Sam Mitchell says Dylan Moore and Connor Macdonald embarrassed by scissor lift footage, but it release might lift weight on them
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said his players were determined to recover from the fallout following the arrests of Dylan Moore and Connor Macdonald in the US during the off-season and that the pair took responsibility for their actions.
Body camera footage of the couple being lowered down with a scissor lift and arrested by Arizona police in November last year was made public this week, bringing the issue back to the fore, but Mitchell insisted he was comfortable with the way Hawthorn handled the matter internally.
“For us, these are all new stories to you, and the vision itself is new to us,” Mitchell said Wednesday. “But these two boys took responsibility for their actions, of which they were not proud.”
Mitchell said both players had been “very open and honest” with the club from the start and he hoped the release of the footage would enable them to progress.
“I hope they feel a little lighter, even if they are a little embarrassed,” he said. “They should feel a little lighter and can move on.”
Mitchell also appeared on Channel Seven. Agenda Setters He confirmed Tuesday night that he had spoken by phone with members of the Hawthorn group in Arizona in the early hours of the night Moore and Macdonald were charged, and that they had no reason to worry they would be in trouble at the time. Noting that the drug possession allegations initially leveled against the duo were quickly withdrawn, Mitchell told the program that he did not believe his club had a drug-related problem.
“That charge was dismissed, so I can’t add anything to that. I’m very disappointed in the behavior, and you’ve seen some of that now (via body camera footage),” Mitchell said.
“None of it is a surprise because they were really upfront about it from the beginning.”
Panelist Caroline Wilson told the program that Hawthorn had been advised to make the matter public at the time of the incident and asked Mitchell if the club had refused to keep the matter confidential for three months, but the coach said he did not know whether such advice had been offered by league headquarters.
Both players were accused of involvement in the crime; Court records show Moore had a sentencing hearing in Scottsdale City Court on July 13, and Macdonald is due in court Aug. 4. The Hawks do not believe players will have to face these charges in person.
Mitchell said he did not expect the situation to have an ongoing impact on the pair’s form or availability.
“My understanding is that most of the legal proceedings have been completed,” he said in a statement Wednesday. “There are a few extra things that need to be done, but I don’t think it will affect their form or have anything to do with what we do on a weekly basis.”
Mitchell also reiterated his pride in the performances of Moore and Macdonald against Essendon last week, under scrutiny from the scandal that became public a few days ago.
While the off-field story continues to attract attention, Hawthorn’s roster structure, particularly their push to capture elite midfield talent, remains a focus.
Mitchell has again refused to make a decision on the future of Essendon’s Zach Merrett following reports the Bombers have offered a lucrative long-term contract extension to protect their former skipper. Mitchell joked that he started counting the number of times he was asked about the star receiver.
“I think that’s 11 (questions) now,” Mitchell said. “And the answers are the same; we won’t talk about opposing players.”
“As the roster management department, we want to get the best possible roster that will help us win first place. That’s the mission of every roster management group in the league.”
“How are we going to do this, who are we going to target? You’ll find out during the trade season.”
Merrett has long been considered a top target for rival clubs, particularly the Hawks, who tried to secure him during last year’s trade deadline.
Mitchell, meanwhile, has turned his attention to this week’s clash against field leaders Sydney and warned his team cannot afford complacency despite the Swans losing star midfielder Errol Gulden (shoulder) to a long-term injury and Isaac Heeney (hamstring) under a fitness cloud.
“They are a very good team playing really good football,” he said. “You can’t make a mistake against Sydney, even for 10 minutes, because they can score so quickly.”
Mitchell said Hawthorn’s opening round defeat to GWS was a reminder of the dangers of underestimating understaffed opposition.
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Sam McClure is an award-winning AFL journalist and broadcaster.Connect with: X or email.
