“I’d certainly be picking up the phone”: Mitchell endorses Hawks duo for West Coast top job

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has endorsed assistant coaches Adrian Hickmott and David Hale for the vacant top job at West Coast.

Mitchell was probed about Hickmott in particular by David King on SEN Breakfast after the North Melbourne great said he felt the assistant was exactly what a rebuilding club would need.

King is big on Hickmott as the former Cat and Blue has spent well over a decade in assistant roles at all of Essendon, West Coast and Hawthorn and he thinks the 52-year-old possesses the right energy and experience in development roles.

“You mention Adrian Hickmott and I've got a question written here because there's a vacancy over in Western Australia,” King said on SEN Breakfast.

“I just think this guy …  he brings an energy, he's a development coach.

“I've seen him out there training with you guys. He just brings a buzz.

“I think he's exactly what a rebuilding club would need. Have you had the discussion with him about potentially looking at this sort of opportunity?”

While Mitchell admits he’d be sad to lose Hickmott - who joined the club in 2022 from West Coast – he is certain he’d be successful in a head role.

He said the same for Hale who has also been at Hawthorn since 2022. The ruckman spent six years at Fremantle as an assistant following his 237-game playing career for the Roos and Hawks.

“Yeah, I chat with all of our coaches about their future plans, their aspirations and where they'd like to be,” Mitchell replied.

“It's really an interesting position as the head coach because there's a part of me that would absolutely love ‘Hick’ to get an opportunity to be a head coach because I think he would be fantastic at it.

“But there's a part of me that would be heartbroken because I'd lose him from my own staff.

“But I think if I was West Coast, I'd certainly be picking up the phone to both David Hale and Adrian Hickmott.

“I think they're both potential head coaches, but they would very much be missed from us if they were to get that job.

“But there’s no doubt they’d be successful in that role.”

Hale is currently the head of Hawthorn’s midfield group while Hickmott leads the forwards.

The Hawks, who have won nine of their last 11, next face the Crows at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday afternoon.