Mattea Breed has been one of the breakout stars in an exciting and emerging Hawthorn AFLW outfit.

Breed captivated the footy world with a spectacular mark in Cairns last week and her ferocity at the coalface and hunger for the footy has been a trademark of her game this season.

It was only fitting that one of the game's up and coming stars was shining bright in Indigenous Round - Breed is a proud Tiwi woman, born and raised in Darwin.

"I have Tiwi heritage through my nanna who was part of the Stolen Generation. I grew up and was born and raised in Darwin, but my family is from the Tiwi Islands," Breed told AFL.com.au at the AFLW Indigenous Round launch.

"My mum was in the police force for 25 years and did a lot of remote community stuff which was a really cool opportunity for her. She took a job on the Tiwi Islands in 2011, so I was lucky enough to be able to do a week on, week off with her.

"I got to spend a fair bit of time over there which I think was really important because my nanna was a part of the Stolen Generation so there was a lot of cut-off and not a lot of opportunity to learn organically.

"My mother made the move over there and the effort to learn as much as she could to be able to pass that down which I think is really special. That's something I appreciate a lot."

Breed is proud to be a part of Indigenous Round and explained it's importance in the broader community.

"It's really special, it's a great opportunity to be able to share my culture and also learn about other cultures as well. I think that a lot of Indigenous heritage and tradition has been passed on through oral history so to be able to share stories and hear about them is really cool," she said.

Take a quick look at Breed's Instagram account and you'll find plenty of photos of family members decked out in Hawthorn gear, but Breed says they're not big Hawthorn fans, just massive Mattea fans.

"They wouldn't class themselves as Hawthorn supporters, they'd class themselves as Mattea supporters! They love that I'm playing at this level and getting around the team as well," she said.

Breed has had a breakout 2024 season under new coach Daniel Webster, averaging 13.4 disposals, six tackles and 4.4 clearances a game, flourishing in an inside midfield role.

Alongside the likes of Emily Bates, Eliza West and Jasmine Fleming, Hawthorn's on-ball brigade has become the envy of rival clubs.

Breed said multiple things have contributed to her career-best season.

"I think there's been a few contributing factors. Last year I was sort of moved around a fair bit and I didn't really have a solid spot in the team. Whereas this year I came in, we have a new coaching group and high-performance team, and they had a really clear idea of what they wanted to do with me," she said.

"They wanted to use me in the midfield as a bigger body and so I worked very hard over the pre-season to build up my fitness and try and get my skills a little bit better.

"I also understand a bit more how to find space and all the other midfield logistics which has been good for me, it was a big learning curve.

"Having the support and having someone that believes so strongly in what they wanted to do with me has made it so easy to absorb it all, learn and then the next step is to build a bit more consistency."

The impact that Webster has had on the playing group this campaign has been profound. The playing group rave about his ability to build relationships and his football knowledge.

"I have so much respect for him and so much appreciation. I think it's really underrated how much a coach can make a difference. I loved Bec (Goddard) last year and had a great relationship with her, but I think this is just a different dynamic," Breed said.

"'Webby' really knows what he wanted to get out of me and what he wanted to get out of the playing group and how to utilize the skills and talent that we have. That's made such an impact as you can see based on our performances this year, it's been really exciting."

While Breed is in some scintillating form, her journey to the big stage and pathway to the AFLW was different to most. 

Breed began playing junior footy in Darwin as a 15-year-old before making the move to Adelaide in 2020 in a bid to get drafted.

The COVID-19 pandemic saw things "turn a little bit pear-shaped" but the Hawks took a punt on Breed at pick No.4 in the season eight supplementary draft.

"We got four rounds into the SANFLW season, and the season got suspended. I had an injury at the time, I had snapped my flexor tendon in my hand, so I was also trying to navigate through that whether to get surgery or not," Breed said.

"I spoke with the Crows, but at the time you could only nominate a state or team, it wasn't a national draft.

"I nominated them but didn't get picked up. I was offered a train-on position but because of COVID the structure of it changed. I thought I'd go back to SANFLW and try again but then I actually gave footy away in 2021, I stepped away totally."

But the dream wasn't over just yet.

"I came back and played some local footy in 2022 and went back to SANFLW level after that and got picked up after I played a couple of games for North Adelaide," Breed said.

Having cemented herself as an integral piece to Hawthorn's side, the emerging midfielder is now focussed on building consistency in her game.

"I think there's been a few games where I've faded in and out which has been frustrating," she said.

Hawthorn's AFLW program has exceeded expectations so far, much like the men's program did this season.

There's something in the water at Waverley Park and it is certainly the place to be right now.

"It's so exciting. We're still trying to just take it week by week at this stage … everyone is really embracing it. The boys had a great season as well, it's just been such a good place to be a part of," she said.

Men's forwards Jack Gunston and Mitch Lewis have spent time helping to coach the AFLW side, something that has only increased connection between the playing cohorts.

"Having 'Gunners' and Mitch come out, it really helps with the connection between the men's and women's programs. It's sort of like a bridge that helps connect you, they're two guys that have a lot of knowledge," she said.

"Both of them are really happy to see the women's program thrive and are really happy to give their time when they can. I think that's really nice and really special … it would be really cool for us to give back too, eventually."

With the Hawks sitting in second spot on the ladder with one round to go, the sky is the limit as they prepare to embark on their first finals series.

"The biggest message has been not to mess with form. We want to make sure we are playing our best footy because at our best, we're a force to be reckoned with and are really good," Breed said.

"I'd love to (win the flag). I think at our best we're a really strong side. Obviously, there's a lot of other teams that are really good and are having a great year as well."

The Hawks will aim to secure a home qualifying final when they take on Richmond at the Swinburne Centre on Sunday.

A win would also see them edge out Brisbane for footy's $1 million McClelland Trophy prize.