Hawthorn has named four new faces among a strong Round 1 team for Saturday night's battle with Essendon at Kinetic Stadium, Frankston.
As announced earlier, Mattea Breed will make her AFLW debut while Emily Bates, Greta Bodey and Kristy Stratton will play for the Hawks for the first time under Saturday night lights.
Breed has been rewarded with a maiden game in brown and gold off the back of impressive showings as a forward in Hawthorn's pre-season matches against the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne.
Stratton's debut with the Hawks represents a second chance at AFLW level. The 28-year-old arrived at the club via the AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft and has hit the track running ever since.
It's no surprise to see premiership duo Bates and Bodey rewarded with Hawks call-ups, demonstrating excellence from the moment they were recruited to the club.
In other news, leadership group member Tamara Luke has been named for the first time since Round 2 last season, after her debut brown and gold campaign was cut short due to injury.
Young guns Bridie Hipwell and Jasmine Fleming have also been named while captain Tilly Lucas-Rodd will be aiming to back up their best and fairest form in 2023.
Hawthorn General Manager of Football Operations Max Bailey said the quartet of brown and gold debutants, along with the naming of a strong team, would make for an exciting evening.
“First games are always special, especially when four unique players get to pull on the brown and gold together for the first time in a blockbuster game,” Bailey said.
“Mattea, Emily, Greta and Kristy have all been striving for this moment since arriving at the club, working hard at their own games at the same time and making us better as a team.
“Each player thoroughly deserves this opportunity and we wish them all the best as they take the field against Essendon on Saturday night.”
ROUND 1 TEAM
Hawthorn v Essendon
Saturday 2 September
Kinetic Stadium, 7.15pm
B: Jenna Richardson, Catherine Brown
HB: Akec Makur Chuot, Aine McDonagh, Mackenzie Eardley
C: Kaitlyn Ashmore, Louise Stephenson, Aileen Gilroy
HF: Bridie Hipwell, Sarah Perkins, Jasmine Fleming
F: Mattea Breed, Sophie Locke
R: Tamara Luke, Tilly Lucas-Rodd, Kristy Stratton
INT: Emily Bates, Greta Bodey, Tahlia Fellows, Tamara Smith, Charlotte Baskaran
EMG: Tegan Cunningham, Emily Everist, Bridget Deed
New: Emily Bates (Brisbane), Greta Bodey (Brisbane), Kristy Stratton (formerly Collingwood), Mattea Breed
