By Simone Wearne
Forgive me for getting ahead of myself, but with the Hawks AFLW team sitting pretty at the top of the ladder after the first two rounds, I’m pretty excited! It’s not just because I’m a Hawthorn supporter, though the wins have been personally enjoyable, it’s more than that. The Hok ball Hawks are the talk of the town in the AFL. They tore apart the Western Bulldogs last Friday night to book a place in the semi-final against Port Adelaide, and it was brilliant football. Sam Mitchell’s secret sauce, the dash, the dare and the willingness to take risks is paying off in spades, and the footy world is loving it.
However, the trend isn’t just happening on one side of the fence at Hawthorn. It seems that Hok ball runs much deeper. It’s running well and truly through the game plan of new coach Daniel Webster and his 2024 playing group. The W Hawks are soaring, and it might seem too early to talk about it, but we’re bucking the trend. Let's look a little closer with an eye on revisiting this article (and the numbers) again at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
Aileen Gilroy celebrates with teammates Hok ball style after a brilliant Round 2 goal versus Collingwood. Photo courtesy Hawthorn FC AFLW.
Whilst dominating wins against luckless Collingwood and an average looking Carlton outfit in round one and two might not seem much to go on, Webster’s Hawks have already shown early signs to suggest a complete change in style of play. Even without their headlining Captain Emily Bates who was a late withdrawal on the weekend with calf soreness, the Hawks dismantled the Pies, victors by 47 points.
The Hawks defeat Collingwood by a huge margin in Round 2 of the 2024 AFLW season. Graphic courtesy Hawthorn FC AFLW.
And it’s no surprise, they’re utilizing some new recruits, and reinvigorating existing players to make the system work. Last weekend they took the sword to Collingwood, dominating in most statistical categories, leading every disposal category including total disposals and efficiency.
The W Hawks led all key disposal categories at full time after Round 2. Stats and graphic courtesy AFLW.com.au
So how about their season start in comparison to others? Yep, I know what you're thinking. This is only season 3 for the Hawks, so there should be improvement. We'll take that into consideration, but THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE! Last Friday night the Bulldogs (OG's of the AFLW who were part of season 1 back in 2017) did not record a single goal. So, hear me out.
In season 8 (2023), the Hawks managed a total of 307 points (10 games). In their first two games alone they’ve already scored 139. Given season 9 is the first time the Hawks have played either the Blues or Pies, comparisons to previous hit outs against both opponents are not possible. But a comparison of numbers is.
The Hok Ball Hawks of 2024 have scored almost half of their season 8 total points in the first two rounds of season 9. Stats courtesy AFLWstats.com
So far the Hawks have amassed 20 goals and 19 behinds compared to a total score of 42 goals and 55 behinds last season. What's better is that their increase in scoring across the first two games of each of their three seasons in the league shows great improvement.
The W Hawks keep improving with more than a 100 point increase in total score across their first two games in comparison to their first season in the league (season 7). Stats courtesy AFLWstats.com
So why? What is Daniel Webster doing differently to outgoing Coach Bec Goddard who left her position at the end of the 2023 season? Webster of course arrived at the club from the Brisbane Lions, a perennial powerhouse in women's footy and the reigning AFLW Premiers. Webster bought with him a great inside knowledge into what makes the best clubs, and playing groups tick.
The Lions have been filled with talent for a number of years now, a consistent brigade of talent that has shared the load. Even with the loss of Premiership player and 2022 AFLW Best Player Emily Bates, the Lions are up the top of the ladder battling for Premierships year in and year out. Their consistency has been key. If you take out star midfielder Ally Anderson who dominates statistically in a number of categories (season to season, and all-time), the Lions offer a sea of players who just get the job done.
Tackles and a commitment to pressure, notably inside forward 50 have been a staple in Brisbane, and it's proving to be the same for the Hok ball Hawks.
After the first two games of the season, the Hawks have dominated the total tackle count and have held their opposition to far lower inside 50 counts. Stats courtesy AFLWstats.com
So far the W Hawks have been able to hold their opponents to just 47 inside 50's, restricting their ability to score. Even the bottom of the table Bulldogs have entered inside 50 more than 50 times for their one goal return.
The Hawks are pushing the boundaries with their overall pressure too, out tackling their two opponents so far by a total of 23. Their 74 tackles versus Collingwood in round 2 was bettered only by GWS with 78 and Port Adelaide with 83.
The newly added players for Hawthorn have certainly provided their spark to a pressure hungry Hawks outfit. Seven players were welcomed into the fold during the 2023 trade period including Casey Sherriff and Eliza West from Melbourne.
Not only are they playing various roles to help influence game style and outcome, they are allowing existing players to do even more. For instance, outgoing Captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd has been able to dominate possession down back, showcasing her elite ball use and earning herself round 2 AFLW team of the week honours. And although Emily Bates was important in round one, she wasn't in the top 5 for disposals in that game which was a rarity last season.
Hawthorn's AFLW recruits during the 2023 trade period - Eliza West, Casey Sherriff, Laura Stone, Hayley McLaughlin, Jess Vukic, Mikayla Williamson and Sophie Butterworth. Photo courtesy Hawthorn FC AFLW.
The two recruits from Melbourne have had a huge impact early, both adding depth to the midfield and putting up the numbers to prove it. Eliza West was already known as a key ball winner at the Demons, but she is solidifying that position and driving high benchmarks with a new and improved group at Hawthorn. It's a small sample size, but her initial numbers in the brown and gold suggest there are big things to come across the course of season 9.
Eliza West is proving she can be a big contributor and help the W Hawks push for their first finals berth in season 9. Stats courtesy AFLWstats.com
As we look towards round 3, the biggest test of the W Hok ball side awaits. A meeting in Adelaide to take on giants of the AFLW the Adelaide Crows. With the Hawks on top and the Crows in third position, this is set up as a great contest. However, the Hawks have never faced the Adelaide powerhouse, and with 8 seasons and 3 Premierships to their name (the most of any AFLW team in the league's short history), this game will be one to watch.
What can the W version of the Hok ball Hawks produce this week, and more to the point, will the numbers we have looked at after just two rounds continue into the season? Only time will tell, but we can't wait to come back to this at seasons end.
Can the W version of the Hok ball Hawks rise up the ladder in the same style at their male counterparts in 2024? Or is there quick start not enough to go on? Time will tell. Photo courtesy AFL.com
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