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Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has been caught berating his players during their quarter-time break against Sydney at the MCG.
After keeping close to the high-flying Swans early in the first term, the Hawks allowed the Swans to kick four late goals.
They went into the first break trailing by 25 points, before coughing up a 76-point loss to catapult the Swans to second on the ladder.
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Specifically, Mitchell was furious that defender Jack Scrimshaw turned over the ball late in the first term to cost the Hawks and help extend Sydney’s lead.
When walking onto the MCG to address his team at the huddle, Mitchell sought out Scrimshaw and blasted him angrily.
Before the outburst, Mitchell was caught smashing his fist into the coaches desk in his box in frustration.
He spoke at quarter time, addressing exactly what he said the Scrimshaw.
“(I just told Scrimshaw that) we’re past that. We conceded three goals really quickly,” Mitchell told Fox Footy at quarter time.
“We are going for big risky kicks when the instruction was the opposite.”
They challenged the second-placed Swans early, but were unable to stop the onslaught.
After quarter time, the Hawks kicked just three goals, while Sydney went on to boot 12.
Nick Blakey starred for the Swans with 30 disposals, while teammate Luke McDonald kicked three.
It wasn’t all miserable for Hawthorn fans, however.
The club got to officially farewell retired Hawk-turned-Swan, Lance Franklin at the MCG.
It was one of Franklin’s final career wishes, to complete a lap of honour at the MCG.
Franklin retired during the 2023 season after injurying his calf, closing the chapter on one of the most decorated and exciting careers in the game’s history.
The superstar forward played for both the Hawks and Swans, kicking 1066 goals across 354 games, winning two premierships, eight All-Australian blazers and four Coleman Medals during an illustrious career.
The Hawks are 1-6 after seven rounds.
