AFLW finals: Hawthorn’s revamped midfield holds key to Brisbane upset
Hawthorn’s meteoric rise to second place was built from a major overhaul in one part of the ground – go inside the transformation.
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Hawthorn made no secret of its plans to style itself on the reigning premiers after making a move for Brisbane assistant Daniel Webster at the end of 2023.
When the 10-1 Hawks host the Lions at Ikon Park in Sunday’s qualifying final, it will be clearer whether they are still chasing after their idols, or if they have managed to surpass them in just a few months.
If Hawthorn does find a way against the AFLW powerhouse, it will likely be through the revamped midfield unit which has dominated opponents all season to have the Hawks ranked No. 2 in the competition for clearances, and no. 1 for points from clearances and points from centre bounces.
The Hawks’ stoppage structures and personnel have evolved a long way since they were thumped 2-12 at centre bounces in their last meeting against Brisbane 12 months ago.
Hawthorn AFLW midfield coach Keegan Brooksby explains how the Hawks turned a vulnerable area into a significant strength under Daniel Webster.
BIGGER, STRONGER ‘SCRAPPERS’
Hawthorn leaders Emily Bates and Tilly Lucas-Rodd both have plenty of football left at 28 years old, but Brooksby said the Hawks had grown wary of how much the pair had been battered at stoppages in 2023.
They chased after Melbourne duo Eliza West and Casey Sherriff, and while the latter was sidelined for seven weeks with a broken leg, acquiring both allowed the Hawks to reset their midfield mix.
Lucas-Rodd was sent to halfback and has flourished as an outside player, while Bates’ contested possession rate dropped from 59 to 43 per cent during the home and away season as she was freed up to find more ball on the outside.
West described her and Bates as the “scrappers” of the Hawks’ on-ball brigade.
“Emily Bates had to bash and crash all the time over the course of a game and the course of a season, and that wears you out,” Brooksby said.
“Some of her best footy has been when she’s been able to do both, and we’ve been able to find that (balance) a lot better with some personnel changes.
“Having the stronger bodies in there has certainly taken a bit of pressure away from someone like Jas Fleming, who doesn’t need to necessarily be the one winning the ball each time.”
BREED’S CRUCIAL MOVE
Mattea Breed was used in key position roles all over the ground in her first season by coach Bec Goddard, but Brooksby said it was her stints as a back-up ruck which particularly caught his eye.
New coach Webster arrived and saw the 174cm prospect could fill a similar role to an important one in the midfield he had run at the Lions.
“Webs had a similar player in Cathy Svarc at Brisbane who was strong and had the same sort of power and athletic profile,” Brooksby said.
“We thought, ‘let’s train someone to do something similar’.
“I think she’s still just scratching the surface of what she could be, she’s only been in the competition for a very short period of time.
“We’re starting to see some really big growth in her game, and her physicality around the contest is just outstanding.”
THE IRISH WILDCARD
Aileen Gilroy has spent most of her time forward and shared the Hawks’ goalkicking honours with compatriot Aine McDonagh (14 goals), but her use in the midfield as a pinch-hitter has caught opposition sides flat-footed.
The Hawks are not sending their biggest attacking threat into the middle to conform to a structure – they are happy for Gilroy to generate chaos.
“When she comes to stoppages we tell her what to do, but you can’t control her too much – that’s kind of a good thing,” West said.
“It probably tests the opposition a little bit more as well,” Brooksby said.
“The more weapons we have going through there, and we could use Sherriff and (Greta) Bodey in there as well, it makes you harder to play against.
“Gilly going in there … sometimes you don’t really know what’s going to happen, but neither does the other team.”
FINALLY A DEFINITION FOR ‘HOKBALL’
There’s no doubt “Hokball” took the AFL season by storm this year, but the Hawthorn men were never able to convincingly articulate what it really meant.
Older players outright refused to acknowledge it was a real part of their game plan, but Tilly Lucas-Rodd said the AFLW side had sat down to work it out.
“Webby (coach Daniel Webster) used it earlier in the season – ‘unleash Hokball’ was the game messaging, but then the same week he said, ‘what actually is it?’,” Lucas-Rodd said.
“For us, we take it as really fast, flowing footy – a bit of fearlessness, bring your strengths and your flair as individual players, and don’t shy away from challenging opposition and taking the game on.”
If fearless football is truly the message to the players from Webster, it’s been a coaching masterstroke – because the Hawks have also been the most efficient side in the competition by foot, going at 57.1 per cent in the home and away season.
Originally published as AFLW finals: Hawthorn’s revamped midfield holds key to Brisbane upset
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