Hawthorn has won its fifth game of the 2025 NAB AFLW season, defeating Collingwood by nine points at Victoria Park on Saturday afternoon.

The win came at a cost however, with 21-year-old Bridie Hipwell going down with a nasty lower limb injury during the third quarter. Play was halted for more than five minutes while medical staff attended to Hipwell before she was stretchered off the ground.

After losing forward Kalinda Howarth to a knee injury early, the Magpies had more disposals (269-256), clearances (27-18), and inside 50s (38-26) than Hawthorn, but the visitors found a way to limit Collingwood’s favoured kick-mark style for large patches of the game. The home side finished with 62 marks, well above its season average of 50.6, but this number could have been significantly higher if not for the Hawks’ ability to affect the contest and bring the ball to ground.

The Hawks’ pressure was not limited to aerial contests, with Daniel Webster’s team winning the tackle count and seemingly always having an extra player or two in close quarters to receive a handball and work the ball into space. 

Eliza West (25), Tilly Lucas-Rodd (23), and Lucy Wales (22) had plenty of the ball for the Hawks, with 11 tackles, six inside 50s, and six rebound 50s between them.  

Aine McDonagh proved to be a dangerous matchup for the Pies’ defenders, finishing with two first half goals and 15 disposals, while Keely Coyne, Jess Vukic, and Greta Bodey all hitting the scoreboard.

Collingwood skipper Ruby Schleicher got her side’s first major of the day early in the last quarter, converting a long range shot after streaming away from stoppage. Alana Porter, who was brought back into the side after last playing in Round 3, kicked her fourth goal of the year ten minutes later. And when number one pick Ash Centra split the middle moments later, the Magpies were back within three points. 

Jess Vukic replied almost instantly for the Hawks, restoring the nine-point lead. Collingwood pressed hard in response in the final stages of the quarter but were unable to add to their score.  

Centra (25) was the leading possession-getter for the Pies, while Tarni White (22), Britt Bonnici (22) and Schleicher all tried hard, but Imogen Barnett and Sabrina Frederick were beaten by Lucy Wales in the ruck.  

Fears for key Pie after injury
After collecting six coaches’ votes for her 15-disposal, three-goal performance against Sydney last week, Kalinda Howarth was primed for another big game. However, her day was cut short after her right knee twisted and buckled while caught in a Laura Stone tackle. Howarth immediately grabbed at her knee in anguish, and the game was temporarily paused while the 26-year-old was helped off the ground by club medical staff. The dynamic forward was ruled out for the remainder of the game in the early stages of the second quarter. Howarth had previously spent the majority of the past two years recovering from an ACL injury.

Score assist corrects early goal call
The competition's score assist technology was called upon early in the match, after Aine McDonagh broke free of Amber Schutte’s tackle and snapped on her left foot in the second minute of the game. The County Galway product seemed convinced of the outcome, celebrating despite the goal umpire signalling a behind. After a few confused looks from players and a brief pause to review the shot on goal, McDonagh’s kick was deemed to have snuck in on the correct side of the post and the original call was overturned, granting the visitors the first goal of the game.

Up next
Hawthorn travels down the highway to play Geelong at GMHBA Stadium in a Thursday night clash, while Collingwood faces off against the Western Bulldogs under lights at Mission Whitten Oval on Friday night.

COLLINGWOOD          0.2          0.6          0.9          3.12 (30)
HAWTHORN                2.4          3.5          3.7          5.9 (39) 

GOALS
Collingwood: Schleicher, Porter, Centra
Hawthorn: McDonagh 2, Bodey, Coyne, Vukic

BEST
Collingwood: Schleicher, Centra, White
Hawthorn: West, McDonagh, Lucas-Rodd, Gilroy

INJURIES
Collingwood: Howarth (knee)
Hawthorn: Hipwell (lower leg)

Reports: Nil

Crowd: TBC at Victoria Park