side over the next 18months. Something will have to give.

It is a sellers market for Key Position Forwards, so if club thinks Scaife can become a genuine AFL stand KPF, does the club at least consider option to sell???

For what it is worth I hope Mitch can stay fit and dominate back in the senior side

 

[Strebi3]

Will play a half at BH this week according to the girl I know who works at BH

 

[lethalselbow]

Playing Box Hill. Great move. Love the wisdom in our coaching ranks.

There are zero doubts on his ability. Just concerns with his durability. Hopefully he shows his body is ready for the rigours ahead and he'll return to the seniors, after the bye.

 

[lethalselbow]

Hawks spearhead to make long-awaited return, ruck duo face tests

Mitch Lewis will return in the VFL on Saturday, while Lloyd Meek and Ned Reeves need to pass fitness tests before facing Richmond

www.afl.com.au

 

[SpanishBrowne]

love lewis, but is it telling that threads about Dear and Scaife are pumping post matches, though no one has said boo about Lewis’ game returning to footy after months away?

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

love lewis, but is it telling that threads about Dear and Scaife are pumping post matches, though no one has said boo about Lewis’ game returning to footy after months away?

Is he injured again?

 

[jenniferHAWKinS]

Is he injured again?

Straight in after the bye against the Eagles. Gunner or Calsh managed/rested, most likely Jack.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Straight in after the bye against the Eagles. Gunner or Calsh managed/rested, most likely Jack.

Hope so.

Dear might kick 15 in the magoos

 

[mustang]

He shouldn’t come back in until a spot becomes available as someone is injured or loses form, at the moment the team is playing so well we shouldn’t change that just to bring him back in, as everyone at the moment is playing a role.

 

[Hawkers Hero]

Will come in for Gunston after the bye, nothing surer.

Jack's back isn't great and from memory we often rested him from having long flights. Good opportunity to bring in Mitch for a good hit out before the trip to Geelong.

Will be interesting whether they then decide to bring Jack back in the side for experience or let the three big boys work on their chemistry.

 

[lyger]

Straight in after the bye against the Eagles. Gunner or Calsh managed/rested, most likely Jack.

I love Gunners and he has been terrific the last few weeks in particular, but I think Lewis will let Chol and Dear to flourish even more.

 

[Cyril says]

There’s no reason to manage Gunners as the bye is coming up, plus he’s playing well and mentoring Calsher and co superbly on game day.
Similarly for Calsher, play next week and then have a rest.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Didn’t really touch it yesterday. Love him but he can help the others on the track and from the side on game day if Mitch, Dear and Chol are all fit.

He’s a champ and would like to see him get another year for us, but his role is to push the next gen along as fast as possible - not to win us games every week with Goals etc.

 

[Flukey!]

I see Mitch got one.
How much game time did he have?

 

[Ka Norkers]

watch Dear's long goal yesterday..... know how he got the ball? Gunston saw the split his opponent had, and ran hard to the deep pocket, forcing Calsher's man to follow, gave Dear the clean grass to lead straight at the ball. It was forward teamwork 101, Sam will have that edit come review and the coaches will be ecstatic how the forward cohesion is going.
Having said that, Gunners need a good rest, he was moving very unconvincingly on Saturday, and two weeks off will hopefully get him back into the swing of things.
Whilst you'd think Mitch comes in for Gunner in Perth, it must be so tempting to give local boy Jasper a run.

 

[SSSSSS]

watch Dear's long goal yesterday..... know how he got the ball? Gunston saw the split his opponent had, and ran hard to the deep pocket, forcing Calsher's man to follow, gave Dear the clean grass to lead straight at the ball. It was forward teamwork 101, Sam will have that edit come review and the coaches will be ecstatic how the forward cohesion is going.
Having said that, Gunners need a good rest, he was moving very unconvincingly on Saturday, and two weeks off will hopefully get him back into the swing of things.
Whilst you'd think Mitch comes in for Gunner in Perth, it must be so tempting to give local boy Jasper a run.

He also called Dear into that space. Pointed it out to him to lead.

Was great on field coaching + team play.

 

[Dewyyyyy]

The selection dilemma will be intriguing - however it is clear cut Lewis is the best forward on the list, and IF deemed fit, he WILL play.

The idea would be Chol/Lewis with Gunston or Dear third tall, both of whom will rotate for the remainder of the season.

 

[MasterSamurai]

İt'd be strange if Lewis is selected to play in Perth considering he only played a half at BH. With no games this week I'd be surprised if he gets the call up with so little game time.