Mark Hutchings (born 25 May 1991) is an Australian rules footballer who last played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL) and currently plays for West Perth Football Club. From Perth, Western Australia, Hutchings captained his state at the 2009 National Under-18 Championships, and, having also played for in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), was selected by in the 2010 Rookie Draft. A midfielder, he was delisted after a season at the club without having made his senior debut, and transferred to upon his return to Western Australia. Establishing himself as a regular player for the team, Hutchings was one of the competition's best players during the 2012 season, playing state football, finishing second in the Sandover Medal, and winning West Perth's best and fairest award. He was drafted by West Coast at the 2012 National Draft, and made his senior AFL debut during the 2013 season, playing nine matches during his debut season, as well as playing in a premiership for West Perth.
Junior career
Hutchings graduated from Warwick Senior High School in Perth in 2008 and was part of the school's renowned Specialist Australian Rules Football Program. He played junior football for the Ballajura Junior Football Club and Coolbinia Junior Football Club's, and later represented Western Australia at the 2007 National Under-16 Championships. Zoned to the East Perth Football Club, where he played in the colts (under-18) and reserves divisions of the West Australian Football League (WAFL), Hutchings made his senior debut for East Perth in early August 2008, recording 21 disposals against in what The West Australian described as a "spectacular debut". He went on to play in each of the club's five remaining matches, and the following season played in the club's first seven matches, before being named in Western Australia's team for the 2009 National Under-18 Championships. With future player Mitch Duncan the only other East Perth player named in the state squad, Hutchings was named as captain of the team that went on to win the championships, and was best on ground in the game against the Northern Territory. Although he was not named in the under-18 All-Australian team, he was one of 75 (and 13 WA-based) players invited to the AFL draft camp, where he went on to finish equal third in the beep test, with a score of 14.12.
Senior career
Overlooked at the 2009 National Draft in November 2009, Hutchings was selected by the St Kilda Football Club with the 20th pick in the following month's Rookie Draft. However, he was de-listed by St Kilda at the end of the 2010 season, without playing a senior match for the club. He had spent most of the season playing for Sandringham Football Club, St Kilda's , playing twelve games and kicking three goals. Returning to Western Australia, Hutchings was recruited by the West Perth Football Club. He made his senior debut for the team in the second round of the 2011 season, and was outstanding early in the season—West Perth was undefeated in its first eight games, and Hutchings was the leader of The West Australian Footballer of the Year competition after nine rounds. He went on to be named in Western Australia's initial 31-man squad for the 2011 state game against Queensland, but did not make the final team after suffering a hamstring injury against Peel. Hutchings finished the season with 21 games for West Perth, and polled 21 votes to finish fourteenth in the Sandover Medal.