15/06/2026
Fresh off his 150th first XI game, this week’s Meet the Member Monday features Hayden Mitchell!
Hayden first got into hockey after watching the 2006 Commonwealth Games. His auntie played (and still plays) at Essendon, which inspired him to give the sport a go. He started playing in Year 8 at school on a grass field and, by the following year, was playing First XI hockey at Haileybury and club hockey at Casey.
Hayden moved to Mentone in 2013 after winning the State League 3 premiership with Casey. He was brought across by schoolmate Ryuun Fujihara, alongside Tony, CC and Lum after playing summer hockey together. That same year, Hayden made his Premier League debut. Now, after overcoming injury and a few years playing Open Masters and Thirds, he’s back at the top level again!
Over the years, Hayden has played alongside and been coached by some of the best at the club. His longest-serving teammates include Yam, Tak and Todd, while he also won premierships alongside Liam Alards and Brian Young dating back to his Casey days. His coaching influences include Todd Faulds, Henry Willis, Luke Michael, Court Mann, Josh Burt, Tak, Yam, Hayden and Waseem.
Hayden’s biggest hockey achievements definitely include the following premierships
Premierships as a Player - Metro (2011), State League 3 (2012) and Vic League 1 (2016)
Premierships as a Coach - U16 Premiership (2016) and U15 Pennant East Indoor Premiership (2016)
Looking ahead, Hayden’s main goal over the next five years is simple: to play hockey on the same days as his wife, Elly, and spend more time watching her games. Beyond that, he’s taking things one season at a time, staying fit, and continuing to contribute at Premier League level.
We’re excited to have Hayden back out on the field and can’t wait to see what comes next. Who will be next week’s Meet the Member Monday?
