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The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-15 · by Jon Pierik, Hannah Kennelly
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell delivered personalized handwritten letters to his players before their preliminary final against Fremantle, a practice that took him three to four nights to complete. Players like Lloyd Meek and Jai Newcombe expressed gratitude for the emotional and personal touch from Mitchell's letters, which highlighted the journey and growth of both the players and the club over the past years. The article highlights how this traditional approach contrasts with modern communication methods and emphasizes the depth of relationship between coach and players.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-15,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell inspired his team ahead of their preliminary final against Fremantle by sending handwritten letters to each player, a process that took him three to four nights. Hawks ruckman Lloyd Meek shared how Mitchell's letter reflected on his journey since joining the club in 2022, expressing happiness about Meek's choice and emphasizing mutual growth over four years. Meek highlighted that this gesture showcases Mitchell’s deep care for his players. The player had initially joined Hawthorn from Fremantle during a trade period in 2022, noting that the team struggled with a 16th-place finish on the ladder that year, underscoring their journey through adversity and toward success.
Written for “Hawthorn Football Team Success” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 10014 · logged 2026-09-15
In an age of AI and WhatsApp groups, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has taken his team back in time with a quaint approach, delivering handwritten letters to his players before the final against Fremantle.
asserted
Mitchell → take → Fremantle
Hawks ruckman Lloyd Meek told this masthead his coach gave every player a handwritten letter reflecting on their journey so far, a process that apparently took Mitchell three to four nights to write.
asserted
that → tell → nights
“That’s just a small slice of the scene into the person that he [Mitchell] is and how much he cares for us,” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → us
In his letter, Mitchell told Meek “how happy he was that I picked Hawthorn and I had faith in him” .
“It [the letter] reflected on how we’ve both, I guess, grown over that four-year period.
asserted
I → tell → period
I feel like I’ve really been a part of this journey that we’re all on and the club’s transition to success essentially,” he said.
asserted
he → feel → success
The in-demand ruckman played for Fremantle but chose to move to Hawthorn during the trade period in 2022
“When I first arrived, our first year here was not great,” he laughed.
asserted
he → play → 2022
“When you finished 16th on the ladder … we had some work to do.
asserted
we → finish → work
Going through adversity with people and then building that together is the best way to find out.”
asserted
Going → go → that
Midfielder Josh Ward said the letters were incredibly special to receive.
asserted
letters → say → ?
“It meant a lot,” he told this masthead.
asserted
he → mean → masthead
“Just the care he has for everyone, and the personal relationship … it just means a lot and makes you want to play for him.”
asserted
you → have → him
Jai Newcombe said Mitchell had told him in the letter he was proud of what the star midfielder had achieved.
asserted
midfielder → say → what
“I mean, the journey that we’ve been on here together, [he’s] sort of been part of it the whole way through, which has been nice,” Newcombe said.
asserted
Newcombe → mean → it
Newcombe was taken in the mid-season 2021 rookie draft, Mitchell having been coach of the VFL Hawks that season, before he replaced Alastair Clarkson as AFL coach in 2022.
“He’s obviously been a big part of the reason why I’m here.
asserted
I → take → reason
So it’s been really cool to share that together.
asserted
it → share → that
So yeah, [he] touched a little bit on that,” Newcombe said.
asserted
Newcombe → touch → that
Newcombe said Mitchell had not touched directly on the possibility of him being a premiership co-captain.
asserted
him → say → possibility
but [we’re] obviously excited about the things that we could potentially do, and making sure that we had belief in that as a group.”
uncertain
we → ’re → group
Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions last met in round 22, with the Lions storming to a 67-point win at the Gabba.
asserted
Lions → meet → Gabba
On Saturday, they’ll face off in a prelim at the ’G – the first time the teams have faced each other in AFL finals history.
asserted
teams → face → history
Get around our AFL finals coverage
- Brownlow Medal: How a Swans win could save the AFL some blushes
-
uncertain
win → get → blushes
Money Talks: Bombers delist top 10 pick, Lions lock away another young gun
-
asserted
Lions → delist → gun
Carlton’s trap door: Behind the Blues’ brutal list cull
- The draft: Footy recruiters reveal what they look for
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country.
asserted
they → reveal → country
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