The 2023 AFLW season is upon us and if you're looking to sharpen up your knowledge of Hawthorn's players, you've come to the right place!
Here's everything you need to know about our 2023 squad.
#1 - Tegan Cunningham
Nickname: Teegs
Instagram handle: @tegancunningham1
Position: Utility
Draft History: Pick 22 (2017 - Melbourne), expansion signing (S7 - Hawthorn)
Senior Clubs: Hawthorn (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Bulleen Boomers (VIC)
Bio: Cunningham returns to Hawthorn for her second season after playing 32 games for Melbourne and winning the club’s goal-kicking award twice in her three seasons there. The 35-year-old only missed two games in 2022, averaging six disposals, two marks and two tackles while playing as a forward, defender and ruck. Cunningham has also had a distinguished WNBL career spanning across seven seasons, which included winning a championship with the Dandenong Rangers in 2012.
Honours:
- 2x Melbourne leading goalkicker (2018, 2019)
Three things you might not know about Tegan:
1. She has a toy poodle named Stanley.
2. She has a fear of medical needles.
3. She has a secret obsession with Batman.
#2 - Janet Baird
Nickname: JB
Instagram handle: @janet.baird
Position: Utility
Draft History: Pick 54 (Gold Coast - 2020), expansion signing (Hawthorn - S7)
Senior Clubs: NT Thunder (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Palmerston Magpies (NT)
Bio: Palmerston junior Janet Baird returns to the Hawks for her second season. She originally arrived at Hawthorn from Gold Coast, where she suited up on three occasions. The NT thunder product was also a member of the AFLW Academy and won the NTFL Best and Fairest in 2019.
Honours:
- NTFL Best and Fairest (2019)
Three things you might not know about JB:
1. She's got a small metal plate on the side of her head from an accident she had when she was nine years old.
2. She can speak fluent Yolngu Matha which is an Indigenous language from North East Arnhem land.
3. She grew up with six brothers and one sister and she's third in line.
#3 - Greta Bodey
Instagram handle: @gretabodey
Position: Forward
Draft History: Rookie signing (2019 - Brisbane), priority signing period recruit (2023 - Hawthorn)
Senior Clubs: University of Queensland (QAFLW)
Community Clubs: Cairns Saints (QLD)
Bio: Bodey comes across to the Hawks from the Brisbane Lions, where she won a premiership and led the team’s goalkicking in Season 7. In that same season, the skillful forward was selected in the All Australian squad. 2023 will mark Bodey’s fourth AFLW season after playing 42 games for the Lions since making her debut in 2020. The 27-year-old is set to bring an element of X factor to Hawthorn’s forward line.
Honours:
- AFLW premiership player (2021)
- AFLW All Australian team (S7, 2022)
- Brisbane leading goalkicker (S6, 2022)
Three things you might not know about Greta:
1. She was band captain back in school.
2. She's a physiotherapist.
3. She has a cattle dog called Ted.
#4 - Mattea Breed
Nickname: Tea
Instagram handle: @matteabreed
Position: Forward
Draft History: Pick 4, 2023 Supplementary Draft
Senior Clubs: Norwood (SANFLW), North Adelaide (SANFLW)
Community Clubs: Darwin Buffettes (NT)
Bio: Breed was drafted to Hawthorn with Pick 4 in the AFLW Season Eight supplementary draft. The utility arrives at the Hawks from North Adelaide in the SANFLW, where the 21-year-old averaged 14.3 disposals to go with six goals. As a Darwin Buffaloes junior, Breed won the NTFL under 18 competition’s Best and Fairest awards in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons as well as the league’s Women’s Rising Star honour in 2018/19.
