Mitchell Woodcock: West Coast must draw a line in the sand and stand up to Hawthorn in modern-day rivalry

A winless West Coast should not need too much extra motivation to finally taste victory as they prepare to take on Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium this Sunday. Yet this particular opponent should bring out a fire in them as players and as an entire club to show that they will no longer be picked apart while they’re struggling. Hawthorn are one of several clubs looking to take advantage of the Eagles, who are desperately trying to rebuild. Poaching players and finding ways to better the draft hand at the expense of other clubs are ways good ones strengthen their list. And while the AFL has equalisation measures in place, you only have to look at the sustained success of clubs like Geelong and Sydney to know that if run well, the strong can get stronger. Under Sam Mitchell, the Hawks are looking to operate in a similar manner, and if the Eagles don’t draw a line in the sand starting this weekend, then they’re going to be Hawthorn’s No.1 target. Mitchell is smart, calculated and goal-driven. He’s using previous relationships at the Eagles to fill the gaps on his list, and who can blame him? And he has a team on the rise, playing exciting football and in front of big crowds at the MCG — it’s a young footballer’s dream. Under the roof at Marvel Stadium, West Coast need to send a message that they’re still the powerhouse club that was once feared across the AFL. Getting their first win of 2025 against Hawthorn would show that they are not prepared to just lie down and let the Hawks take from them without a fight. And it is performances like that which will do no harm in helping to convince players like Oscar Allen and Harley Reid to stay. Buckle up, because this could be the start of a great modern-day rivalry.