Hawthorn has finalised its new-look coaching panel under Senior Coach Sam Mitchell ahead of the 2022 season, with four fresh faces arriving at Waverley Park.

It comes after the club announced this week that Robert Harvey would be joining the coaching department alongside fellow new assistant coaches Andrew Collins, David Hale and Adrian Hickmott as well as the re-signed Chris Newman.

The confirmed panel caps off what has been a busy coaching recruitment month for the Hawks following the conclusion of the 2021 home-and-away season.

Here’s a recap of the names that will be leading our coaching panel for 2022.

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Robert Harvey

Robert Harvey joins the Hawks after spending the past 10 seasons as an assistant coach at Collingwood where he was also the stand-in senior coach for nine games this year.

During his time at the Pies, the black and white reached five finals campaign's including the 2018 Grand Final.

Harvey was also recognised as the AFL Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013. 

Prior to his time with Collingwood, Harvey was with Carlton for the 2009 and 2010 seasons before returning to St Kilda in 2011.

One of the most decorated players to ever grace the competition, Harvey played 383 games with the Saints over 21 years, winning two Brownlow Medals, four club best and fairest’s and eight All Australian honours among a host of other accolades.

David Hale

Since his retirement after the Hawks 2015 Grand Final win, David Hale has spent the past six seasons at Fremantle as an assistant coach.

Having first been drafted to North Melbourne where he played 129 games over eight seasons, Hale then moved to Hawthorn where he notched up 108 games and proved a vital part of the club’s premiership threepeat from 2013 to 2015.

The three-time premiership Hawk, who is currently based in Western Australia, was in charge with the Dockers ball movement and forwards while at the club.

He was also the Fremantle's senior coach for one game in 2019, taking the reins against Port Adelaide in the final round of the season.

Andrew Collins

Former Hawk and three-time premiership player Andrew Collins has come on board as Hawthorn’s Head of Development ahead of the 2022 season.

Andrew ‘Collo’ Collins brings a strong coaching resume to the Hawks having previously coached VFL sides Williamstown and Sandringham to premierships, as well as spending six years in charge of SANFL team West Adelaide. 

In season 2021 Collins held the position of Senior Assistant Coach at Hawthorn VFL affiliate Box Hill, where he worked closely alongside newly appointed Hawthorn Senior Coach Sam Mitchell.  

Collins is no stranger to the brown and gold fold, achieving 212 games, three premierships, a Peter Crimmins Medal and state honours across his 10-season playing tenure from 1987 – 1996. 

Adrian Hickmott

Adrian Hickmott, a former Carlton and Geelong player, joined the Hawks as an assistant coach having spent the last 10 years at West Coast.

Hickmott performed a variety of assistant coaching roles at the Eagles during his tenure, including backline coach, contested ball coordinator during the 2018 premiership season and midfield coach in 2021.

A highly accomplished coach, Hickmott has a proven ability to develop and nurture young talent which will be pivotal as the club continues to transition through a stage of on-field growth.

Hickmott joined the Eagles as a development coach in 2011 after coaching at VFL and TAC Cup level, following a 184-game playing career at Geelong and Carlton.

Sam Mitchell

At 38-years-old, Sam Mitchell is currently the second youngest senior coach in the AFL.

Mitchell was drafted to Hawthorn in 2001, the premiership captain played 307 games in the brown and gold before departing for West Coast in 2016 to seek experience outside the walls of Waverley.

Returning to the club in 2019 as an assistant coach, he then stepped into the dual role of Head of Development and Box Hill senior coach at the end of 2020.

Box Hill was eyeing finals footy after finishing the 2021 season in third place, but the VFL season was then cut short due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

It was announced this year that Mitchell would be taking over the coaching reins of Hawthorn ahead of the 2022 season.

Chris Newman

After calling time on a successful 268-game career with the Tigers in 2015, Chris Newman joined Hawthorn in 2016 as a development coach.

A year later, it was announced he would take the reins as Box Hill Senior Coach, coaching them to the VFL premiership in 2018.

Weeks after becoming a VFL premiership coach, Newman was elevated to an assistant coach with Hawthorn.

After a stint as stoppages coach, the long-time Hawks assistant transitioned to backline coach to support the defenders in 2020 - a role he continued into 2021.

Andy Otten

Andy Otten joined the club as a development coach ahead of season 2020, following a career that spanned over 12 years at the Adelaide Crows.

Otten carved out an impressive 109 games as a Crow, having overcome much adversity over the course of his career including two knee reconstructions.

Originally taken with Pick 27 in the 2007 national draft, Otten had success at either end of the ground throughout his career, with arguably his best campaign coming in 2017 when he played as a forward in a Crows side that made the Grand Final.

His time at Hawthorn so far has been focussed on the development of the younger players on Hawthorn's list, with Otten also taking a very active role with the Box Hill side.