Hawthorn Coach Daniel Webster is looking forward to returning to the AFLW side's home away from home, Cairns, this weekend. 

The Hawks staged the first-ever AFLW game at Cazalys Stadium in 2023 and since then, have formed a strong brown and gold fanbase in their 'Northern Nest'. 

As has been tradition, the Hawks will host their annual Indigenous Round match on Gimuy Land, with Euro-Yroke lining up as their opponents on Saturday. 

Speaking post-match after Hawthorn's four-point win over the Western Bulldogs in Round 3, Webster expressed how much the team loves playing in Cairns. 

The Hawks coach also touched on the brown and gold's form, the defenders' work rates and Elli Symonds' debut.

We summarised the key points from his press conference below.

On the defenders' efforts 

"I thought our defenders did a really good job. I think Jenna (Richardson) being back in the team was really good. I thought the (Emily) Everist tackle in D50 was fantastic, and I thought (Tamara) Smith and (Tilly) Lucas-Rodd were good all day. I thought the defenders were really strong, and I thought Lucy Wales in the ruck was excellent."

On the side's form and the Round 3 result

"We’re happy with the three wins, clearly. I mean, it’s been three really hard-fought and contested games. We tried to get the ball moving a little bit tonight, and I thought we did a good job, but just our connection in the front half, we fell down with our skill execution a little bit. We’ve got to tighten that up, and we’ve got to get better with our ball use and being able to handle the opposition’s pressure. I thought the Bulldogs did a fantastic job with their pressure and tackling, they brought the heat. I think they were comfortably ahead in contested possessions. They definitely outworked us, and they were cleaner and better in that sense. That’s an area of our game that we’ve got to get better because I think we chased tail all day."

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On playing in Cairns

"We love going up there to Cairns. St Kilda (Euro-Yroke) are another good, tough, contested team as well. We’ll have our work cut out for us, but we love going to Cairns, it’s a good deck and it’s nice, warm weather. We always enjoy it. It will be good to get away, I think."

On Elli Symonds' first game

"She competes pretty well. There was a passage of play at the centre bounce where she laid three or four tackles in a row. She launched at the footy and took a good couple of grabs, and that’s what she does. So, a really good start for her career, she’ll have a very long career for us, I think."

Watch Webster's full press conference below