Champion Data's Glenn Luff says that supporters need to understand Tom Mitchell's skill-set prior to questioning the direct impact his disposals have.
Mitchell's half-century of touches – a remarkable 22 of those being contested – set a new record for most disposals in a game by a Hawthorn player – only the seventh time in VFL/AFL history that a player has racked up 50-plus possessions.
Luff said that high numbers with varying degrees of 'impact' will always form the core of Mitchell's game, and that Hawthorn supporters should be thrilled with his start in brown and gold.
“When you look at the numbers, it's telling a story,” he said on Pure Footy on SEN's The Run Home.
“Tom Mitchell is what he is: he is a ball-winner, always has been and always will be. Is he elite on the outside, is he elite with his disposal and run? No. Will he ever be that? No.”
Luff also holds concerns for Hawthorn's midfield, believing they are currently relying on Mitchell to win the contested ball, with the club's 18th placed ranking for total contested possessions a sign that the rest of the side need to help their new recruit win the ball.
“That’s a serious issue at Hawthorn: how reliant they are on Tom Mitchell winning the footy,” he said.
The Champion Data analyst says that while Mitchell's ball-winning capabilities will have a greater impact on games once the Hawks bring in quality ball users to line-up alongside the former Swan, there is no question that Collingwood skipper, Scott Pendlebury (36 disposals), had the better game of the two last week.
“Once the Hawks get better players around him, that Tom Mitchell game becomes a lot more effective but by the eye, at the end of the game I thought Pendlebury was clearly best,” Luff said.