Tom Mitchell

[Sandrevan]

The thing is I never thought that he ever really put in for us. And his heart certainly wasn’t with us in 2016. That’s why I don’t want him to get the Brownlow - I’d love it to be Max Gawn.

I remember a fair bit of talk about him in 2016 - about whether he was staying or going. He had a red hot crack in the final series that year. In the GF, Mitchell was at the top of the points list - 2 points ahead of JPK. And they gave the Norm Smith medal to Johannissen. Tom's heart was very much in it in the final series in 2016. Compare that to how Lewis Jetta played in the 2014 GF.

How many players have come to the Swans after not getting the breaks they wanted at other clubs - Rhys Shaw, Ted Richards, Josh Kennedy, Marty Mattner, etc. Why is it a problem if the reverse happens? Tom Mitchell has stepped out of the shadows of JPK and blossomed at Hawthorn. Ironically, JPK stepped out of the shadows of another Mitchell at Hawthorn and blossomed at Sydney. I, for one, would rather he had stayed at the Swans - our midfield looks pretty ordinary without him.

[Ludwig]

I have no animus toward Tom Mitchell. He came to the club as a highly rated prospect and lived up to his billing. He played at a high level for us while he was at the club. He went back to the NEAFL when he needed to improve certain parts of his game and he did just that. He had a fine last year with us in 2016 and an excellent GF game. He's continued to improve his game at Hawthorn, which shouldn't be a surprise. He's a dedicated hard working professional footballer. If he wins the Brownlow, it's well deserved.

He just happened to get caught up in circumstances at the Swans in 2016 where he became the top player that needed to be traded out. Just to summarize:

1. We had salary cap problems.
2. We had the good fortune to get 2 of the best players in the 2014 and 2015 drafts through our academy, but neither are outside line breaking runners.
3. We recognised that we had a strong inside midfield group, but were a slow team at a time when other clubs were moving toward becoming quicker. Something had to give.
4. We were underpaid for Mitchell with a pick 14, but we may have not done better anyway in the draft even if we had received a more appropriate pick for his talents, getting Florent and Hayward. So not much lost there.
5. We may have lost Tom Mitchell, but his trade ignited the start of the Swans transition to a speedier team, something we all recognize needed to happen.

I don't know why we can't accept that we lost a very good player, but it was something that needed to be done at the time. Despite our midfield slump this year, I see no reason why we can't bounce back next year with the players we presently have on our list. Teams in transition, of which we are one, need to have some luck on the injury front, but it hasn't quite turned out that way for us this year, and we're not the only club in this boat.

I think it will take Ling and Stoddart to get into our regular lineup to see how the Mitchell trade really pans out. Then we can judge whether the move toward more of a running team has paid off.

[dimelb]

Assuming he wins a brownlow this year, history will judge this as a swans stuff up.
But maybe the change of scenery made him a better player than he ever could be at the swans.

There is a reason the Brownlow is called "The Midfielder's Medal".

And I think you're right about the change of scenery, including Hawthorn's need for his particular skills.

[dejavoodoo44]

I have no animus toward Tom Mitchell. He came to the club as a highly rated prospect and lived up to his billing. He played at a high level for us while he was at the club. He went back to the NEAFL when he needed to improve certain parts of his game and he did just that. He had a fine last year with us in 2016 and an excellent GF game. He's continued to improve his game at Hawthorn, which shouldn't be a surprise. He's a dedicated hard working professional footballer. If he wins the Brownlow, it's well deserved.

He just happened to get caught up in circumstances at the Swans in 2016 where he became the top player that needed to be traded out. Just to summarize:

1. We had salary cap problems.
2. We had the good fortune to get 2 of the best players in the 2014 and 2015 drafts through our academy, but neither are outside line breaking runners.
3. We recognised that we had a strong inside midfield group, but were a slow team at a time when other clubs were moving toward becoming quicker. Something had to give.
4. We were underpaid for Mitchell with a pick 14, but we may have not done better anyway in the draft even if we had received a more appropriate pick for his talents, getting Florent and Hayward. So not much lost there.
5. We may have lost Tom Mitchell, but his trade ignited the start of the Swans transition to a speedier team, something we all recognize needed to happen.

I don't know why we can't accept that we lost a very good player, but it was something that needed to be done at the time. Despite our midfield slump this year, I see no reason why we can't bounce back next year with the players we presently have on our list. Teams in transition, of which we are one, need to have some luck on the injury front, but it hasn't quite turned out that way for us this year, and we're not the only club in this boat.

I think it will take Ling and Stoddart to get into our regular lineup to see how the Mitchell trade really pans out. Then we can judge whether the move toward more of a running team has paid off.

Excellent summary. Though I'm a bit disappointed, that there's no funny picture at the end.

[Nico]

I never got the impression he didn't want to stay with the Swans. He proceeded with contract talks early in 2016...They eventually stalled.

My reading of that, is that the Swans thought Kennedy, Parker and Hannebery were worth a little more than Tom.

