Why Sam Mitchell has to be Coach of the Year after finals qualification

Josh Gabelich is certain Sam Mitchell will be the 2024 Coach of the Year after the Hawks qualified for finals on Saturday with their 170-46 win over North Melbourne in Launceston.

The Round 24 victory ensured that the Hawks will finish either sixth or seventh and will almost certainly lock in a final at the MCG.

While Sydney will finish 2024 as minor premiers and there’s no doubt that John Longmire as a result will be in the running to win the award for a third time, Gabelich thinks that Mitchell will be acknowledged by his peers after steering the ship in Hawthorn’s remarkable turnaround.

“Sam Mitchell is the Coach of the Year,” Gabelich told SEN Crunch Time.

“I've been waiting for Hawthorn to qualify for finals before that became official.

“I know Sydney are the minor premiers and they've had a great season to date, but what Hawthorn have done since starting the season 0-5 is amazing.

“No one expected them to play finals this year and when they were zip and five, it just doesn't happen.

“They're only the third team in the AFL era since it became a top eight this format in 2000 to qualify after starting 0-5.

“It’s been quite remarkable what they've done. They've won 14 of 18 since then and it's what they've done of late.

“Their last five wins have been by 63 points or more. It's amazing what they're doing.

“They enter September as one of the form teams and they’re playing in a fortnight.”

Awarded annually since 2003, Mitchell would become the first coach of Hawthorn to win the Allan Jeans Coach of the Year as Alastair Clarkson never took home the gong while in charge of the club.

The last five winners of the award are Adam Kingsley (2023), Craig McRae (2022), Simon Goodwin (2021), Ken Hinkley (2020) and Chris Fagan (2019).