Honours:
- NTFL U18 best and fairest (2016/17 & 2017/18)
- NTFL Women’s Rising Star (2018/19)
Three things you might not know about Tea:
1. Her name is pronounced as 'Matt-Ee-Ah' and means 'gift of God'.
2. She was born and raised in Darwin.
3. She's a huge country music fan and has a tattoo of a Luke Combs song on her chest.
#5 - Jasmine Fleming
Nickname: Flem
Instagram handle: @jas.fleming
Position: Midfielder
Draft History: Pick 2, 2022
Senior Clubs: Oakleigh Chargers (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: Ashburton Redbacks (VIC)
Bio: Fleming made an instant impact in her debut season at Hawthorn, winning the club’s Rising Star award whilst coming third in the league’s equivalent award. The 18-year-old also made the AFLPA 22under22 team, thanks to strong averages of 14.4 disposals, 4.3 tackles and 3.2 clearances. As a junior, she won a premiership with the Oakleigh Chargers, made the NAB League Girls Team of the Year and AFLW under 18 All Australian team whilst representing Vic Metro. Fleming has also represented Vic Metro in cricket, following in the footsteps of her father and former Australian paceman Damien. She also dabbled in netball, taking after her mother and former elite netballer Wendy O’Donnell.
Honours:
- Inaugural Hawthorn Rising Star award winner
- Third in AFLW Rising Star award (S7)
- Third in Hawthorn inaugural best and fairest
- Oakleigh Chargers premiership player (2021)
- Vic Metro representative in Aussie Rules and cricket
- NAB League Girls Team of the Year (2022)
- U18 All Australian (2022)
Three things you might not know about Flem:
1. She has an older brother called Brayden and a younger sister called Izzy.
2. She is currently studying exercise and sports science.
3. She played all of her junior footy for the Ashburton Redbacks.
#6 - Zoe Barbakos
Nickname: Barbs
Instagram handle: @zoe.barbakos
Position: Forward
Draft History: Expansion signing, S7
Senior Clubs: Sandringham Dragons (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: St Bedes-Mentone/ Beaumaris (VIC)
Bio: Barbakos, a Sandringham Dragons product, possesses electrifying speed and competitiveness. The 19-year-old forward booted eight goals from her NAB League Girls campaign, then followed it up with three majors for Vic Metro against Vic Country. She kicked two goals in her debut season for the Hawks.
Honours:
- Vic Metro representative
- National and state level tennis player
Three things you might not know about Zoe:
1. She is cross-dominant, which means she writes with her right hand and kicks with her left foot.
2. Her parents named her Zoe because it means life in Greek.
3. She has a toy poodle called Rufus.
#7 - Aileen Gilroy
Nickname: Gilly
Instagram handle: @gilroy7
Position: Utility
Draft History: Rookie signing (North Melbourne - 2019), Expansion signing (Hawthorn - S7)
Previous AFLW Clubs: North Melbourne (2020 - 2022)
Senior Clubs: County Mayo (IRE)
Community Clubs: St Bridget’s/ Adamstown (IRE)
Bio: Gilroy became Hawthorn’s first Irish AFLW signing after being recruited on the final day of the AFLW Expansion Signing Period. Since being recruited by North Melbourne as a rookie in 2019, Gilroy played 28 games for the club as a defender. She took her game to new heights in Season 6, finishing seventh in the Kangaroos’ best and fairest after averaging 12 disposals and playing every game. In Season 7, Gilroy played in a variety of positions for the Hawks, going on to finish second in the club’s best and fairest with averages of 12.3 disposals, 5.3 tackles and 3.5 inside 50s. Before taking up Australian Rules, the 30-year-old represented the Republic of Ireland in both Gaelic Football and Association Football, highlighting her expertise across multiple sports.
Honours:
- Second in inaugural Hawthorn AFLW best and fairest, S7
- Gold Standards award winner S7
- Seventh in North Melbourne’s S6 best and fairest
- Fifth in North Melbourne’s 2020 best and fairest
- Runner-up 2017 All Ireland
- All Star 2017
- U17 Soccer World Cup 2010
Three things you might not know about Gilly:
1. She has two older sisters and two younger brothers.
2. She played soccer for Ireland and at U17 level, she got to the World Cup and made the quarter-finals.
3. She was brought up on a farm and her Dad wouldn't let her drive a car until she could drive a tractor.
#8 - Tahlia Fellows
Nickname: Big Boy
Instagram handle: @tahlia_fellows
Position: Forward
Draft History: Expansion signing, S7
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Casey (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Narre Warren South/ Lyndhurst/ Cranbourne (VIC)
Bio: Fellows will be looking to build on her stellar debut season for the Hawks, where she kicked six goals from her eight appearances. The classy forward also averaged 5.8 disposals and 2.8 tackles. At the conclusion of Season 7, Fellows was awarded Hawthorn’s Most Improved Player. This followed on from her VFLW Debbie Lee Rising Star award win and Team of the Year selection during her time at Casey.
