Tongues started to wag on the weekend when cameras spotted injured Adelaide midfielder Mitch Hinge in Hawthorn’s rooms after the Hawks’ thrilling victory at Marvel Stadium.
Hinge was all smiles following the match on Saturday, and wandered into Hawthorn’s inner-sanctum as the team celebrated a tight three-point win over Port Adelaide.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Mitch Hinge spotted in rival club rooms
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The 27-year-old is out of contract at the end of this year and — as he recovers from a nasty hamstring injury — he decided to head to Victoria rather than stay in Adelaide and watch his team take on the Saints (not long after the Hawks’ clash finished).
While his appearance in the rival club’s rooms raised eyebrows, 7SPORT expert Tom Morris hosed down the contract speculation and explained the real — and innocent — reason as to why he was there.
“Sam Mitchell had a Hinge date Saturday night?” veteran journalist Caroline Wilson cheekily asked Morris on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
Morris: “What we can say is that Mitch Hinge was in the Hawthorn rooms after the game on the weekend. You can see him there.
“Clearly he plays for a rival club. He’s out of contract at the end of the year… I know what your mind’s thinking. This is Oscar Allen 2.0 or Bailey Smith 2.0, go and get him … No.
“Mitch Hinge actually goes out with the sister of Will McCabe who was debuting in that game.”
Hinge and Amy McCabe have been romantically linked for some time, and have been Insta official for at least four years.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell sparked an AFL storm last year when his meeting with then West Coast captain Oscar Allen was made public by the media.
Days after that news broke, Allen fronted a press conference alongside West Coast football boss John Worsfold to say he was “remorseful” for his actions and also described feeling “ashamed” and “embarrassed”.
Also last year, Mitchell met with then Essendon captain Zach Merrett, with the contracted Merrett later requesting a move to the Hawks, only for that to fall through.
Head here to watch The Agenda Setters on 7plus Sport
While this sighting appears to be purely innocent, Wilson said: “I smell a rat hiding in plain sight.”
Morris said it was one to put into “the time capsule”.
“We’ll see what happens at the end,” Morris said.
