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Full name
Hugh Mitchell
Known as
Hugh Mitchell
Born
22 November 1934 (age 89)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 18y 266d
Last game: 32y 151d
Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Senior clubs
Essendon; Dandenong
Jumper numbers
Essendon: 31, 30
Recruited from
Essendon (1967)
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Essendon | V/AFL | 1953-1967 | 224 | 301 | 1.34 | 66% | 14.72 | 1.25 | 3.48 | 30 |
Dandenong | VFA | 1967-1968 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Total | 1953-1968 | 224 | 301 | 1.34 | — | — | — | — | — |
Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only
AFL: 6,386th player to appear, 445th most games played, 195th most goals kickedEssendon: 660th player to appear, 21st most games played, 17th most goals kicked
After arriving at Essendon from Moonee Imperials in 1953, Hugh Mitchell's auspicious form during a handful of games for the thirds saw him fast-tracked straight to the seniors, where, other than when injured, he remained for the rest of his 14-and-a-half-season VFL career. A clever, elusive ruck-rover, he played a total of 224 games and kicked 301 goals for the Dons, and during his peak years of 1959 to 1962 he was an automatic interstate selection for the VFL, playing a total of half a dozen games and booting 13 goals.
Mitchell won the Bombers' best and fairest award in 1959, while tallies of 51 goals in 1955, 33 in 1961, and 32 in 1964 were good enough to earn him the club's leading goal kicker trophies for those years. After playing in the losing Grand Finals of 1957 and 1959, both against Melbourne, he was close to best afield as the Bombers swept aside the challenge of Carlton in the 1962 premiership decider. Three years later he was again a noteworthy contributor as St Kilda was vanquished on Grand Final day to the tune of 35 points.
Midway through the 1967 season Mitchell crossed to VFA club Dandenong which, with Mitchell starring in his customary role as a ruck-rover, ended up winning that year's first division flag courtesy of a tempestuous 25-point Grand Final defeat of Port Melbourne. Although he only spent a couple of seasons with the Redlegs, he was nevertheless accorded the honour of selection in the club's official 'Team of the Century'.
After coaching Eltham to a premiership in 1969 Mitchell returned to Dandenong as non-playing coach in 1970, steering the side to a first division premiership in the second of his three season stint at the helm. He later served briefly as a junior coach back at Essendon, and was coach of Carlton reserves in 1976 and 1977.
Author - John Devaney