Collingwood recruit Tom Mitchell hopes to help the Magpies go to “another level” in 2023.
Mitchell joined the Magpies on the final day of last month’s trade period, being sent to the AIA Centre after 106 games with Hawthorn from 2017 to 2022.
With several key figures at Collingwood also hailing from Waverley Park, Mitchell is keen to work with the likes of Craig McRae and Brendon Bolton who he formed relationships with at Hawthorn.
“I’ve obviously gotten to know Fly (Craig McRae) from the year he was at Hawthorn in 2021,” Mitchell told SEN Breakfast.
“I know Bolts (Brendon Bolton), I know Wrighty (Graham Wright) and I guess having worked with those guys before they know about my strong work ethic.
“(They think) I can help the young guys at Collingwood get to another level.
“I’m looking forward to taking some responsibility from a leadership point of view and taking the players on the list through some of the lessons I’ve learned in my footy career.”
Despite winning a Brownlow Medal and three club best and fairests during his time at the Hawks, Mitchell’s role changed in 2022 as the club looked to prioritise youth with the star on-baller spending less time at the stoppage.
With Collingwood having a contending mindset, Mitchell says the club made their pitch to him after identifying a need to bolster their inside midfield stocks.
“Fly’s massive on playing to your strengths,” Mitchell said.
“I think he identified that my best footy is when I’m playing on the inside, that’s where I played my best footy over the duration of my career.
“That’s sort of what the pitch was, hopefully I can help complement a lot of the midfielders there – the Daicos boys (Nick and Josh), (Jordan) De Goey and (Jack) Crisp who are guys that can really carry the ball and run with the ball.
“Hopefully I can get it in their hands and help them do their work.”
Mitchell joins Collingwood aged 29 with 171 senior games under his belt having begun his career with Sydney in 2012.