If selected, 2008 Hawthorn Premiership captain and three-time Peter Crimmins Medallist Sam Mitchell, along with 2004 Port Adelaide premiership player Shaun Burgoyne, will celebrate their 200th AFL game on Sunday. Vice-captain Jordan Lewis is also set to play his 150th match in Hawks colours.
After being overlooked in the 2000 AFL National Draft, Mitchell joined Hawthorn’s VFL affiliate, Box Hill Hawks, and after impressing Hawks recruiters, was selected by Hawthorn at pick number 36 the following year. The tenacious midfielder made his AFL debut in 2002, and won the AFL Rising Star award the following year.
In 2004, Mitchell was given Club Legend Peter Crimmins’ iconic No.5 guernsey and since then, the hardened centreman has won the Peter Crimmins Medal on three occasions (2006, 2009 and 2011), captained the Club to a premiership in 2008 and earned himself All-Australian selection in 2011.
Recruited from Port Adelaide Magpies, Burgoyne was selected by Port Adelaide at pick 12 in the 2000 AFL National Draft. Having gained a NAB Rising Star nomination in his debut year (2002), the silky midfielder went on to play 157 games for the Power and was a member of the their inaugural AFL premiership side in 2004. Burgoyne was named in the All-Australian team in 2006 and also finished second in Port Adelaide’s best and fairest that year.
In 2010, the South Australian was traded to Hawthorn for picks nine and 16, where he was handed Club champion Shane Crawford’s No. 9 guernsey. Sunday is set to be Burgoyne’s 43rd game in the brown and gold, and 200th AFL appearance.
Originally from Warrnambool, Lewis was selected by the Hawks with pick number seven in the 2004 AFL National Draft. The tough midfielder made his AFL debut in 2005, and earned a NAB Rising Star nomination that year. A member of the Hawks’ 2008 Premiership side, Lewis was named co-vice-captain (along with Jarryd Roughead) in 2011.
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Mitchell 200th tribute Shaun Burgoyne from training on Thursday
