HAWTHORN hosts winless Gold Coast in the first of two AFLW matches on Wednesday night.

This year Hawthorn has become a team that is especially difficult to defend, because of their speed and cleanliness with the footy. Typically the Hawks create space in attack, with most forwards pressing high up the ground – bringing their direct opponents with them – and then sprinting back toward goal, often able to outrun the opposition. This looms as a real danger for the Suns, who have been torn up on their defensive transition, leaving the backline under immense pressure. Gold Coast's defensive work higher up the field must lift significantly this week in order to slow that aggressive ball movement from the Hawks.

HAWKS v SUNS Full match coverage and stats

The Suns cannot allow Hawthorn to move the ball with short, chip kicks around the midfield/half back line, because handing over control like that is playing right into the Hawks' hands. Neither side has been a great first quarter team so far this year, but after that first break, they go in two different directions. Hawthorn really gets going, piling on some devastating scoreboard pressure, and building even more in the second half. The Suns, however, have to fight for every opportunity in the front half.

In the second match of the evening, Essendon hosts Sydney under lights at Mission Whitten Oval.

Essendon had the best win of its AFLW history last week over Melbourne, making a real statement with both scoring power and defensive strength, and will come into this one chock-full of confidence as a result. In contrast, the Swans are coming off a disappointing loss, in which the Western Bulldogs ran over the top of them late. Sydney's ball use coming out of defence has been a real problem for the side. It doesn't have the players in defence that can reliably hit a target by foot, and too often attempt to pick off a risky switch deep in the back 50, which opposition forward lines can pressure into turnover opportunities. This will be something Essendon's forwards will be wise to, particularly Daria Bannister, and could cause some problems for the Swans.

BOMBERS v SWANS Full match coverage and stats

Part in parcel with this is Essendon's ability to force poor ball use from its opposition, largely through the pressure it applies, and the way it forces contested situations. The Bombers have also been absolutely ruthless in first quarters this year, doing a mountain of damage early in games to really take charge, while Sydney has struggled early in games. The Swans must weather that early storm, they cannot let Essendon do too much damage on the scoreboard early in the game.