Crows star Anne Hatchard became reigning club champion playing on one foot. How far can she go now that she’s fully fit?

She became club champion playing on one foot. How far can Hatchy go now that she’s fully fit? We spoke to the Crows star ahead of tonight’s season opener, her 50-game milestone.

As Adelaide’s reigning club champion Anne Hatchard prepares to play her 50th AFLW game in Friday night’s Round 1 grand final rematch against Melbourne, she does so knowing that her happiness away from the field has been instrumental to her success on it.

Now in her seventh AFLW season, Hatchard – who will become only the fourth Crow to reach the 50-game milestone – revealed finding things she enjoyed outside of football has been crucial to her league-beating form.

“There have been times in my career where I was focusing too much on football that I’d go home and I’d be stressing about football instead of going home and just relaxing and being in the moment, I’d just dwell on things,” she said.

“If I had a bad game, that’s all I’d think about for the whole week, and it just ruined my mood and the people who are closest to me, I’d bring them down as well.

Anne Hatchard on her way to 26 touches, 600m gained and the best on ground medal in the 2022 Season Six grand final against Melbourne. Picture: Getty Images

“Now, I’m learning to disconnect from football … surround yourself with people you love and who are there to support you.

“If you can nail the off-field stuff it will really show on the field.”

Off-field, it’s been a big 2022 for the 24-year-old everyone calls “Hatchy”.

Not only has she bought her first house, started a coffee van business and added “fur baby” dachshund Toby to her family, but back in July she got engaged to her partner of 18 months, Georgie.

On-field that’s translated: in season six earlier this year, Hatchard played all 12 Crows games, averaging 24.3 touches a game, and also posting career-high averages with 6.8 marks, 1.7 rebound-50s and 4.2 inside-50s per game; earning her third All-Australian honour as well as finishing third in the AFLW league best and fairest count, going on to be voted best on ground in Adelaide’s third premiership triumph and duly crowned Crows’ club champion for a second time.

Anne Hatchard prepares to play her 50th AFLW game, at the Crows’ West Lakes Headquarters. Picture: Matt Loxton

With her partner, Georgie Wirth, at the 2022 AFLW W Awards at Adelaide Oval on April 05, 2022 in Adelaide, Australia. Picture: Getty Images

Remarkably, she did it all with a plantar fasciitis injury in her left foot, rendering her so sore that from Round 3 on, she’d require a local anaesthetic in her heel before each game.

“Most of last season I was off legs, not training,” she recalled.

“I wouldn’t be able to feel part of my foot for most of a game, which was great because it would take the pain away.

“Then post-game I’d feel it and the next few days after would be quite sore and then I had some issues with blisters as well from getting the locals … but we won the premiership so I look back and I don’t even really remember about my foot being sore because it doesn’t matter.”

With her foot now healed without surgery, in Round 1 Hatchard will be one of 12 AFLW players reaching their 50-game milestone, including former Crows teammate Justine Mules who joined expansion club Port Adelaide in the off-season.

Port Adelaide also came hard for Hatchard – as have other clubs over the years – keen to get her toughness and presence around the ball at Alberton.

Hatchard with fellow triple premiership winner, Sarah Allan. Picture: Getty Images

But for Hatchard, she only wanted to play for the Crows.

“We’ve got such a good culture and group here that I just didn’t want to leave that,” she said.

The 175cm midfielder is one of five Crows who have played for the club since the inception of the AFLW in 2017, alongside captain Chelsea Randall, fellow midfield gun Ebony Marinoff, defender Sarah Allan and forward Stevie-Lee Thompson.

Hatchard, however, stands out in that group as the one most transformed since Adelaide played its first AFLW game on February 4, 2017 against Greater Western Sydney at Thebarton Oval.

Back then she’d crossed over from basketball and lacked professionalism in terms of preparation, diet and training.

Drafted by Adelaide in 2016 at pick 87, she played in the back lines, falling out of favour by 2018, which saw her miss games and finish the season coming off the bench.

Then, in the 2019 pre-season, something clicked: she lost 10kg, got fit and perfected her skills. She was All-Australian by the end of that year.

“So much has changed since game one, back then I was an 18-year-old in awe of even being at the Crows, who was lucky to get one or two kicks in a game,” she said.

“Over the 50 games, I think one of the biggest things I’ve learnt is that I’m capable of a lot more than I think I am; it’s just about putting the work and the effort in.”