AFLW All-Australian Kate McCarthy has warned clubs they need to "pay the respect" to the competition's best players if they want to be serious about nullifying their opposition's damage. 

Reviewing vision on AFL.com.au's The Wrap, McCarthy highlighted Hawthorn's temporary lapse of judgement in their defensive system, when they left Melbourne star, Kate Hore, unattended at multiple points in the first half of Thursday night's clash at Ikon Park.

"I just feel like we're at a point now in AFLW, where there are genuine players that will take the game away from you if you don't pay them the respect that they deserve," McCarthy said.

"Kate Hore's one of them, Jas Garner's another. Ella Roberts, we saw GWS go in with a plan against Ella Roberts. If you don't have a plan against these players, they're going to make you pay."

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Greater Western Sydney demonstrated its regard for one of the League's most damaging gamebreakers when it sent Grace Kos to tag Roberts on Sunday afternoon, resulting in the West Coast star's lowest disposal game since 2023. 

"[Roberts] only had the 15 disposals, kicked a goal as well, so still had impact on the game, let's not discount her of that fact. But it was Grace Kos that did the job," McCarthy said. 

"This is something you'd expect to see now, Ella Roberts widely touted as the best player, if not one of the best players in the competition. She's going to have to work through this, and I think her teammates are going to have to help her work through this. Daisy Pearce will help coach her through this as well. I think it's probably a sign of things to come. 

"It'll be interesting to see how other teams approach playing on Ella Roberts, and if they are able to go with her for the full four quarters."

Ella Roberts in action during the match between Greater Western Sydney and West Coast at Engie Stadium in round one, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

The successful tag of Roberts had McCarthy questioning why Hore was left unaccounted for by the Hawks on Thursday night. 

Talking through behind the goals vision from Ikon Park, McCarthy locates the points where Hore was left to roam free close to goal as the Hawks players worked to either enter the contest, or pick up another forward. 

"This is how it plays out, so her direct opponent there is Eliza West. [West] goes hunting the footy to help out at that next contest, which is fine as long as you impact. But then from that point on, no one picks up Kate Hore. There's no handover," McCarthy said. 

"Here, Casey Sherriff at the top of the screen is trying to hand her over because she needs to take Tayla Harris … then Melbourne have won the ball back to start with. Then it goes back into contest, [Melbourne] win it again.

"There is no one that has looked at, referenced or gone to Kate Hore the entire passage of this play, and guess what? She's going to make you pay. She's going to get on the end of it and have a shot at goal."

Kate Hore in action during the match between Hawthorn and Melbourne at Ikon Park in round one, 2026. Picture: AFL Photos

Hore finished with 22 disposals, nine score involvements and a goal, which McCarthy says could have been worse for the Hawks, given the star's five shots at goal throughout the evening. 

"Yes, one goal four on the night for Kate Hore. If she kicked straight she single handedly almost takes that game away from Hawthorn in the first half, if not quarter," McCarthy said. 

"I think just a little bit more prep needs to go in, now that we're getting a little bit more professional in the AFLW, they've got time to dedicate to, I guess, vision [opposition] analysis. It should be better than that."