Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell makes shock manager switch to Craig Hutchison’s Bravo Management

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has sensationally switched management groups to media businessman Craig Hutchison’s Bravo Management.

Mitchell was previously represented by TGI Sports’ Tom Petroro and the move follows former Essendon skipper Zach Merrett’s split with Petroro in January.

Mitchell and Petroro were central to Merrett’s failed trade bid to Hawthorn last October that forced Merrett to return to the Bombers and relinquish the captaincy.

Petroro orchestrated, and was present for, the meeting between his then two clients in September that triggered the ex-captain’s trade request to the Hawks.

A visibly frustrated Petroro attempted to negotiate the deal between both Essendon and Hawthorn in the final stages of the trade period deadline, only for the Bombers to knock back three first-round draft picks.

Bravo Management, overseen by Chris Giannopoulos and Liam Pickering, forms part of Hutchison’s wider Sports Entertainment Network entity.

However, it’s understood Hutchison will be hands on with Mitchell’s future endeavours and play a close mentoring role in a business sense.

Unlike AFL players and their representation, coaches’ agents do not require formal accreditation.

It is Mitchell’s third management switch since the end of his playing days.

The four-time premiership Hawk’s move to West Coast ahead of his final season in 2017 and return to Hawthorn as an assistant coach leading into 2019, were facilitated by long-time agent Peter Lenton.

His succession plan and subsequent move to replace Alastair Clarkson at the Hawks in July 2021 was brokered by businessman and former Box Hill president Ed Sill.

Petroro then oversaw Mitchell’s contract extension with the Hawks in October 2024 that runs until the end of 2027.

After semi-final and preliminary final finishes, Mitchell’s value has since exploded and will likely place his next contract among the highest paid coaches in the game.

Discussions on his new deal are expected to commence in coming months.

Hawthorn great Shane Crawford last month linked the Tasmanian Devils to a potential approach to his premiership teammate.

Geelong coach Chris Scott is another AFL coach in the Bravo Management stable that currently operates alongside player management arm Odyssey Sports.

Scott was also previously managed by TGI Sports (formerly TLA/ESP).

Merrett has since joined CDG Sports and is directly managed by Nick Gieschen who first represented the six-time Essendon best and fairest early in his AFL career.

Gieschen previously worked under Petroro at TLA/ESP before his move to join CDG Sports (formerly Connors Sports Management) in 2019.