Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell believes it is too soon to consider his team among the AFL’s top contenders. However, he is optimistic that with continued confidence and by avoiding complacency, they will soon reach that level. Despite currently being 13th on the ladder, Hawthorn is only half a win behind the eighth-placed Brisbane Lions and just one win away from fifth-placed Geelong. The Hawks recently achieved their fifth consecutive victory and their seventh win in the last eight games with a commanding 61-point victory over West Coast in Perth. Mitchell emphasized the importance of maintaining confidence without becoming complacent, stating, “We deserve to feel confident, but that doesn’t give you the right to be complacent.”