Honours:
- Debbie Lee Rising Star award, 2022
- VFLW Team of the Year, 2022
- Hawthorn’s Most Improved Player, S7
Three things you might not know about Big Boy:
1. She has a dog called Zoe.
2. She went to Bali on a solo trip this year.
3. She is learning to play the ukelele in her spare time.
#9 - Charlotte Baskaran
Nickname: Carol
Instagram handle: @charlottebaskarann
Position: Midfielder
Draft History: Pick 9, 2022
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Western Jets (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: Aberfeldie (VIC)
Bio: Baskaran played all 10 games for Hawthorn in her debut campaign, despite completing Year 12 studies. The 18-year-old averaged 10.5 disposals and 5.1 tackles, finishing seventh in Hawthorn’s inaugural best and fairest. Prior to being drafted by the Hawks, Baskaran captained the Western Jets to their first ever Grand Final win (male or female) while averaging 27.6 disposals, 6.6 tackles, 5.3 clearances and 4.2 inside 50s. She was also named captain of the NAB League Girls Team of the Year and was runner-up in the competition’s best and fairest award.
Honours:
- Western Jets premiership captain
- NAB League Girls Team of the Year
- Runner-up in NAB League Girls best and fairest
- Seventh in inaugural Hawthorn best and fairest
- EDFL Interleague representative
Three things you might not know about Carol:
1. She has a dog called Axel.
2. She has a massive shoe and sneaker collection.
3. Her pre-game ritual is that she gets her hair braided.
#10 - Kaitlyn Ashmore
Nickname: Kashy
Instagram handle: @kaitashmore
Position: Winger
Draft History: Priority signing (Brisbane - 2016), expansion signing (North Melbourne - 2019), expansion signing (Hawthorn - S7)
Previous AFLW Clubs: Brisbane (2017-2018), North Melbourne (2019-2022)
Senior Clubs: Melbourne University (VFLW)
Community Clubs: North Ballarat (VIC)
Bio: As a priority signing in 2016, Ashmore has flourished at AFLW level with 58 games under her belt across seven seasons with Brisbane, North Melbourne and Hawthorn. She is also no stranger to a winning culture, having become the first AFLW player to win 25 games. In her first season in the brown and gold, Ashmore finished fourth in the club’s best and fairest following averages of 12.2 disposals, 5.2 tackles and 2.8 marks.
Honours:
- North Melbourne leading goalkicker (2020)
- First AFLW player to win 25 games
- All Australian squad (2017)
- 50 AFLW games
- Fourth in Hawthorn’s inaugural AFLW best and fairest (S7)
- Vic Country representative
- Played in the first AFL-sanctioned AFL Women’s exhibition match
- Played in the first-ever televised AFL Women’s exhibition match
- All Australian at Australian University Games
Three things you might not know about Kashy:
1. She loves to draw.
2. She rides a motorbike.
3. She is a big Home and Away fan.
#11 - Jenna Richardson
Nickname: Richo
Instagram handle: @jennarichardsonnn
Position: Defender
Draft History: Expansion signing, S7
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Hawthorn (VFLW), Eastern Ranges (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: Donvale (VIC)
Bio: After being sidelined by injury for most of the season, Richardson made her debut for Hawthorn in Round 6, Season 7 and made an immediate impact in defence. She averaged 8.6 disposals and 2.8 tackles from her five appearances. Prior to playing AFLW with the Hawks, the 21-year-old was one of the club’s most consistent VFLW defenders. In just her second season in the brown and gold, the 20-year-old averaged 12.5 disposals, 3.9 marks and 2.7 tackles from 10 games, winning herself a spot in the Team of the Year.
