Luke Hodge knew Sam Mitchell had the makings of a senior coach when the pair were teammates during Hawthorn’s golden era.
Mitchell and Hodge played in four premierships together at the Hawks and formed the backbone of one of the greatest sides of the modern era.
Mitchell replaced mentor Alastair Clarkson as head coach of the Hawks after the four-time premiership coach called it quits at the end of last year.
“Sammy’s been preparing to be a senior coach when I was still playing with him,” Hodge told SEN’s Whateley.
“2014 and 2015, prior to him going to West Coast, he would take meetings, he would take stoppage meetings because even with ‘Clarko’, he was probably the best person who understood the game and could explain it.
“Our coaches gave players opportunity to improve in all areas and they saw ‘Mitch’ as one that wanted to be a future coach and said, ‘You go and take meetings’.
“How he could explain a play to us and to the younger guys and simplify it, so everyone walked out going, ‘This is my role, this is what I’ve got to do’, you sat back going, ‘He’s going to be a head coach at some stage’.”
Hodge hopes the media and Hawks fans are patient with Mitchell as he enters his first season as senior coach.
“How it all unfolded last year probably wasn’t ideal, and I would’ve loved to see him do an extra year at Box Hill and get to know the younger guys better,” the Hawks great said.
“I just hope the media give him a little bit of leeway.
“He’s going to try and tweak his (Clarkson’s) game style, he’s going to try and implement a few things that he wants to do that he thinks is important for Hawthorn to get back up the top.
“I hope people, just like with ‘Vossy’ (Michael Voss), give them both a bit of time to make the changes they think is necessary.”
Mitchell’s first game in charge of Hawthorn is against North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.