Hawks to welcome back premiership skipper

[Hogg]

THE AFL community's long-held suspicion that Brownlow medallist Sam Mitchell was returning to Victoria to coach under Alastair Clarkson at Hawthorn is now a reality. 

Mitchell's manager, Peter Lenton, of Lenton Sports, confirmed on NAB AFL Trade Radio on Friday night that his star client would be back at Waverley Park next season.

But Lenton refuted suggestions Mitchell's new contract would include a succession plan for him to eventually take over from Clarkson.

"I'm comfortable to say he will be at Hawthorn next year," Lenton said.

"There's been ongoing dialogue throughout the year … it's not ideal, obviously, given you're there with a four-year commitment once he left Hawthorn to go to West Coast (in 2016).

"His set of circumstances has meant he will return home and he will go to Hawthorn.

"Nothing can be official until a release is documented and we will work through that with West Coast and they're well aware of that."

The Hawks are yet to make an announcement, but may do so at their best and fairest function on Saturday night.

West Coast is unlikely to stand in Mitchell's way after he listed family reasons for why he wanted to move back home.

AFL.com.au first reported in July Mitchell's intention to leave the Eagles only halfway through a four-year deal, the first of which he spent as a player before serving as an assistant in 2018.

The likelihood of the 35-year-old returning to Hawthorn increased when only a fortnight later his old club announced that six-year assistant Brett Ratten would "explore new opportunities". 

Ratten has since accepted a job at St Kilda after previously working with the Hawks' midfielders.

Mitchell spent his first season as a coach working with the Eagles' on-ball brigade and was a champion midfielder himself, so he seems likely to slot into Ratten's former role. 

Hawthorn announced two other coaching changes this week, with Max Bailey replacing Chris Newman as Box Hill's VFL coach and Newman stepping up to be a Hawks assistant.

There were murmurings before Bailey's appointment that Mitchell might assume the Box Hill job. 

Mitchell played 307 of his 329 AFL games for Hawthorn, where he played in four premierships, was a five-time club champion and earned selection in three All Australian teams.