Honours:
- VFLW Team of the Year 2022
Three things you might not know about Richo:
1. She has a cavoodle called Harvey.
2. She grew up playing basketball and tennis.
3. She loves water skiing.
#12 - Louise Stephenson
Nickname: Jules from Finance
Instagram handle: @louisestephenson
Position: Defender
Draft History: Priority Signing, 2016
Previous AFLW Clubs: GWS Giants (2017-2021)
Senior Clubs: Melbourne University (VFLW)
Community Clubs: St Damians (VIC)
Bio: Stephenson is an inaugural leadership group member of the Hawks and won the team’s first ever 2km time trial. Originally from Victoria, Stephenson played 33 games for the GWS Giants before adding another six games to her belt in her first season for Hawthorn. Outside of football, Stephenson is a firefighter based in NSW.
Honours:
- Hawthorn leadership group member (2022-current)
Three things you might not know about Lou:
1. She used to be a gymnast.
2. She is a firefighter based in NSW.
3. She initially wore the No. 12 because she was a huge Matthew Richardson fan growing up.
#13 - Aine McDonagh
Instagram handle: @ainemcdonagh
Position: Forward
Draft History: Rookie signing, S7
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: County Galway (IRE)
Community Clubs: Moycullen (IRE)
Bio: McDonagh came across to the Hawks from Ireland, where she represented Galway in gaelic football and the NUIG Mystics in basketball. In her first AFLW season, the 24-year-old played seven games and kicked four goals. She is the fourth Irish player currently at the club, joining Aileen Gilroy as well as Conor Nash and Fionn O’Hara in the men’s program.
Honours:
- Division One National Cup winner with NUIG Mystics
Three things you might not know about Aine:
1. She was born in New York.
2. She speaks Irish.
3. She is a big country music fan. Her favourite artist is Morgan Wallen.
#15 - Bridget Deed
Nickname: Bridge
Instagram handle: @bridgedeed
Position: Midfielder
Draft History: Expansion signing, S7
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Eastern Ranges (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: Seville (VIC), Mount Evelyn (VIC)
Bio: Deed made Hawthorn history as the club’s first AFLW signing. After averaging 32 disposals and six tackles per game for the Eastern Ranges, Deed spent some time with the Hawks’ VFLW team before making her AFLW debut in Round 1. She averaged seven disposals and three tackles in her first season.
Honours:
- Vic Metro representative
- Eastern Ranges captain
Three things you might not know about Bridge:
1. She has two Border Collies called Billy and Indy.
2. She lives in the Yarra Valley.
3. She is studying sports science and business at uni.
#16 - Ainslie Kemp
Nickname: Kempy
Instagram handle: @ainsliekemp
Position: Defender
Draft History: Pick 88 (2016) - Melbourne, expansion signing (2022) - Hawthorn
Previous AFLW Clubs: Melbourne (2017-2020)
Senior Clubs: Bendigo Thunder (VFLW), VU Western Spurs (VFLW), Hawthorn (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Kyneton (VIC)
Bio: Kemp first joined the AFLW in its inaugural season and went on to spend three years with Melbourne. After overcoming three ACL injuries and being delisted by Melbourne, the 26-year-old joined the Hawks’ VFLW side in 2021 as a runner under Bec Goddard. In 2022, she returned to play and made the leadership group before being recruited to Hawthorn’s AFLW team. She averaged seven disposals and took Hawthorn’s Mark of the Year in her first season in brown and gold.
Honours:
- Hawthorn Mark of the Year (S7)
Three things you might not know about Kempy:
1. She has a dog called Lexie who can only roll to her left and not to her right.
2. The first team she played for was the Trentham Football Netball Club.
3. Any day now, she is due to be an Aunty! Her sister Nadia is about to give birth to the first niece of the family.
#17 - Mackenzie Eardley
Nickname: Mack
Instagram handle: @mackenzieeardley
Position: Defender
Draft History: Pick 6, 2022
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Dandenong Stingrays (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: Beleura (VIC)
Bio: Eardley was drafted by the Hawks from the Dandenong Stingrays, where she averaged 14 disposals, four rebound 50s and three marks as co-captain. She also made the NAB League Girls Team of the Year and earned U18 All Australian honours while representing Vic Country. An athletic defender with a booming kick, the 19-year-old looked like a natural in her first AFLW season, averaging seven disposals.
