Mitchell firms as Brownlow Medal favourite

A BRILLIANT beginning to the new AFL campaign has seen Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell firm into the $4 quote at online bookmaker Sportsbet to win the 2018 Brownlow Medal.

Last year’s Brownlow Medal winner Dustin Martin remains well in contention at the $4.50 mark while Cats superstar Patrick Dangerfield is on the third line of betting at the $7.50.

While the former league best and fairest players have been among their team’s best players across the opening trio of games, Michell has been on another level.

After averaging 43.5 disposals across the opening three rounds of the season, Mitchell has stood head and shoulders above the competition, amassing 22 disposals more than the next-best ball winner, Adelaide half back Rory Laird.

Sportsbet representative Will Byrne said the former Sydney star is going to be hard to beat for the league’s top honour.

“Mitchell has started the season on fire and if he continues on with this form the Brownlow will be just a formality come September.”

It has been a long road for Mitchell to reach the lofty heights he’s currently hitting after being drafted as a father-son prodigy by the Sydney Swans.

After failing to secure a permanent spot in the Swans midfield rotation, Hawthorn traded for him for a late first round pick and turned him into one of the game’s premier players.

According to an old associate however, Mitchell always had the hunger to achieve success.

Mitchell’s WA under-18 coach Brad Wira said the 24-year-old mirrored his style of play against that of dual Brownlow Medallist Greg Williams.

“He was always wanting to do extra,” Wira said.

“One day he said he was going to do some handballing across the road from the hotel with a mate. I looked out the window and he was doing left hand, right hand for an hour with Greg Williams.”

Hawthorn next face Melbourne on Sunday, April 15 at the MCG.