Adelaide: Medicine came first. The answer followed. And somewhere in between, Sam Mitchell may have learned something new about his Hawthorn side.
Three quarters at Adelaide Oval he felt the game could slip away. The previously unbeaten Western Bulldogs had gone for three final goals (including two terrific forwards) of the third term, turning a controlled performance by Hawthorn into a direct contest. The momentum was reversed. The power was gone. The Hawks were vulnerable.
Mitchell didn’t sugar coat it.
“That was sad … five minutes ago,” he shouted, according to key forward Mitch Lewis. “If you want to keep playing like that, we’re going to lose this game. I don’t care if you’re tired – put the energy back into this game.”
It was blunt. It was cutting. And it worked.
Hawthorn didn’t just stop, it grew. The last quarter was a statement: a young team, mixed with experience, establishing itself against one of the early benchmarks of the competition this season. The result was a convincing win, built on composure under pressure and powered by a front line led by Lewis, who finished with 18 disposals and three goals in one of the most meaningful performances of his career.
It wasn’t his greatest work, but it was probably his most important.
“I’ve worked hard,” Lewis said after the match. “I’ve missed walking a lot. So times like tonight … the weight of it hasn’t lifted for me. There were some really dark times in rehab.”
That context is important. It elevates an otherwise stable night into something more important – a symbol of stability, patience and attitude.
Lewis’ journey back has been anything but linear. An ACL tear, accompanied by excruciating knee pain, left him not only sidelined but uncertain. There were times, he admits, when the sport felt distant – where just getting back to full health seemed like a real victory.
“One knee was cooked there for a while,” he said. “It’s not just from the ACL. I had chronic pain inside that we were able to recover from. I don’t have any knee pain now … and being pain-free and running around the field makes a difference.”
There is clarity in that kind of meditation. The removal of the noise that often surrounds elite sports – the anticipation, the scrutiny, the rush to return. Lewis admits he made the mistake in the past, bounced back at “80 percent” and paid the price.
This time, a long road – a full 12 months – may have done it.
“For most of my career it was a blessing in disguise,” he said. “You learn it’s a privilege to even be here to play.”
That sense of attitude translated into performance on Friday night. Lewis was not the only target; was a presence. Leading hard, competing in space, bringing others into the game – the kind of mutual contribution that strengthens the forward structure.
But this was not a one-man show. Hawthorn’s victory was as much about system and reaction as it was about individual brilliance.
Coming off a five-day break, the Hawks had circled the Bulldogs – the last unbeaten team in the competition this season – as a measuring stick. A third quarter meltdown threatened to undo that motivation. Instead, it revealed something more telling: their ability to respond.
“We wanted to stamp our authority on the competition,” Lewis said. “Being able to beat them … is good for our confidence.”
That confidence is built on a unique combination.
Hawthorn’s roster is an interesting mix – tough leaders alongside a new wave of young dynamism. The likes of Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson bring flair and charisma, while experienced co-captains Jai Newcombe and James Sicily provide structure and standards. It’s a balance that can sometimes feel fragile but, on this night, it clicked.
“We have other characters,” Lewis said with a smile. “But Sam has built a foundation and standards. So he can deliver a drug like that and it’s well received.”
That’s the key. The drug only works if the message lands. And it only lands if the group believes in the sound it makes.
Hawthorn’s response suggested both were in place.
The last semester was not intense; was controlled. The Hawks returned to their approach, regained possession and applied pressure on the boards. Hawthorn scored five goals to two to make them 40-point winners. The Bulldogs, for the first time this season, were made to look second-best.
It’s early – too early for definitive statements about September – but internally, Hawthorn is not shying away from disappointment.
“We want to be a top four team,” Lewis said. “We don’t hide from that.”
Hitting the undefeated side, absorbing the swing of speed and responding with authority – these are the building blocks of true competitors.
For Lewis, it also serves as a personal check. A reminder that the darkest parts of his career were not the end, but the detour.
He’s not quite back – yet. But he is close enough to see it.
“Tonight was a real step in the right direction,” he said.
For Hawthorn, it could be something more: the night their coach lit the fuse, and the team showed it could catch fire.
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Sam McClure is an award-winning AFL journalist and broadcaster.Connect through X or email address.
