Contract shock as top coach ‘gettable’; concerning report on why Cat missed game — AFL Daily

One of the AFL’s top coaches is out of contract soon – and willing to consider a move elsewhere.

Plus a concerning report on a Geelong star. Get the latest in AFL Daily!

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CONTRACT SHOCK AS HAWKS COACH ‘GETTABLE’

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell is “gettable” by a rival club for the right price, reports Tom Morris.

Mitchell is out of contract at the end of 2027 and with Tasmania, Carlton and Essendon all seeking a senior coach, he would be an extremely hot commodity having been highly rated for his work leading the Hawks from the doldrums back into contention.

The Brownlow medallist joked on Seven on Monday night he had held “multiple meetings” with Tasmania but immediately clarified he was “very happy at Hawthorn”.

While the move may just be an attempt to drive up his own price, Morris says Mitchell “would take a call from a rival club if a rival club was interested in him.

“Negotiations have paused by mutual consent recently between the Hawks and the Mitchell camp, I think they’ll accelerate soon again,” he explained on The Agenda Setters.

“Hawthorn formally hasn’t offered him a deal, they would like him to extend before the start of 2027 into 2028, although that appears a long way away.

“My belief is Sam Mitchell is open for business and is gettable for the right price and the right club.

“Anyone that assumes that Sam Mitchell is locked into Hawthorn for the next 10 to 15 years without fully understanding that he is gonna do what’s best for his career and his family probably doesn’t understand what sort of driven person Sam Mitchell is.”

Morris added while Mitchell “loves” Hawthorn, he’s “not going to let them offer him a long-term deal that doesn’t do justice to his skill set and his value in the marketplace”.

WORRYING REPORT ON WHY CAT MISSED GAME

Geelong star Tyson Stengle missed a recent VFL game unexpectedly after being allegedly spotted by witnesses at a nightclub, it has been reported.

The All-Australian forward starred at state level two weeks ago, kicking four goals in his comeback game after a period away from the club due to personal issues.

However Seven’s Xander McGuire claimed Stengle was expected to play for the Cats against Southport last weekend, but did not make the flight.

“We know there was an expectation, at least close to when wheels went up, that Tyson Stengle would be on that plane because the crew on that flight were actually paging his name over the speakers, asking where he was,” McGuire said on The Agenda Setters.

Geelong did not give a reason for Stengle’s absence when it confirmed its VFL side for the week, and Geelong-based radio station K-Rock reported illness was the cause.

But McGuire reported eyewitnesses alleged spotting Stengle at Electric Nightclub, on Chapel Street in Prahran, on Wednesday night after the State of Origin game at the MCG.

That was around 36 hours before he was scheduled to fly north for the Saturday game.

“Outside of the Geelong Football Club, there’s a lot of people who’ve put a lot of work into Tyson Stengle … there’d be a disappointment,” McGuire added.