He, and no doubt his manager, thought differently....They were right, he got offered a better deal elsewhere. Which in turn positions him higher in that clubs midfield pecking order.

In hindsight, the Swans made an error in judgement, as all clubs do from time to time.

Hat's off to Tom he's a fine player.

Like father like son. His old man followed the money.

[goswannies]

Like father like son. His old man followed the money.

I seem to recall that there was one year (maybe 1991?) where Swan Barry Mitchell lead the league for disposals (nearly 700?) averaging over 30 per game lead the comp for possessions and won some media awards (I think he might have won the Inside Football award that used a 3,2,1 system?) ... but didn’t get a single Brownlow vote.

Hope it’s like father, like son again (I personally don’t dislike Tom, but I don’t really want him to be the Brownlow Medalist that got away ... not just yet).

[bodgie]

I was very disappointed to see Tom go. I lost a bit of old Swans soul with that. Sure he had to work on some things, which he did, and threw himself into NEAFL. When he left I felt Hanners was already on the fade and physically beaten up. Its turned out to be the same for Parker and Kennedy. He was so much fresher. Good luck to him

[YvonneH]

I don't dislike Tom but I think that if he wins the Brownlow it would be wrong as I think he should have been suspended earlier in the year when he jumped off the ground and hit Todd Goldstein. I have seen players suspended for less.
The commentary around if he wins will probably be as I have stated below and some will have the medal win with an * beside it.

[AnnieH]

Tom, like Xav, thought he was a little bigger than the club.
Borderline dickhead.
I'm glad we let him go. We don't have room for egos.

[royboy42]

Tom, like Xav, thought he was a little bigger than the club.
Borderline dickhead.
I'm glad we let him go. We don't have room for egos.

I've asked for the evidence of this. What has been produced so far does not support this.

Having seen him a few times at training and club functions, I never saw the tiniest sign of anything like this; in fact, the opposite, quite a humble and self effacing young man.

If asking for a trade indicates that you feel you are bigger than the club, or that you demonstrate some sort of ego, then we are operating in different hemispheres'

Note the rapidly increasing movements for astronomical amounts.

This is not a sign of ego, simply an honest assessment of their worth.

[AnnieH]

I've asked for the evidence of this. What has been produced so far does not support this.

Having seen him a few times at training and club functions, I never saw the tiniest sign of anything like this; in fact, the opposite, quite a humble and self effacing young man.

If asking for a trade indicates that you feel you are bigger than the club, or that you demonstrate some sort of ego, then we are operating in different hemispheres'

Note the rapidly increasing movements for astronomical amounts.

This is not a sign of ego, simply an honest assessment of their worth.

Funnily enough, I spoke to both Tom and Xav (and have the photo to prove it) at the BnF before they left the club. At the time, there were massive rumours about Tom going to the poos and wees.
Both assured me that they'll be playing in the red and white the following year. Tom even said he had "signed". (I mentioned it at the time.)
The fact that he outright lied to my face, makes him a dickhead (in MY opinion).
And yes, he felt he was bigger than the club - they BOTH did.

[KTigers]

Mitchell is just a guy that didn't want to play at the Swans anymore and one day Hawthorn will offer him a reduced contract
so that they can pay additional money to a younger version of himself. In the meantime he is an opposition player and we should
try and tag/scrag him out of the game the next time we play the Hawks.

[Industrial Fan]

I would lie to keep rabid fans off my case if I were Tom too. What does he gain by being upfront about it at that type of function? Gets berated and has his night ruined.

For Tom I think it’s his demeanour that’s put people off him. Doesn’t come across as a dickhead but neither does he seem like a ‘warm’ type of personality. Like a Rampe or Rohan. Even someone like Papley comes across as a knob on field but nice guy off it.

Tom probably gives off a bit of a figjam vibe but think that’s an unfair basis to use to judge his footy

[AnnieH]

I would lie to keep rabid fans off my case if I were Tom too. What does he gain by being upfront about it at that type of function? Gets berated and has his night ruined.

For Tom I think it’s his demeanour that’s put people off him. Doesn’t come across as a dickhead but neither does he seem like a ‘warm’ type of personality. Like a Rampe or Rohan. Even someone like Papley comes across as a knob on field but nice guy off it.

Tom probably gives off a bit of a figjam vibe but think that’s an unfair basis to use to judge his footy

... but a more than fair basis to judge his personality!!

[Plugger46]

For Tom I think it’s his demeanour that’s put people off him. Doesn’t come across as a dickhead but neither does he seem like a ‘warm’ type of personality. Like a Rampe or Rohan. Even someone like Papley comes across as a knob on field but nice guy off it.

Tom probably gives off a bit of a figjam vibe but think that’s an unfair basis to use to judge his footy

That's it. Exactly what I thought of him when he was with us but obviously far more tolerable while in the red and white jumper! All guesswork, he might be a top bloke.

As for his footy, he's a complete and utter gun. We made a mistake by not having the cash there to offer him. It happens. He's a Hawthorn player now and that's all I see him as when I watch them play.