Hawthorn's AFLW pre-season commences today!
Despite not officially training, the Hawks have had a big pre-pre-season.
Catch up on some of the key events below.
Premiership duo join Hawks
Hawthorn began the AFLW Priority Signing Period with a bang, securing the signatures of All Australian duo Emily Bates and Greta Bodey.
Bates is a three-time club best and fairest and Season 6 league best and fairest winner while Bodey finished that same season as the club's leading goalkicker.
Both players have recently relocated to Melbourne and are looking good on the track so far.
Hawthorn selects Breed and Stratton in draft
The Hawks picked Mattea Breed and Kristy Stratton in the AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft.
Breed's name was called out first at Pick 4 while Stratton was selected at Pick 18.
A Darwin Buffaloes junior, Breed won two NTFL U18 best and fairests before dominating in the SANFLW with Norwood and North Adelaide.
Stratton comes across to the Hawks from Box Hill, where she won the team's goalkicking and came second in their best and fairest count last season.
She has also spent time with Collingwood's AFLW program, playing 11 games over three years.
Star goalkeeper signs as rookie
Hawthorn rounded out its AFLW list with superstar Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Casey Dumont.
Dumont signed with the Hawks as an Other Sport Rookie following a dominant A-League Women's season.
She previously won the 2022 A-League Women's Goalkeeper of the Year award and has represented Australia 26 times at both junior and senior levels.
Two engagements!
Tegan Cunningham and her partner Brit as well as Catherine Brown and her partner Dani got engaged over the AFLW off-season.
Congratulations to both happy couples!
Huge congrats to Tegan Cunningham and her partner Brit who got engaged over the weekend! 😍💍 pic.twitter.com/zNqB12XIYO
— Hawthorn FC AFLW (@hawthornaflw) April 17, 2023
Tilly Lucas-Rodd's big news
Hawthorn Captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd is now non-binary.
Watch their announcement here.
New guernsey numbers
There are six new guernsey numbers for the Hawks in Season 8.
Greta Bodey will wear the number three, Mattea Breed will don the number four, Casey Dumont will be in the number 26, Emily Bates has chosen number 39 and Kristy Stratton will be in the number 41.
Meanwhile, Season 7 star Charlotte Baskaran has switched from number 14 to number 9.
To find out why each player selected their number, click here.
VFLW appearances
Thirteen players have laced up the boots in the VFLW, led by AFLW assistant coach Cherie O'Neill.
Janet Baird, Zoe Barbakos, Charlotte Baskaran, Louise Stephenson, Aine McDonagh, Bridie Hipwell, Laura Elliott, Sophie Locke, Sarah Perkins, Tamara Smith, Emily Everist, Kristy Stratton and Catherine Brown have all played at least one game for the Hawks, adding to their Season 8 preparation.
.@sarahperkins28 FROM THE CENTRE SQUARE! 🤯
— Box Hill Hawks VFLW (@boxhillvflw) April 9, 2023
Stream our game on https://t.co/xcUNabPuq1, the AFL Live Official App and the VFL App 😎 pic.twitter.com/Jvfdw4dThq