Collingwood premiership midfielder Tom Mitchell has solved the Mad Monday mystery that left fans scratching their heads.
The 2018 Brownlow medallist achieved the ultimate goal in footy in his very first season at the Pies, racking up 24 disposals, seven clearances, two goal assists and a whopping 13 tackles in the grand final win over Brisbane.
But two days later he had already swapped his black and white stripes for the brown and gold – including shorts and socks – of his previous club Hawthorn.
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Given Mitchell was pushed out by the Hawks, who paid part of his wage this year, some supporters questioned whether it was a less-than-subtle dig, or perhaps less likely an acknowledgement of their role in his journey.
In truth it had little to do with his experiences at Hawthorn.
Mitchell shared a photo revealing he wore a No.32 guernsey belonging to Finn Maginness as a joke with Nick Daicos.
“Went as my guy Finn to try and lock down my other guy Nick for Mad Monday yesterday,” he cleared up on social media.
Maginness tagged Daicos in Round 21 and remarkably held the Pies star to just five disposals – the lowest tally of his season by a whole 20 touches – as Hawthorn came away with a 32-point upset victory.
Daicos’s final tally was not helped by a knee injury that ended his night early but there was no question Maginness had locked him down better than anyone to date.
Mitchell, meanwhile, revelled in finally winning a premiership after losing the 2016 grand final with Sydney and enduring some lean years at Hawthorn.
The flag was made all the more sweet by overcoming a back injury to limit Lachie Neale’s influence in the decider.
“I did it actually in the warm-up before the preliminary final,” Mitchell said on Sunday.
“I was touch-and-go to take the field in the last minute there, just before that game. I pulled up a bit ginger the next morning and had an injection straight after that.
“That’s part of footy. Everyone’s carrying little injuries and you’ve just got to find a way to push through it.”
The 30-year-old, who will break the 200-game barrier early next season, drew on his experience during grand final week.
He always had belief he would be fit to play against the Lions.
“As you get a little older you learn to know what you can and can’t play with,” Mitchell said.
“This is one of those things I thought I could manage and play with.”
Mitchell was one of Collingwood’s important off-season recruits, along with Norm Smith Medal winner Bobby Hill and unlucky forward Daniel McStay, who missed the grand final through injury.
And Mitchell ended as one of only four players — along with Josh Daicos, Isaac Quaynor and Jack Crisp — to feature in every game for the Magpies this season.
“I just wanted to come in and play my role and play to my strengths,” he said.
“Fly (Craig McRae) and the coaches were so good at backing me in and saying ‘this is what we want from you’.
“They had so much confidence in me to do it and I get a lot of belief in myself as well when you’ve got them in your corner.”
Still, Mitchell didn’t expect a premiership would automatically happen when he joined the team that rose from 17th in 2021 to a preliminary final last year.
“You still pinch yourself,” he said.
“Moments like right now, you never think anything like this could ever happen, so it’s pretty special.”
– with Shayne Hope, AAP
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