Honours:
- Dandenong Stingrays co-captain (2022)
- NAB League Girls Team of the Year (2022)
- U18 All Australian (2022)
- Vic Country representative (2022)
Three things you might not know about Mack:
1. She's got a puppy called Jax.
2. She was a big netballer growing up.
3. She wears No. 17 because her Dad wore it on his back growing up.
#18 - Tilly Lucas-Rodd
Nickname: TLR
Instagram handle: @tillylr
Position: Midfielder
Draft History: Pick 99 (2016) - Carlton, expansion signing (2019) - St Kilda, expansion signing (2022) - Hawthorn
Previous AFLW Clubs: Carlton (2017-2020), St Kilda (2020-2022)
Senior Clubs: St Kilda Sharks (VFLW)
Community Clubs: East Malvern (VIC)
Bio: Lucas-Rodd’s first season at the Hawks was history-making. The 27-year-old was appointed as Hawthorn’s inaugural AFLW captain before going on to notch up their 50th game and then finally, taking out the Hawks’ inaugural best and fairest award. Lucas-Rodd averaged 14 disposals and laid an impressive 84 tackles for the season, ranking fifth in the competition for that statistical category. Prior to joining Hawthorn, Lucas-Rodd played 43 games for Carlton and St Kilda.
Honours:
- St Kilda co-vice-captain (2021)
- Inaugural Hawthorn AFLW captain (2022)
- Inaugural Hawthorn AFLW best and fairest (2022)
- First non-binary captain
- First non-binary Hawks player
- 50 AFLW games
Three things you might not know about TLR:
1. They have a brown chocolate labrador called Bonnie.
2. They're a Year 12 VCE English teacher.
3. They started playing footy when they were four years old at Auskick, meaning they have played footy for a total of 23 years.
#19 - Bridie Hipwell
Nickname: Brides
Instagram handle: @bridiehipwell
Position: Forward
Draft History: Pick 10, 2022 national draft
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Sandringham Dragons (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: East Sandringham (VIC)
Bio: Bridie Hipwell boasts athleticism, versatility and ball-winning ability in the forward line. The versatile teenager averaged 13 disposals, five inside 50s and three marks for the Sandringham Dragons, leading to her being selected in the NAB League Girls Team of the Year. She was then drafted to Hawthorn with Pick 10 in the 2022 national draft and made her debut in Round 3. The 19-year-old averaged five disposals and kicked two goals in her first campaign in brown and gold.
Honours:
- NAB League Girls Team of the Year (2022)
- Vic Metro representative (2022)
Three things you might not know about Bridie:
1. She used to play for the Sandringham Dragons.
2. She's got a lot of animals at her family farm, where she spends a lot of time at.
3. She is currently studying law.
#20 - Laura Elliott
Nickname: Billy
Instagram handle: @laura.elli0tt
Position: Defender
Draft History: Pick 26, 2022
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Western Jets (NAB League Girls)
Community Clubs: Point Cook Centrals (VIC), Werribee Centrals (VIC), Coburg (VIC)
Bio: Elliott was drafted by the Hawks with Pick 26 in the 2022 national draft. She made her debut in Round 3 as a late in and went on to play another five games, with averages of six disposals and three tackles. Prior to joining Hawthorn, the 18-year-old played in a premiership with the Western Jets and won spots in both the NAB League Girls Team of the Year and U18 All Australian team while representing Vic Metro.
