Hawthorn was the breakout team of the 2024 AFLW season.

Its exciting, fast-paced, high-scoring style of footy drew plenty of people in, and it propelled the club to a McClelland Trophy and a second-placed finish on the ladder.

So, when it crashed out of finals in straight sets, there was a general feeling that a couple of small tweaks in 2025 would make it a genuine premiership threat.

But that has not happened. Instead, the Hawks are staring down the barrel of another straight-sets finals exit, and in their qualifying final loss to North Melbourne last week, they became the first team to be held goalless in an AFLW final.

Despite finishing the home-and-away season in fourth spot on the ladder — earning the double chance — Hawthorn has struggled to recapture the magic of its rapid 2024

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