Hawthorn have a million reasons to smile after posting a hard-fought 23-point win over Richmond to secure the McClelland Trophy and second spot on the AFLW ladder.The Hawks entered Sunday’s match knowing a win or even a draw would be enough to secure the McClelland Trophy and the $1m prize money that goes with it.
The trophy is awarded to the best-performed AFL/AFLW club across the home-and-away campaigns, with each win in the men’s competition worth four points and each victory in the women’s worth eight.
Hawthorn trailed by three points when Richmond forward Emelia Yassir kicked a goal at the five-minute mark of the final term.
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But the Hawks finished with a flurry, kicking the final four goals of the match to secure the 6.10 (46) to 3.5 (23) win.y
The result means second-placed Hawthorn (10-1) will host third-placed Brisbane (9-2) in a qualifying final.
The million-dollar prize money will be distributed equally at Hawthorn, with $250,000 going to the AFLW players, $250,000 to the AFL players, $250,000 to the club football department staff and $250,000 to the club.
“It’s crazy to think that we’d be in this position at the start of the year,” Hawthorn’s Greta Bodey told Channel 7.
“The boys turned it around amazingly and we’ve done a pretty good job as well to bring it home.
“It was a big game coming into finals. We really wanted to get ourselves ready for next week, and Richmond were the perfect team to (play against) because they’re such a good quality opposition.
“Credit to them for bringing the fight. It took us the four quarters, and stoked to get the result.”
Neither side could score a goal in a hard-fought opening term, with the swirling breeze that favoured Richmond causing all sorts of problems close to goal.
Tempers threatened to boil over midway through the second term when Hawthorn’s Jess Vukic pushed her elbow into the face of Richmond skipper Katie Brennan, with Tigers players quickly running in to remonstrate.
Hawthorn edged out to a 10-point lead in the third term when Aine McDonagh nailed her set shot.
Beth Lynch’s booming goal in her 50th game closed the gap again, and Richmond hit the lead in the last term when Yassir converted her set shot.
But Hawthorn lifted when it mattered most, with Mikayla Williamson’s goal sparking a run of four consecutive majors as the Hawks secured victory.
Richmond’s fourth loss of the year could cost them hosting rights for their elimination final, depending on other results.