HAWTHORN might be undefeated after three rounds, but is it the exciting, attacking side we came to know and love last year?

It has ground out tight wins over Brisbane (four-point margin), Carlton (eight points), and the Western Bulldogs (four points), but hasn't shown the exciting dash down the ground and heavy scoring power it became known for in its first season under Daniel Webster in 2024.

The loss of Jasmine Fleming from the midfield to an MCL injury has been a key factor, as has the absence of dangerous forward Aileen Gilroy with a hamstring concern, but systematically there is a clear shift at play.

Part of this is personnel based – Fleming was responsible for an average of 18.6 disposals and 1.8 running bounces in 2024, while Gilroy averaged 4.4 score involvements and more than a goal per game – but opposition sides have also gone to work on how to defend their work.

On Saturday evening, in which the Hawks kicked just 14 points – a far cry from the team that was averaging 52.2 points throughout 2024 – they allowed the Dogs 36 more contested possessions throughout the game, and recorded just 95 of their own, their lowest since round one, 2023.

Not being able to get a handle on the footy in the scramble has then meant establishing that neat outside running game has been much tougher.

As teams have worked to close down the neat, yet intricate exit from stoppage that worked well last year, often with pressure in tight and outnumbers at the contest, the start of the Hawks' ball movement chain has been disrupted.

For this reason, the Hawks are generating fewer forward 50 entries, meaning there are fewer opportunities to score, but crucially they are significantly less efficient from those inside 50s this year as well.

This is where Gilroy's ability to get dangerous in attack, both off her own boot or setting up others, has been sorely missed.

The positive? The Hawks are yet to drop a game.

They might not be playing the way they want, or in the way they are capable, but they're still ticking over the wins.

With Euro-Yroke, Kurwarna, Collingwood and Geelong to come in the next month, Hawthorn is well placed to set up another top four finish, while working through the game style concerns that could come to hurt it in crunch matches later in the year.