Where and when: Southern Saints at Trevor Barker Oval, 18th August at 12:00pm.
Hawthorn’s VFLW side only have two games until the end of the season. To secure a spot in finals, the Hawks will most likely need to win either one of the these games if they want the chance to go for back-to-back premierships.
This week they face Southern Saints, the second time the Hawks have met them this season, having previously met them in Round 7. In what was a heartbreaking loss for Hawthorn, the Saints got over the line by just three points at Box Hill City Oval.
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On Sunday the Hawks will travel to Trevor Barker Oval to the fight for their spot in finals. The Saints, who currently sit second on the ladder, are returning from a week off and Hawthorn, who sit fifth on the ladder, will be looking for their fourth consecutive win.
When the two sides met in Round 7, Kate Shierlaw kicked the game winning goal and was named in the Saints’ best players. She has continued to prove her talent, being named in the best on four occasions since. In the Saint’s last game against Essendon, Shierlaw kicked three goals and showed how much of a threat she is up forward and one that Hawthorn’s defenders will need to shut down.
Hawthorn’s interstate recruits Jordan Membrey and Georgia Bevan have been impressive in recent weeks. Both players have been huge assets in Hawthorn’s three-win streak and have proved why they were important pick ups for the Hawks at the start of the year.
Membrey stepped up last week and was named best on ground after an impressive performance against Casey, in which she was able to fulfil her role set by the coaches. Bevan was also strong with a career high of 17 tackles. Both players will be gearing up for a big game on Sunday against a top two side.
If Hawthorn win on the weekend, they can be hopeful for finals footy. However, if they lose, they leave themselves with a big challenge against Collingwood next week. Either way, Sunday’s game is an incredibly important one for the side’s future this season.