Honours:
- Western Jets premiership player (2022)
- NAB League Girls Team of the Year (2022)
- U18 All Australian team (2022)
Three things you might not know about Laura:
1. Everyone around the club calls her Billy. It's a nickname that has stuck!
2. Before the World Cup, you couldn't pay her to go and watch a soccer game. Now, she's an avid fan.
3. She has a dog called Bobby.
#21 - Sophie Locke
Nickname: Soph
Instagram handle: @sophlocke_
Position: Forward
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Senior Clubs: Murray Bushrangers (NAB League Girls), Port Melbourne (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Euroa (VIC), Seymour (VIC), St Bedes-Mentone (VIC)
Bio: Locke was signed as Hawthorn’s third AFLW player after impressing for Port Melbourne in the VFLW. She also represented the Murray Bushrangers and Vic Country as a junior. The 21-year-old captivated hearts around the nation in her maiden AFLW campaign by making her debut and kicking the club’s first-ever AFLW goal in Round 1, just two weeks after losing her mother, Sarah, to a battle with cancer. Locke went on to play another seven games for the Hawks and averaged seven disposals and three marks while kicking two goals.
Honours:
- Kicked Hawthorn’s first-ever AFLW goal (S7)
Three things you might not know about Soph:
1. She wears the number 21 because it's her Mum's birthday.
2. She has visited Italy twice.
3. She grew up supporting Hawthorn and her favourite player of all time is Luke Hodge.
#22 - Tamara Luke
Nickname: The Big Show
Instagram handle: @tam_luke88
Position: Forward
Previous AFLW Clubs: St Kilda (2020-2021)
Draft History: Pick 33, 2019 (St Kilda) and expansion signing, S7 (Hawthorn)
Senior Clubs: Hawthorn (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Olinda Ferny Creek (VIC)
Bio: Luke joined Hawthorn ahead of its inaugural season after winning a premiership in 2018 and a best and fairest in 2021 while representing the Hawks’ VFLW side. She also captained the team for two seasons. Prior to this, the 35-year-old played six games for St Kilda across 2020 and 2021. Luke has been instrumental since signing with Hawthorn, having been appointed as an inaugural leadership group member and winning the team’s Best Club Person of the Year award. Unfortunately, Luke only suited up for two games in Season 7 due to rupturing her ACL in Round 2 against the Saints.
Honours:
- VFLW premiership (2018)
- VFLW best and fairest (2021)
- VFLW captain (2019 and 2022)
- Hawthorn AFLW leadership group member (S7-)
Three things you might not know about Tamara:
1. She grew up on a dairy farm near Wonthaggi.
2. She previously played high-level netball before taking on football.
3. She has a blue-staffy puppy called Gus.
#23 - Sarah Perkins
Nickname: Perko
Instagram handle: @perko29
Position: Forward
Previous AFLW Clubs: Adelaide (2017-2018), Melbourne (2020), Gold Coast (2021-2022)
Draft History: Free agent, 2016
Senior Clubs: Eastern Devils (VWFL), Hawthorn (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Eastern Devils (VIC)
Bio: Sarah Perkins returned to the club she supported since she was a child following stints with Adelaide, Melbourne and Gold Coast at AFLW level. She also reunited with her inaugural coach Bec Goddard in the process. Perkins made her Hawks debut in Round 1 and kicked a goal before going on to play a further three games.
Honours:
- AFLW premiership player with Adelaide (2017)
- Adelaide leading goalkicker (2017)
- VFLW premiership player with Hawthorn (2018)
Three things you might not know about Perko:
1. She has 32 tattoos on her body related to football, family and travel.
2. She grew up a Hawks fan and Sam Mitchell was her favourite player.
3. She grew up playing soccer.
#24 - Tamara Smith
Nickname: Smithy
Instagram handle: @_tamara_smith
Position: Midfielder
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Draft History: Expansion signing, S7
Senior Clubs: Murray Bushrangers (NAB League Girls), Richmond (VFLW), Geelong (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Euroa (VIC), Mooroopna (VIC)
Bio: After being overlooked in a series of drafts, Tamara Smith finally got her chance with the Hawks ahead of their inaugural season. The former Geelong VFLW midfielder played all 10 games for Hawthorn in the team’s maiden AFLW season and impressed in particular with her tackling, ranking fifth in the league with 8.3 per game. The 23-year-old also averaged 10 disposals and won Hawthorn’s Most Courageous Player award at the end of the year.
