BUILDING a strong women's program doesn't begin and end with a playing list. It starts among the most senior members of a footy club and must filter throughout the whole organisation.

At Hawthorn, that began with two key recruits: Bec Goddard as AFLW Head Coach and General Manager of Operations and AFLW Josh Vanderloo.

Goddard, one of just four AFLW premiership coaches, has been with Hawthorn since late 2019 where she took over as VFLW coach with a direct intention to move to AFLW once a license was granted. Vanderloo came across from the AFL where he was instrumental in getting the AFLW up and running off the field.

To put it simply, both had shown a keen and dedicated investment in the development of the women's game before arriving at the club. 

For experienced players like Tilly Lucas-Rodd, this was a key piece of the puzzle as they contemplated joining the inaugural list.

"I think it's really important. I think if you chat to any female athletes in any sport, you're always scared of being seen as a stepping stone and a pathway to somewhere else," Lucas-Rodd told womens.afl.

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Stability was also something Lucas-Rodd was desperately looking for with the move, having played under more head coaches across her AFLW career than any other player, that had also filtered down to assistant coaches.

"In my first meeting (with Hawthorn) I asked who they think they'll get in as line coaches, because I think I've had a different line coach almost every year in my six years of footy."

"I think as women we're always cautious that someone's going to use you as a stepping stone and you want that stability. Obviously Bec is completely invested in women's footy, and she's also had success in the game, so that's really attractive and something that I looked for."

The selling point of having both Goddard and Vanderloo head up the program has proved fruitful, winning over experienced players like Lucas-Rodd, Sarah Perkins, Jess Duffin and Aileen Gilroy, all with the caveat of players fitting the character test.

"No dickheads," Goddard said simply.

"I know it sounds basic, and I think it's thrown around a bit in football generally but it's sometimes quite easy to ignore because talent becomes so overwhelming that you're prepared to walk past things.

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"I think in women's football it's even more important because when you're in a part time environment, (culture is) like the cornerstone of your house. It's what sets your foundation, and you can start to evolve that as time goes on, but if you mess that up to start with, it's very hard to unpick."

And while a good culture is partly based on player character and decisions made with playing lists, it is also reflective of a club's willingness to invest in its women's program. Hawthorn is doing so with crucial appointments off-field, including full-time AFLW high performance manager Olivia Knowles, player development and wellbeing co-ordinator Erin Cugley, list manager Mitch Cashion and AFLW operations manager Dan Napoli.

This philosophy also impacts how Goddard's coaching panel is crafted. Always the first name thrown up when women in coaching conversations are had, Goddard is clear on what an AFLW coach - assistant or otherwise - should have.

"The intentions of why they're there in the first place I think are really important. And even when you're learning to be a coach and doing coaching courses - and everything these days - you're continually pressed on your why," explained Goddard.

"That question, I think it's really important when you're trying to differentiate intentions."

Vanderloo echoed this sentiment, adding that finding the right people, with the right motivations, hasn’t been hard.

“I go back to Olivia Knowles, our high performance manager. In five years’ time, she wants to be known as the best high performance manager in AFLW,” Vanderloo said.

Aspirations within AFLW are vital to the program and a drawcard of those brought in. This includes Lucas-Rodd, who was on track to become captain at St Kilda and now hopes to lead the Hawks one day.

“I asked (Goddard and Vanderloo) what their structure of leadership is here… and I did ask, like, ‘do you see me having leadership qualities?’ and they said yes, so we’re on the same page,” Lucas-Rodd said.

From here, the hard work continues with players officially starting their preseason on Monday, training together as Hawks for the first time. And for Lucas-Rodd, has there ever been a more exciting time to be part of AFLW?

“Absolutely not.”