HAWKS MITCH AND MATCH

SAM HAS WISDOM FOR TOM

SAM Mitchell was accustomed to close checking by opponents during his stellar football career and his namesake says he can expect another shadow this summer.

Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell plans to draw on the experience of Hawthorn’s new assistant coach, himself a Brownlow winner and 2008 Hawks premiership captain.

“He was someone who was a strong leader at the club, and also a highly skilled player and highly driven player,” Mitchell said yesterday.

“His mentality with the way he approached the game and some technical parts with how he used his hands and feet are probably some things I’ll sit down and discuss with him when I get the chance.

“He was a pretty special player, so I’m looking forward to working with him,” he said in announcing Nissan’s new partnership with the club.

“He’s a really smart player when he did play, and his coaching speaks for itself in the time we’ve had with him so far.

“I can’t wait to work with him.”

Mitchell, who had shoulder surgery after his Brown-low-winning season, said after the eight to 10-week recovery period he had returned unhindered to training.

Former Demon and Giant Tom Scully has joined the club’s midfield ranks as he continues his recovery from a serious ankle injury, with Mitchell saying he would be a welcome addition — potentially in the same vein as a key teammate.

“We saw what he was capable of at the Giants,” Mitchell said.

“His two-way running, he’s probably similar to the way that Isaac (Smith) plays. So having two wingmen with that sort of running capacity is only going to benefit our team.