Three things you might not know about Smithy:
1. She has eight siblings - six brothers and one sister.
2. She is a bookworm! Last year alone, she read 120 books.
3. She comes from a small town called Strathbogie in north-east Victoria.
#25 - Emily Everist
Nickname: Sherpa
Instagram handle: @emily.everist
Position: Defender
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Draft History: Pick 25, 2022
Senior Clubs: Bendigo Pioneers (NAB League Girls), Essendon (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Golden Square (VIC)
Bio: Everist is a relative newcomer to the sport, having played soccer for most of her junior career. She was drafted to Hawthorn off the back of a solid 2022 NAB League Girls campaign for Bendigo, in which she averaged eight disposals, two marks and two rebound 50s. She then represented Vic Country and took her game to the next level with 10 disposals, three tackles and two marks across her U18 campaign. A big feature of Everist’s game is her endurance, ranking fourth in the AFLW combine time trial before placing in the top five of Hawthorn’s time trial in back-to-back years. She suited up for four games in her debut AFLW season.
Honours:
- Vic Country representative
Three things you might not know about Sherpa:
- She's a country girl from Bendigo. She moved to Melbourne five months ago.
- She loves all things motorsports.
- She has a dog called Bob.
#26 - Casey Dumont
Nickname: Case
Instagram handle: @caseydumont
Position: Utility
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Draft History: Other Sport Rookie, 2023
Senior Clubs: Melbourne Victory, Brisbane Roar, Western Sydney Wanderers, Sydney FC (A-League Women’s), Australia, Australia U20, Australia U17
Bio: Dumont was recruited by Hawthorn as an Other Sport Rookie. The 31-year-old is a capped Matildas goalkeeper and a three-time A-League Women’s championship player. She also won the 2022 A-League Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.
Honours:
- 26 caps for Australia (junior and senior level)
- Three-time A-League Women’s championship player
- Four-time A-League Women’s Premier’s Plate winner
- 2022 A-League Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year
- 2023 Melbourne Victory A-League Women’s Players’ Player
Three things you might not know about Casey:
1. She is the baby of the family and has an older brother and sister.
2. She has been to 28 countries.
3. She wears the No. 26 because she has represented Australia 26 times.
#31 - Lucy Wales
Nickname: Pendles
Instagram handle: @llucywales
Position: Ruck
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Draft History: Pick 22, 2022 AFL Women's Draft
Senior Clubs: Casey Demons (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Oakleigh (VIC)
Bio: Wales was drafted by Hawthorn with Pick 22 in the 2022 AFL Women's Draft. She made her debut in Round 1 against her twin sister, Stephanie, who plays for Essendon. Since then, the 20-year-old grew in leaps and bounds, playing every game for the season as the club's number one ruck, due to the reliable Tamara Luke going down with an ACL injury in Round 2. Prior to joining the Hawks, Wales worked her way up to play with the Casey Demons despite only playing a handful of local games as a junior before crossing over to basketball.
Honours:
- Finished fifth in Hawthorn's inaugural best and fairest
Three things you might not know about Lucy:
1. She gets called Pendles around the club because she has a basketball background.
2. She has a twin sister, Stephanie, who plays AFLW for Essendon.
3. She was nominated for the AFLW Rising Star award in Round 7 last year.
#34 - Akec Makur Chuot
Nickname: Kechi
Position: Winger
Previous AFLW Clubs: Fremantle (2017), Richmond (2020-2022)
Draft History: Pick 139, 2016 AFL Women's Draft
Senior Clubs: Swan Districts (WAFLW), Richmond (VFLW), Carlton (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Mount Lawley Hawks (WA)
Bio: Makur Chuot is no stranger to the AFLW system, having played 23 games with Fremantle and Richmond. She went on to perform at her most consistent level yet with Hawthorn, playing all 10 games in Season 7 in a new role on the wing. The South Sudanese star also won Hawthorn's Mark of the Year award at the club's best and fairest night, topping it off with a top 10 finish in the final count.
