'You guys don't think we're going to make the finals': Mitchell aims to defy doubters

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell welcomes his side's tough run into September after a solid win over struggling Carlton

Sam Mitchell during Hawthorn's win over Carlton in round 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

HAWTHORN coach Sam Mitchell has welcomed his side's tough run to the finals as he seeks to prove doubters wrong.

Only nine games across the last four weeks of the home-and-away season feature match-ups between teams in the top half of the ladder.

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The Hawks are involved in three of them; facing leading premiership contenders Adelaide (away), Collingwood (MCG) and Brisbane (away).

"Our destiny's in our hands ... right now we're fourth on the ladder and we play the teams in front of us," Mitchell told reporters after Hawthorn's 13.7 (85) to 9.7 (61) win over Carlton on Thursday night.

"You guys don't think we're going to make the finals and time will tell, but we're certainly looking up.

"If we can get the job done against Adelaide next week then that well and truly puts the ball in our court, and that's what every team wants."

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Hawthorn kicked eight of the first nine goals against Carlton at the MCG before cruising to their sixth win from seven outings.

It gave them a 13-6 record, putting them right in the mix for a top-four spot.

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"We saw patches of some pretty good footy but were quite often let down by just one piece of skill," Mitchell said.

"If we can put our best footy together then we think we can really trouble the best sides."

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Will Day looms as a key figure in Hawthorn's flag push after marking his comeback from four months out with a foot injury with 15 disposals on limited minutes against the Blues.

The Hawks' 2023 best-and-fairest winner also took a spectacular mark over Carlton's Lachie Fogarty in an encouraging return.

"He was getting tagged in his first game back, so that shows how Carlton feel about him," Mitchell said.

"He's an ultimate professional ... we're really pleased we were able to get him through the game in a healthy way."

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Blues coach Michael Voss conceded it was a disappointing result in Docherty's final appearance and vice-captain Jacob Weitering's 200th game.

"We came in wanting to create a sort of pretty special memory off two players that we hold in the highest of regard," Voss said.

"They've had huge impact on our football club ... so we would've liked to have started better.

"The Hawks getting the jump and the scoreboard going that way, it just proved too hard to be able to fight back.

"While the rest of the game was somewhat a stalemate, the reality was the margin was too big to drag back."

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