Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has taken a swipe at the sceptics questioning his team’s finals credentials, declaring “our destiny’s in our hands” after the Hawks dismantled Carlton at the MCG.
Their 13.7 (85) to 9.7 (61) win on Thursday night marked their sixth victory in seven games, lifting them to fourth on the ladder and squarely into the premiership conversation.
With a tough finish to the regular season, including games against Adelaide, Collingwood and Brisbane, Mitchell said he welcomed the challenge.
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“You guys don’t think we’re going to make the finals, and time will tell, but we’re certainly looking up,” Mitchell told reporters. “If we can get the job done against Adelaide next week, then that well and truly puts the ball in our court, and that’s what every team wants.”
‘We think we can really trouble the best sides’
Hawthorn surged early against the Blues, kicking eight of the first nine goals to take firm control. While Mitchell admitted there were lapses in execution, he believes the team is close to hitting its top gear.
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“We saw patches of some pretty good footy but were quite often let down by just one piece of skill,” he said. “If we can put our best footy together, then we think we can really trouble the best sides.”
The return of Will Day added another layer of optimism. The 2023 club champion made his first appearance in four months following a foot injury, collecting 15 disposals in limited minutes and taking a soaring mark over Lachie Fogarty.
“He was getting tagged in his first game back, so that shows how Carlton feel about him,” Mitchell said.
“He’s an ultimate professional … we’re really pleased we were able to get him through the game in a healthy way.”