IF SUNDAY'S qualifying final between Hawthorn and Brisbane has a thread of familiarity about it, that's because there probably is.

Following two years as an understudy to Craig Starcevich at the Lions, Daniel Webster won the Hawks coaching job nine months ago.

As Webster headed south, he took a sliver of learning from the Lions, bundled it together with his own coaching philosophy and has emerged as the AFLW's feel-good story of 2024.

Not only have the Hawks been exciting to watch – scoring the third most points this season – but they've been a raging success, climbing from three wins in 2023 to a whopping 10 (playing one extra game) this season.

With former Lions Emily Bates, who he coached in Brisbane's midfield, and Greta Bodey, leaving the den 12 months before him, Webster had some familiarity when he arrived.

So, it's been no surprise that watching the Hawks in 2024 feels familiar. They love to get the ball in space, run hard to support one another and overwhelm their opponents with speed.

Starcevich is well aware of the threat the Hawks pose, and full of praise for the job his friend has done at the helm.

"It's not dissimilar to us, to be honest," Starcevich said of Hawthorn's playing style.

"We're cut from the same cloth, in terms of we want to play attacking, attractive footy and his team has been the epitome of that this season.

"From a neutral's perspective, I'd expect it's going to be quick and open and fast.

"They'll want to slow us down and we'll want to slow them down."

Bates and Bodey have played against their former club once already, a 27-point loss to the Lions at Frankston last September.

But this team is different, having won eight games on the trot, finished second and been integral in Hawthorn winning the $1 million McClelland Trophy.

Although the coaches might be philosophically similar and the players have a good knowledge of how their opponents like to play, it means nothing come game day.

"Knowing the way Daniel wants his teams to play is nice for us to have a head start from that point of view, but it'll boil down to playing the game on Sunday and things that transpire after the first bounce," Starcevich said.

"We can talk about what might happen, but once we get out there and get going and see what it looks like."

Will it be the master or the apprentice that helps book his team a spot in the preliminary final?

Either way, this should be a contest that excites supporters of Hawthorn and Brisbane, along with neutral fans, alike.