Hawthorn has been the thrilling upstart of the 2024 AFLW season. Surging up the ladder, enjoying a enjoyable model of footy underneath a brand new coach, and the clear menace to established trio Brisbane, North Melbourne, and Adelaide.
Below the watchful eye of Daniel Webster, Hawthorn’s enjoying listing has been reinvigorated. The model of play that he has engaged has drawn the very best out of his gamers, as they play with a clearer, extra dependable technique.
Most evident has been an elevated potential to attain, with the facet’s 58.4 factors per recreation second within the league for common factors for after eight video games.
The Hawthorn Model
The Hawks lead the AFLW in factors scored from the entrance half, kick ins and intercepts. (Getty Photographs: AFL Photographs/Dylan Burns)
Onerous-running, excessive scoring, and troublesome to defend. These are the three key issues that Hawthorn’s newly established model could be boiled right down to.
This has been made doable by rising health ranges, cautious positional modifications, and a few added expertise.
There’s a clear want to stay robust on the contest, however extra importantly, effectively exit congestion and get the ball into the fingers of its elite exterior runners.
At stoppage the midfield engages fast handballs across the contest to discover a neat launch choice, from which the facet’s clear disposals and want for uncontested possession permits it to maneuver with pace into assault.
One other essential facet of the model has been fast transition from defending the opposition’s possession, to intercepting and producing assault on the rebound.
The numbers additionally again up such a shift, with the Hawks main the competitors for factors scored from the entrance half, factors scored from kick ins, and factors scored from intercepts.
Effectivity is vital
Mattea Breed has been essential within the Hawks’ new-found midfield effectivity. (Getty Photographs: Quinn Rooney)
Traditionally, the Hawks have been the poorest ball customers within the AFLW since becoming a member of the league in 2022 (S7), going at 53.9 per cent of their debut season, and 57.3 per cent final 12 months.
That has all modified in 2024, with Hawthorn utilizing the ball at 63.3 per cent effectivity – the third-best throughout the competitors. An elevated functionality to keep up possession and reliably obtain chains of possession down the bottom is a crucial a part of that intercept-to-scoring technique.
Trusting within the technique, but in addition that teammates have the ability and composure to hit these targets, has been a monumental change for the Hawks this 12 months.
The flexibility to get the ball ahead has been a transparent beneficiary of this improved ball use, as has their rising photographs on purpose as soon as contained in the attacking 50 arc.
Importantly, it hasn’t been off the again of only one or two gamers’ enhancing ball use. Actually, 12 present Hawks have enhanced their disposal effectivity by 4 or extra per cent since final season, with defender Jenna Richardson and ahead Aileen Gilroy the largest improvers, gaining 13.9 per cent and 13.1 per cent respectively.
The stability between contested and uncontested possession has additionally tipped towards the latter for the primary time within the membership’s historical past. This season, 52.4 per cent of Hawthorn’s possession has been uncontested, additional contributing to that improved technique with ball in hand.
Emily Bates’ private numbers have shifted to mirror the broader workforce’s evolution, with the 2022 (S6) AFLW greatest and fairest winner averaging extra uncontested possessions than she ever has, regardless of a marginal drop in her total disposal numbers.
This may be partially attributed to the addition of Melbourne premiership participant Eliza West on the contest, together with her in-and-under energy dependable sufficient to launch Bates to extra of an out of doors position, permitting the Hawks to learn from her silky expertise.
Getting the very best out of the listing
Melbourne premiership participant Casey Sherriff has been a helpful acquisition for the Hawks. (Getty Photographs: Quinn Rooney)
Including West, alongside her fellow premiership participant Casey Sherriff was a coup for the membership within the off season, as was the recruitment of Laura Stone, Jess Vukic, Hayley McLaughlin, Mikayla Williamson, and Sophie Butterworth has all contributed to the Hawks’ enchancment.
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However crucially, the inner enchancment throughout the prevailing listing has been the sport changer, and a few positional modifications have seen Webster draw extra out of the enjoying group.
Ahead Greta Bodey has spent a while up on the wing, utilizing her pace and intelligence to help the midfield group. Mattea Breed has made a house within the thick of the midfield, providing a robust, larger physique on the contest.
Ainslie Kemp has been swung right into a key defensive position and performed each recreation, whereas former key again Mackenzie Eardley is now a tall ahead choice. And, arguably crucial of all strikes, former captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd has turn out to be an elite half again choice, dictating play from behind the ball.
Whereas nobody factor has propelled Hawthorn towards a possible high 4 berth, the mix of many has created an ideal storm for the membership.
And now, with its first finals collection within the close to future, the Hawks are enjoying a method of footy that may trigger some harm deep into November.
