Hawthorn young gun Will Day hopes assistant coach Sam Mitchell stays at the Hawks beyond this year.
Mitchell’s contract at Hawthorn is up at the end of the season with Collingwood reportedly identifying the Box Hill coach as a candidate to replace Nathan Buckley as their senior coach.
Day heaped praise on the senior coach in waiting who is plying his trade under four-time Hawthorn premiership coach Alastair Clarkson.
“He (Mitchell) is very passionate,” Day told SEN SA Breakfast.
“He’s got that great balance between identifying you as a player, but also as a person.
“He can have that tough love, but then also have that connection off the field. I have all the praise in the world for him.
“If he does go, the club that gets him will be very lucky. I’m hoping he sticks around.”
Shaun Burgoyne will play his 400th AFL game on Saturday night and Day is in awe of the veteran Hawk’s major milestone.
Burgoyne, 38, will become just the fifth player in VFL/AFL history to reach 400 games.
“Sometimes I look at him and think, ‘How has he done this?’” Day said.
“He’s been awesome to have, especially being so young. I’ve been able to lean on him and in the locker room, we’re only a few apart now.
“I like to ask him as many questions as possible. He does love to talk.”
Day, 20, recorded a career-high 29 disposals and seven marks in Hawthorn’s win over GWS last week.
An ankle injury has restricted the second-year Hawk to five games this season.