Sam Mitchell wife detail comes to light after Josh Battle's move from St Kilda to Hawthorn
Battle said the way Mitchell and his wife Lyndall talked about family convinced him to make the switch.
New Hawthorn recruit Josh Battle has revealed the way Sam Mitchell and his wife spoke about their family and the club they were building convinced him to leave St Kilda to join the Hawks. Mitchell and his wife Lyndall have played an integral role in rejuvenating the recruitment drive and the culture at Hawthorn, turning the bottom dwellers into a finals side in 2024.
And while Battle says leaving St Kilda was one of the hardest things he has ever had to do, after talking to Mitchell he knew it was the right move to make for his partner Casey and their seven-month-old daughter Bobbi. “It was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life,” Battle told the Herald Sun.
“To be honest I was lucky as we just had Bobbi, there was a lot going on at home so the distraction wasn’t as big as it may have seemed. Case has been amazing and we knew we’d get to the end of the year and really nut it out, have a good think about what is best for us, what is best for the future. I can’t underestimate how big the decision was.”
The 26-year-old had his best year at the Saints last year, finishing third in the best and fairest, but admitted he was unsure whether to stay or go. That was until he met Mitchell and his wife Lyndall. And following that meeting, he knew Hawthorn was where he and his family should be.
"I just think right now the direction I am heading in, what is best for my family environment. I feel like the values and morals align the way the Hawks hold themselves, in terms of what I connected with kind of there, what Sam (Mitchell) underpins," he said.
“I have got a young family, there is a difference between kind of saying you’re the family club and then acting upon it, that was the main thing... I am super interested in learning, trying to get the best out of myself, how much more I can develop as a player, and the room for scope in growing as a person, a dad, and a husband. He (Mitchell) spoke a lot about that."
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Sam Mitchell's wife Lyndall praised for recruitment efforts
Battle is just the latest to be convinced to pack up his things and head to Hawthorn, with Mitchell's wife Lyndall's work behind the scenes playing a major role in recruitment and creating a positive family environment at the club. While Mitchell's role in turning the Hawks' fortunes around on the field cannot be understated, Lyndall's impactful role behind the scenes was pointed out by the Channel 9 team in September.
"The resource and time and volunteer time, when it comes, comes to the Mitchell couple they have put into recruiting...I think it has been an unbelievably considered move," Craig Hutchinson said on Footy Classified. "Jarryd Roughead has led it, with the Mitchells, and they have been precise with what they want.
"And they have put an enormity amount of work in. She has supported Sam in explaining what the future looks like at Hawthorn. I think that is incredibly gracious and selfless to be involved in the recruiting. And they have painted a fantastic picture of what Hawthorn can be as a family club. I think it is amazing what they have done."
