In the latest case of an established veteran at an AFL club making a shock move, Mitchell will join the West Coast Eagles next season.

The trade involves five other draft picks in the deal, and essentially boils down to the Eagles landing the 34-year-old for the 88th pick in the upcoming draft.

On the face, it’s a low price for one of the most accomplished AFL players of his not-yet-complete era. Mitchell has polled more career votes in the Brownlow without winning the medal than any other player (although he stands in line to inherit Jobe Watson’s 2013 win, if the AFL rules to strip the Essendon player).

In a letter to Hawthorn fans, Mitchell wrote: “At 34, with a young family and perhaps my best footy behind me, this all makes sense and it opens doors in terms of my next dream to be a coach. Some of you will be angry and think the club and I have made a big mistake which I understand but emotion aside this is the right decision for myself and the football club.”

It’s a case of Mitchell in, Mitchell out for the Hawks, as former Sydney Swan Tom Mitchell is headed to the club. The trade for Mitchell – who, incidentally, hails from WA – landed the Swans picks no.14 and 52 in the upcoming draft.

Having seen their streak of three straight flags end last September, Hawthorn has been perhaps the most active player in the trade period, also landing Richmond’s Ty Vickery and continuing to pursue Gold Coast’s Jaeger O’Meara.