Mitchell "so proud" of Day after emotional finals outpour

Should Hawthorn change their off-season recruitment plans on the back of their upset Qualifying Final win over Fremantle in Perth?

The Hawks were utterly dominant at Optus Stadium, winning 40-72 after holding the minor premiers – who were yet to lose at home in 2026 – to just one first-half goal.

With the Hawks looking certain to bring in Ben King via free agency and Zach Merrett via trade, Kane Cornes asked David King whether the Hawks should pivot given both players will come at a cost of at least salary cap room and, in Merrett’s case, picks via trade.

Cornes: “Does it change at all their recruiting plans?

“Does it change giving four years at a million bucks for Merrett? Which it feels like they are committed to do, which I read this week. Do they need Merrett on four years at a million and giving up at least one or two first-round picks?

“Does it change Ben King? Does it change any of that with what we saw? Or do you just go, ‘No, let's get better?'.”

King: “Yeah, just get better. Just keep giving him assets to use as a coach because clearly, he coached brilliantly last night.”

He also posed the question to Hawks coach Sam Mitchell, who joined Fireball following his side’s victory.

“What I know that we need is improvement every year. Our list management will be working hard to improve our list for next year,” Mitchell replied.

One reason why Cornes isn’t so sure that the Hawks need to spend big on Merrett in particular was due to Hawthorn’s strong midfield performance.

One man who stood up big time was Will Day, with the 25-year-old picking up 24 disposals to go with eight clearances.

After missing the last two finals series with injury, Day was clearly emotional post-game, having delivered on the big stage, and Mitchell, who says he felt similarly, was so proud of his midfielder’s outing.

“I felt actually quite similar. I don't even know where it came from, but when I got in the lift to go downstairs, I found myself getting quite emotional about the game, and I didn't even know why, to be honest,” Mitchell said.

“Then I saw him when we got downstairs, and it all made sense about why we all felt like that.

“So much goes into it, and then what he's had to go through in his short career to get to that point, I think is why I was so proud of him and how we went about it.

“To play well on a big stage like that, which he's been desperate to do for so long… I mean, since he was drafted, you really thought he was built for those big games, and he has never been to able to play them.

“So, to finally see him out there was pretty special for him and for all of us to watch it.”

Hawthorn will now host the first Preliminary Final at the MCG against one of Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide or the Western Bulldogs.