“They started off in their careers having fun, and perhaps not doing everything they should be doing. Now, when they go outside of what they know is the best thing for the team, they pull each other up, so the coaches don’t need to get involved, and they are basically running themselves.”
Will Day’s clash with Jack Ginnivan.Credit: AFL Photos / Getty Images
Ginnivan appeared unfazed by Day’s actions, as he was engrossed in his own celebration.
Collingwood famously had their own “rat pack”, led by Dane Swan, Dale Thomas and Heath Shaw, during Mick Malthouse’s tenure. That trio were members of Collingwood’s 2010 premiership team.
The Hawks may be without Changkuoth Jiath for next Saturday’s clash against Greater Western Sydney, after the dasher was reported for headbutting Mitchell Hinge in the second term. A frustrated Jiath had been in a short scuffle with Hinge before he lashed out and appeared to make contact with his opponent’s forehead.
Hawthorn’s Changkuoth Jiath was placed on report for head-butting.Credit: afl.com.au / Fox Footy
It did not appear to be a major headbutt, but it did happen in front of umpire Cameron Dore.
If the incident is graded as intentional impact and low impact, Jiath, in only his third game of the season after returning to the side from injury, faces a one-week suspension.
Mitchell hits out at ‘heroes on their keyboards’
Mitchell began his post-match press conference with an impromptu condemnation of racism, having revealed a Hawks’ player had been abused on social media during the game. Mitchell said the player, whom the Hawks did not wish to name, had given permission for Mitchell to raise the issue.
The abuse allegedly came from a Hawthorn supporter.
“We have got some stuff that I don’t want to go into, but I just want to put it out there that if you have any form of racism in you as a Hawthorn person, we are not interested in having you as part of our club,” Mitchell said.
“So, while we are all enjoying a fantastic win, and we should all be enjoying it, unfortunately, some parts of our Hawthorn family can’t enjoy it because of what heroes on their keyboards think they are capable of doing.
“If anyone of those ever wears brown and gold, we don’t want you.”
Mitchell said he understood that going public with racism could be a double-edged sword, but the coach sought specialist advice post-match before fronting the media, with this advice being “to show as much support as we can” to the player.
“I haven’t read it [social media post] personally, I am not a social media scroller too much,” Mitchell said.
“But it’s hard as a coach because you see what the players put into their work, and when you miss a shot on goal, the amount of effort that goes into every single thing that these guys do on the field, every team – I am not just talking about Hawthorn here – every player just leads so much of their life in the football sense. For that to be called out because of how they look, honestly, grow up, because it’s absolutely ridiculous.”
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