SOME handy advice coupled with "a spray every now and again" from his new teammates has fast-tracked James Frawley's transition into Hawthorn's premiership backline.
The ex-Demon has settled into the brown-and-gold guernsey with encouraging ease since his headline-grabbing free agency switch, with the 26-year-old especially impressive since he returned from a torn pectoral.
The injury, suffered in round two, stalled Frawley's progress for a month, and his integration was also disrupted by the absences of full-back Brian Lake and defensive general Luke Hodge.
But with five games now under his belt – highlighted by a shutdown of Lance Franklin in round eight – Frawley is starting to feel like he's getting to the correct positions and understanding how the Hawks want to move the ball.
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"We've got some good players down there and good leaders down there with 'Gibbo' (Josh Gibson), 'Lakey', 'Hodgey' – so they all give a bit of advice and a bit of a spray every now and again," Frawley said.
"But nah, it's been good giving me advice if I'm doing the wrong thing or I'm not in the right spot.
"It's probably taken me a bit to get going but I feel like I'm getting used to the game plan and the way they move the ball.
"I think in the backline you have to be a pretty close and pretty tight bunch of blokes. So people coming in and out and chopping and changing all the time probably does affect the boys a little bit, but you've just got to play with whoever's beside you.
"I've probably played four or five games with (Lake) now so I'm starting to feel a bit of chemistry with him and he's a big bloke to play on the gorillas and I can get up the ground a bit more."
Frawley performed that role to perfection against Franklin two weeks ago, blanketing the Sydney Swans superstar and holding him scoreless for the first time since 2009.
It was exactly the type of assignment the Hawks recruited him for, freeing up Gibson to be the third man up at marking contests and a defensive outlet with his penetrating left boot.
"Everyone knows Buddy's a good player and I was happy to do my job on the day. That was my role and I was happy to try and do my best and it turned out well," Frawley said.
If that seemed a daunting task, it was perhaps no more difficult for the ex-Demon than his return from injury against his former teammates at the MCG a week earlier in round seven.
Frawley was an All Australian defender at the Dees in 2010, but copped boos from the same supporters who cheered him in 139 games as the Hawks smashed Melbourne by 105 points.
"It was a bit strange actually walking out there. I got a few boos out there, so that was fun," Frawley said.
"It was a bit awkward and a bit strange, but I'm happy to just get that one out of the way. Next time we play them it will be a lot easier, I think.
"(My former teammates) were pretty good, they were probably chirping up a bit early when they kicked the first couple of goals and gave me a bit of lip. But it was fine and they were pretty good about it."
