Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell has confirmed that the club would be interested in obtaining the services of Port Adelaide's Karl Amon, should the in-demand midfielder exercise his free agency rights at the end of the season.
The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move back home to Victoria throughout the season, with both Hawthorn and St Kilda reportedly circling Amon.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast,ย Mitchell stopped short of confirming the Hawks would try to lure Amon to Waverley Park, but did admit the club was "interested" in the free agent.
โHeโs a very good footballer,โ Mitchell said.
โIโm not sure if heโll be at the Hawks next year, but heโs a very good player.
โWhat we try to do at Hawthorn is build our list for when we think weโll be in the premiership window, as you guys would call it.
โBut weโre not quite at that point now. We donโt quite have enough of the age profile and the games profile to be as competitive (as the best teams).
โWe need to bring as much talent into our group in the right age bracket as we can.
โKarl is on the edges of that. If heโs a player that was interested in coming to Hawthorn then that would be a conversation.โ
Carlton have reportedly withdrawn themselves from the race for Amon, leaving the Hawks and Saints as the main landing spots, with SENโs Sam Edmund confirming earlier in the week that the 26-year-old is unlikely to remain at Alberton beyond 2022.
On the subject of Tom Mitchell, the Hawks coach also remained tightlipped on the Brownlow Medallist's future, despite being the subject of trade speculation throughout the year.
โHeโs a contracted player and I havenโt had a sit-down with any of the guys who are contracted,โ Mitchell said.
โMy philosophy is I wouldnโt want anything to be a surprise at the end of the season.
โI sit down with all the guys who are uncontracted and just say what they need to do over this next period. Weโve got a lot of young players who weโre undecided on their future at this point and thereโs still plenty of season to go."
The 29-year-old has previously stated his intention to remain at the club as they continue to rebuild under the lead of their former champion turned coach.
