The rocket from Sam Mitchell that sparked the Hawthorn Hawks surge against Western Bulldogs, as Mitch Lewis outlines his path back to playing
Adelaide: The spray came first. The response followed. And somewhere in between Sam Mitchell may have learned something new about his Hawthorn side.
There was a feeling at Adelaide Oval that the game had the potential to slip after three quarters. The previously unbeaten Western Bulldogs scored the final three goals of the third term (plus two late scares) to turn a controlled Hawthorn performance into a live-stream contest. Momentum had reversed. The energy was exhausted. The Hawks were defenseless.
“Those last five minutes were pathetic,” according to key forward Mitch Lewis. “If you want to keep playing like this, we’re going to lose this game. I don’t care if you’re tired; bring your energy back to this game.”
He was frank. He was cutting. And it worked.
Hawthorn didn’t just stand still, it fluctuated. The last quarter became a statement: a young team blended with experience has proven itself again against one of the first benchmarks of the competition this season. The result was a convincing win from a forward line spearheaded by Lewis, who showed composure under pressure and finished with 18 disposals and three goals in one of the most meaningful performances of his career.
This was not his greatest achievement, but perhaps his most important.
“I worked hard,” Lewis said after the match. “I’ve missed a lot of games. So moments like tonight… the weight of it doesn’t go away. There were some pretty dark times in rehab.”
This context is important. It elevates what might otherwise be just another solid night into something more significant, a display of resilience, patience and perspective.
Lewis’s journey back was far from linear. An anterior cruciate ligament tear that came with chronic knee pain left him not only sidelined, but unstable. He admits there are moments when the game feels distant, when returning to full health seems like the real payoff.
“A series was pretty much cooked there for a while,” he said. “It’s not just because of the ACL. I had some chronic pain there and now we’ve been able to heal. I don’t have knee pain anymore… and being pain-free and running on the football field makes a difference.”
There is a clarity in this kind of reflection. Standing out from the noise (expectations, scrutiny, rush to return) that often surrounds elite sport. Lewis admitted that he had made this mistake before and came back with “80 percent” and paid the price for it.
This time, the long journey that took 12 months may have been his fault.
“For a long period of my career, it was a blessing in disguise,” he said. “You learn that even playing games here is a privilege.”
That sense of perspective translated into Friday night’s performance. Lewis wasn’t just a target; he was a being. Leading tightly, competing in the air, involving others in the game; It is a versatile contribution that strengthens a forward-looking structure.
But this wasn’t a one-man show. Hawthorn’s victory was as much about system and response as individual brilliance.
After a five-day break, the Hawks had circled the Bulldogs, the last undefeated team in the league this season, as a measuring stick. The wobble in the third quarter threatened to thwart that intention. Instead, it revealed something more meaningful: their ability to respond.
“We wanted to stamp our authority on the competition,” Lewis said. “Being able to beat them… is great for our confidence.”
This trust is based on a unique mix.
Hawthorn’s list is an intriguing mix; hardened leaders and a new wave of enthusiastic youth. Players such as Jack Ginnivan and Nick Watson add flair and personality, while experienced vice-captains Jai Newcombe and James Sicily provide structure and standards. It’s a balance that feels fragile at times, but it fell into place tonight.
“We have some characters,” Lewis said with a smile. “But Sam set the foundation and the standards. So he can deliver a spray like this and it’ll be well received.”
That’s the key. The spray only works when the message gets through. And it only lands if the group trusts the voice that transmits it.
Hawthorn’s response showed that both were firmly in place.
The last period wasn’t crazy; was being controlled. The Hawks went back to their ways, regaining territory and putting the scoreboard pressure back to the fore. Hawthorn scored five goals from two to run out comprehensive 40-point victories. The Bulldogs are designed to look second best for the first time this season.
It is too early to make definitive statements about September, but Hawthorn does not hesitate to be ambitious internally.
“We want to be among the top four teams,” Lewis said. “We’re not hiding from this.”
Beating an undefeated team, seizing the momentum and responding with authority; these are the building blocks of true competitors.
For Lewis, it also serves as a personal checkpoint. It’s a reminder that the darkest parts of his career were a detour, not an endpoint.
He’s not back that far – not yet. But he’s close enough to see it.
“Tonight was a real step in the right direction,” he said.
For Hawthorn, this could be even more: the night their coach lit the fuse and showed the team could fire up.
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Sam McClure is an award-winning AFL journalist and broadcaster.Connect with: X or email.
