Watch Sam Mitchell's full interview on the HawksTV player above.

HE'S BEEN one of the AFL's elite ball-getters for the past decade, but Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell admits he's still working on the defensive side of his game.

The midfielder is among his club's most decorated players: a Rising Star winner, three-time club best and fairest, All Australian and 2008 premiership captain.

On Sunday against Adelaide, he'll become just the 26th man to wear the brown and gold in 200 games.

But, after polling 30 votes in last year's Brownlow Medal count - the most in a single season by any player in Hawks history - Mitchell says he's still determined to improve.

"Hopefully this year will be better than last," the 29-year-old told hawthornfc.com.au in the lead-up to his milestone match.

"I think defensively I've still got a fair bit of room for improvement.

"That was the biggest step in my game last year. Defensively I improved as a player, and made myself a bit harder to play on from that point of view, from putting pressure on the opposition, and my tackle count went up.

"I'd like to continue to improve that part of my game, and being able to push forward and kick a couple more goals would also be nice."

Mitchell's journey to the elite bracket of AFL midfielders made a stuttering start.

A traditional-type footballer in an era when athleticism was king, he was overlooked at the 2000 draft despite winning consecutive best and fairests with Eastern Ranges as a junior.

Undeterred, he went to VFL club Box Hill in 2001, and progressed from the reserves to become a crucial member of the Mustangs' senior premiership team.

Despite his perceived shortcomings, the blonde ball magnet had made it impossible for AFL recruiters to ignore him.

"I was very lucky," Mitchell said, pointing out that it took Adelaide Crow Ian Callinan 10 years to finally get his opportunity.

"I spent one year in the VFL, we were really well coached, and I had a few people who believed in me and gave me great opportunities.

"I was fortunate that my body held up and I played well when it mattered."

Ten years on, Mitchell has more than rewarded the Hawks for calling his name at the 2001 national draft.

His phenomenal ability to win the football in traffic has drawn regular comparisons with triple Brownlow medallist Greg Williams, even by Williams himself, although Mitchell finds that talk "embarrassing".

And his leadership qualities saw him awarded Hawthorn's captaincy following Richard Vandenberg's retirement at the end of 2007, a role he held for three years.

It is a time Mitchell looks back on fondly, but has no regrets about passing the mantle to current-day skipper Luke Hodge before the 2011 season.

"To be honest, I couldn't do the job at a good enough level now, just with family commitments," Mitchell said.

"I don't think it (not being captain) has changed my leadership much, except I don't have to host the meetings and go to functions.

"I still behave the same way on the field, it just means I don't toss the coin, and I can be a bit of a sounding board for Luke, which I think is good."

Family is now firmly Mitchell's number one priority.

With wife Lyndall he has three young children, son Smith, and twin girls Scarlett and Emmerson. 

"When there's a family around, you have to think about them first and what you have to do for them," Mitchell said.

"But I think it's probably improved my footy because it means I don't take it too seriously.

"It's still a huge part of my life, obviously, but it's a bit more balanced now because I've got something more important at home."

Those two worlds - family and football - will come together on Sunday afternoon when the proud father runs onto the field with his children.

It will be a special moment, but there will be little time to dwell on his achievement as the quest for a second premiership continues.

"We're in a position where everything is set for us to be successful, and now it just comes down to the pointy end, to the players and coaches, and people in the inner sanctum," Mitchell said.

"Our supporters and our members, our management and everyone around the club have given us great facilities and a great opportunity to get it done."

Mark Macgugan covers Hawks news for hawthornfc.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_MarkM.