Staggering detail about Sam Mitchell's wife comes to light amid Hawthorn's AFL resurgence

Young Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell and his wife have been praised for rejuvenating the recruitment drive and the culture at the club after the Hawks enjoyed a late-season surge into the top eight. The Hawks started the AFL season in peril having gone 0-5 as fans came to terms with the possibility it would be another season without finals footy.

However, Mitchell and the coaching staff have breathed life into the team with Jack Ginnivan, Dylan Moore, Jack Gunston and Nick Watson all combining to win six of their last seven games to finish the season in seventh. And Mitchell and his wife, Lyndall, have been credited for putting a huge amount of effort into the recruiting process behind the scenes to change the club's future.

And while Mitchell has been handed plenty of credit for turning the club's fortunes around on the field, Lyndall Mitchell also received plenty of praise with the Footy on Nine team singling out her involvement as a key factor in helping the Hawks' rise.

"The resource and time and volunteer time when it comes comes to the Mitchell couple they have put into recruiting...I think it has been an unbelievably considered move," Craig Hutchinson said on Channel Nine. "Jarryd Roughead has led it, with the Mitchell's, and they have been precise with what they want.

"And they have put an enormity amount of work in. She has supported Sam in explaining what the future looks like at Hawthorn. I think that is incredibly gracious and selfless to be in involved in the recruiting. And they have painted a fantastic picture of what Hawthorn can be as a family club. I think it is amazing what they have done."

Mitchell had only won 15 of the 45 games he coached before the 2024 season, which saw Hawthorn finish towards the bottom of the ladder in 2022 and 2023. However, a match-up against the Western Bulldogs in the first round of the finals has Hawks fans believing they can go one further in 2024. And Lyndall Mitchell's role in helping her husband can not be understated considering the drama that unfolded ahead of the season.

Lyndall Mitchell's amazing pre-season act

The Hawks started 0-5 to start the current season and the team's turnaround is an even bigger credit to Mitchell considering he returned late to pre-season training after he was struck down with a serious bout of pneumonia while on holidays with his family in New York. Hawthorn's GM of Football Rob McCartney revealed that Lyndall had done an "amazing" job caring for him during the ordeal, after he collapsed at their hotel.

Then-West Coast coach Adam Simpson happened to be in New York at the time and helped out looking after Mitchell's three kids. Mitchell returned on a limited schedule as he recovered back in Australia while he was eased back into his workload as coach. The Hawks started 0-5 to start the season, but Mitchell has helped create a vibrant environment at the Hawks and fans are excited for finals footy once against they prepare to face the Western Bulldogs on Friday night.

Will Day ruled out of Western Bulldogs showdown

The Hawks will head into the AFL elimination final against the Western Bulldogs as one of the form teams of the competition, but will be missing Will Day. The 23-year-old failed to overcome a collarbone injury in time for the finals clash in a blow to Hawthorn.

The Hawks had been hoping Day would be back for Friday night's game after suffering the injury in Round 23 a fortnight ago. But the club revealed on Saturday that Day won't be available against the Bulldogs, although they're hopeful he'll be back in the second week of the finals should they advance.