Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne has explained why Tom Mitchell’s serious knee injury is set to have a major impact on Hawthorn in 2019.
Mitchell broke his leg at training last week, with the reigning Brownlow Medallist likely to miss the entire 2019 campaign.
While his epic ball winning abilities are well known, Hoyne says Mitchell’s influence on the game goes beyond simply getting his hands on the footy.
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“I think any time a player can rack 35-40 disposals, I think you got to recognise him as being a damaging player,” Hoyne told SEN Afternoons.
“In the first 18 months at Hawthorn, he was racking up a lot of the footy but there wasn’t much scoreboard impact happening and not real high metres gained numbers.
“The last three or four months of the 2018 season, he was actually getting involved in the scoreboard, averaging close to 9-10 score involvements per game, which is elite numbers in the competition.
“He was actually getting involved and kicking goals himself.
“His metres gained improved by close to 100 to 150 per game as well, which is a significant increase.
“I don’t think he actually got a 40 or 45-plus disposal game towards the backend of the year, but even still, he was averaging 30-35, and was actually becoming a more damaging player.”
The Hawks begin their 2019 season in Adelaide against the Crows on March 23.
Listen to Daniel Hoyne's chat with Andy Maher on SEN Afternoons in the player below