Albanese criticised after selfie with Hawthorn coach during elimination final

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese faced criticism on social media after a short video emerged of him taking a selfie with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell ahead of the Hawks' elimination final win over Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.

The Hawthorn Football Club posted the clip of Albanese posing with Mitchell and taking a photograph in the rooms before the do-or-die match. The club added a light-hearted caption, writing, "The most powerful man in Australia ... and Albo." In the footage, Mitchell appears bemused as Albanese leaves the room immediately after the photo without a handshake.

The brief interaction drew a wave of critical comment on social platforms, with some fans questioning the move and others linking it to broader frustrations. "No hand shake though just left," one user wrote, while another said the prime minister "should be banned from the rooms." Several posts argued politics and sport should remain separate, and some comments referenced the wider cost-of-living debate. News outlets covering the episode noted that the most extreme remarks were not republished.

Earlier in the day Albanese had been jeered by some spectators as he made his way to a seat at the game, a reaction visible on broadcast footage. The boos circulated online alongside the club's victory, which advanced Hawthorn to a knockout against the Adelaide Crows.

Hawthorn defeated GWS to move on to the next elimination match in Adelaide. The club will travel to Adelaide Oval, where Hawthorn have lost six of their last seven matches. Their 2024 season ended at the ground with a three-point defeat to Port Adelaide, and the side was beaten there again as recently as round 21 this year.

Hawthorn players sought to keep focus on preparations for the next game. Newcombe said he enjoyed playing at Adelaide Oval and described the venue as "a pretty cool venue with the old scoreboard and it's always full of passionate fans when you go over to Adelaide." Teammate Mabior Chol said the mood within the club was different to last year. "As a football club, last year was probably more just trying to get there," Chol said. "But now as a group, we believe that we belong out there now on the big stage. For us, now it's more about how we can prepare well for games and get the result we want. We are definitely ready to go one step closer this year."

The episode adds to a recent string of public appearances by Albanese at sporting events that have attracted attention. He is a long-declared Hawthorn supporter and has attended matches in the past. The club's social post and the broadcasted crowd reaction together prompted debate about the role of politicians in visible sporting moments and the boundaries between public life and fan engagement.

Hawthorn will meet Adelaide in the next elimination final in Adelaide, with the winner advancing further into the finals series.