With the upcoming AFLW season just weeks away, we caught up with Hawthorn assistant coaches David Mackay (midfield), Ben Cavarra (backline) and Lou Wotton (forwards) to speak about how each line group is going and who’s stood out on the track.
David Mackay - Midfield Coach
How are the mids going?
“The mids are travelling really well. We’ve had a solid pre-season block. The thing I’ve been really pleased about is that they’ve all made improvements in certain areas of their game. We had a really heavy focus on defence and then into our ball movement and now we’re starting to ramp things up with our contest and refining a few of our structures. The progression’s been really good, I’m really happy with it.”
We know everyone has had a solid pre-season but is there anyone you wanted to give a shout-out to?
Emily Bates
“Having Emily Bates come in has really lifted the standards of the group and the expectations on each other. She’s brought others along with her with her pure work rate and training capacity.”
Tilly Lucas-Rodd
“Tilly’s really built well over the pre-season. I’m excited to see what they can do this year.”
Kristy Stratton
“Kristy Stratton coming in has really given us something different. It’s been great to see her progression over pre-season.”
Any other comments?
“The continual improvement of (Jasmine) Fleming, (Charlotte) Baskaran and (Tamara) Smith has been great. (Kaitlyn) Ashmore and (Akec) Makur Chuot have really put in solid blocks as well.”
Ben Cavarra - Backline Coach
How are the backs going?
“We’ve been working really hard on our team defence. The players have really brought into the team defence and playing the system, which is pleasing to see.”
We know everyone has had a solid pre-season but is there anyone you wanted to give a shout-out to?
Jenna Richardson
“I’ve been really enjoying the work of Jenna Richardson this pre-season. I feel like she’s really taken her game to the next level. She’s been working really hard on the track. I think most people will be excited to see what she can do this year. The way she plays in the system, she understands it really well.”
Catherine Brown
“Brownie’s leadership has been crucial, particularly for the younger players in the team. She’s set the standards really high and I think everyone’s starting to look up to her as a leader of the team.”
Lou Wotton - Forwards Coach
How are the forwards going?
“I think they’re going well. It’s nice to have the first season under our belt so we know how we want to play. This pre-season has been about revising that and refining it.”
We know everyone has had a solid pre-season but is there anyone you wanted to give a shout-out to?
Bridie Hipwell
“Bridie Hipwell’s confidence has really increased. Because she had the pressures of Year 12 in her first season of AFLW, I think she ‘s probably feeling more confident in this environment and she’s thriving in this pre-season. She did a lot of work in the off-season which is really showing.”
Tamara Luke
“I’m excited to see Tam Luke back on the track. Hopefully she’ll have a big stint in the forward line. She’s a huge target and leads up really strong so I’m really excited to have her back into full training.”
Greta Bodey
“It’s been exciting to see what Greta has brought in the pre-season and what she’s brought to our forward structure.”
It’s an exciting few weeks ahead for the Hawks, as they prepare to face Melbourne in their first official practice match at Casey Fiels on Saturday at 2.05pm.
Entry to the game is free and fans can also tune in to a live stream on hawthornfc.com.au.
After that, the Hawks turn their attention to Round 1 where they’ll host Essendon at Kinetic Stadium under Saturday night lights on Saturday 2 September.
Tickets for the game are still available here, while memberships are the best way to secure your spot for the upcoming season. Sign up below.
