The AFLW’s rapid evolution has been a double-edged sword for Adelaide, which is the most successful club in competition history, having won three of the eight premierships.
While just five inaugural Crows remain since their premiership-winning 2017 side, they have been in half of all the competition’s grand finals and made it to at least a preliminary final every year since 2021.
Yet in round one, they were shocked with a 22-point defeat to St Kilda after scoring just two goals.
Original Crow and now star player Anne Hatchard said it was a defeat that was hard to take.
“[It] kind of just really hit because, I guess we didn’t go in too confident, but I don’t think we really expected what happened out in the field. We weren’t, I guess, prepared for it. So that kind of hit hard,” Hatchard told ABC Sport.
Adelaide currently sits sixth after a 3-2 start and will face Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon.Â
Adelaide were shocked with a 22-point defeat to St Kilda in round one after scoring just two goals (Getty: Daniel Pockett)
After the Saints, the Crows immediately bounced back the following weekend with a 38-point win against Geelong, thanks to a fourth-quarter seven-goal blitz.
They then beat GWS by 32 points after a four-goal opening quarter – they only kicked three goals over the next three quarters.
Then ending the winning run, they suffered their second loss of the season to the reigning grand finalists Brisbane by three points in round four.
It wasn’t until they defeated Hawthorn by 21 points last weekend that Hatchard said they had a complete four-quarter performance.
“Whenever you get a loss, it’s like, ‘OK, what can we do now? What do we need to do?’ Everyone gets a bit frantic,” Hatchard said.
“So it’s nice having that win against the Hawks, who are a very, very strong team.
“They started four and zip. To come out and get that win just gave our girls a lot of confidence and that belief that we can do it when we play our footy.”
Anne Hatchard said the Crows’ victory against the Hawks was her side’s most-complete four-quarter performance this year. (Getty: Morgan Hancock)
The AFLW season runs from August to November, with preseason practice matches the month prior, meaning teams don’t get to see or play each other for seven months of the year.
Top sides like the Crows can often come out of preseason and be struck by how much the competition has evolved.
Last season it was Melbourne – currently third after a 4-1 start – who finished ninth and missed finals. They had only dropped two games for the entire 2023 season.Â
“These teams just keep coming and coming. Especially the Saints. I was super impressed with how they came out and played. They were such a unit … We just have to keep trying to get better and better,” Hatchard said.
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The 27-year-old three-time premiership player and three-time club best and fairest is also aware that dynasties in sport are rare as it’s hard to stay at top for long periods of time.
“I’m so grateful that we’ve been in a very successful team, and it’s heartbreaking losing prelim finals, we just want to keep pushing to make those grand finals,” Hatchard said.
“I know a lot of girls go through [the competition] and they don’t even get to play finals. Let alone, I’ve got three premiership medals.
“It has been amazing to be part of this talented group and talented program.”
It’s a group that Hatchard assures is aiming for another grand final appearance this year.
“I love that the competition is getting better and better, because you go on out there and you know the game’s going to be hard. No game is easy going into this season,” Hatchard said.
“It’s awesome for the competition and I love it, as much as I hate losing.”