Honours:
- 8th place finish in Hawthorn's inaugural best and fairest
- Hawthorn Mark of the Year award winner
Three things you might not know about Akec:
1. She spent 11 years in a refugee camp in Kenya.
2. She wears the No. 34 to represent the amount of siblings she has.
3. In her spare time, she is a model.
#39 - Emily Bates
Nickname: Batesy
Position: Midfielder
Previous AFLW Clubs: Brisbane (2017-2022)
Draft History: Pick 2, 2016
Senior Clubs: Yeronga South Brisbane (QAFLW)
Community Clubs: Yeronga South Brisbane (QLD)
Bio: Bates joins the Hawks from the Brisbane Lions after playing 66 AFLW games. Across her 66 games, the premier midfielder has won her club’s best and fairest award four times and lifted the premiership cup in 2021. The 27-year-old also won the league best and fairest, the AFL Coaches Association AFLW Champion Player of the Year and AFL Players Association AFLW Most Valuable Player awards in Season 6, becoming the first AFLW player to win all three individual end-of-season awards.
Honours:
- Four-time Brisbane best and fairest winner (2017, 2020, 2022, S7)
- Premiership player (2021)
- League best and fairest (2022)
- AFLPA Player of the Year (2022)
- AFLCA Champion Player of the Year (2022)
- Three-time All Australian (2017, 2018, 2022)
- 50 AFLW games
- Brisbane vice-captain (2022)
- Brisbane leadership group member (2017, 2020, 2021, S7)
Three things you might not know about Batesy:
1. She has a beagle named Lenny, named after one of her all-time favourite players, Lenny Hayes. Batesy was a St Kilda supporter growing up but is now firmly in the brown and gold camp!
2. She was born in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria and moved to Queensland when she was about two years old.
3. She played cricket at a representative level when she was younger, representing Queensland. She was a wicketkeeper.
#41 - Kristy Stratton
Nickname: Stratts
Position: Midfielder/ forward
Previous AFLW Clubs: Collingwood (2018-2021)
Draft History: Pick 21, 2017 (Collingwood) Pick 18, AFLW Season Eight Supplementary Draft (Hawthorn)
Senior Clubs: Box Hill/ Hawthorn (VFLW)
Community Clubs: Scoresby (VIC)
Bio: Stratton was selected by the Hawks with Pick 18 in the AFLW Season Eight supplementary draft. Her journey in the brown and gold began in 2017 where her dominance with Box Hill led to her being the program’s first AFLW draftee, being picked up by Collingwood in 2017. The 28-year-old would go on to play 11 games for the Magpies across four seasons before being delisted in 2021. The 165cm forward/midfielder then made an immediate return to the brown and gold at VFLW level. In 2022, Stratton finished the season as Hawthorn’s leading VFLW goalkicker and came second in the club’s best and fairest count.
Honours:
- Hawks VFLW leading goalkicker (2022)
- Runner-up in Hawks VFLW best and fairest (2022)
Three things you might not know about Stratts:
1. She grew up as a Collingwood supporter and used to play for Collingwood in the AFLW.
2. She led Box Hill's goalkicking last season.
3. She has a Golden Retriever named Luna.
#42 - Catherine Brown
Nickname: Brownie
Previous AFLW Clubs: N/A
Draft History: Expansion signing, S7
Senior Clubs: Hawthorn (VFLW), Eastlake Demons (AFL Canberra)
Community Clubs: Woden Valley Soccer Club
Bio: Brown is a dual-sport athlete, having suited up for Canberra United in the A-League Women’s competition before turning her attention to Aussie Rules. In 2021, she made a name for herself under Bec Goddard in Hawthorn’s VFLW team as a running defender with a booming kick and the capability to win plenty of the footy. The Canberra native captained the Eastlake Demons in AFL Canberra’s First Grade Women’s competition before signing with the Hawks. She went on to play all 10 games for the Hawks in Season 7, ranking first in the competition for rebound 50s.
Honours:
- Eastlake Demons best and fairest (2020 and 2021)
- AFL Canberra Best First Year Player (2018)
- Multiple selections in the AFL Canberra Team of the Year
- W-League championship and premiership 2011-12 with Canberra United
- Young Matildas representative
Three things you might not know about Brownie:
1. She used to play for Canberra United in the A-League Women's competition (formerly W-League).
2. She is a Mum. Her daughter, Mason, is four years old.
3. She is a registered nurse who works in oncology. She is also a qualified paramedic.
